Angel

• "A parson's son"


  - Description of Angel; Hardy presents Angel's social position.

  - Irony; both the male characters Tess encounters are of a high social standing.

  - Bad omen? In stating that Angel is a parson's son, Hardy makes it evident to the readers that Angel has links to religion. In focusing on religion, Hardy therefore foreshadows Tess' and Angel's failure of marriage because Tess does not fit in with his parents' standards of purity.
• "He had no concern about his material future."

  - Foil to Alec. Despite the fact that they are both of the same social class, Angel is presented as a character who is indifferent to wealth. This stark contrast between the two suggests that Angel may be different to Alec as a character, he might not assert his social class over Tess or use it as a reason to give himself more power.

  - Perhaps this quote also suggests that Angel is wealthy and well off, money is no problem for him? Could provide Tess with financial stability.
• "I'll do without Cambridge."


  - In being given the opportunity to attend a prestigious university, Hardy makes Angel's social position evident. He is a wealthy man.

  - However, in denying the offer to do without Cambridge, despite the fact that his brother had graduated from the university, Hardy suggests or gives an indication to the readers that Angel is the atypical wealthy character. In denying the offer, Angel challenges social norms of being well educated and having educational stability. Thus, it can be argued that unlike Alec, Angel seems humble and seems to remove himself from the prestige that comes with his social class.

  - Important; it could also be argued that Angel's behaviour and desire to not attend university could be a sign of him wanting to rid himself of the arrogant social norms? A hope for Tess - suggests Tess will be accepted.

  - Breaks social conventions and family norms. He is brave.

  - Angel as an egalitarian? Believes in equal opportunities for all? Perhaps foreshadows Tess not being exploited at his hands and being treated right, unlike her experience with Alec?

  - We admire Angel. Good first impression. He is not controlled by conservative views.
• "He won't marry one of us - a gentleman's son."

  - Izz Huet (one of the dairymaids at the Talbothays Dairy).

  - Importance of social class in a Victorian society to the extent that social class has an impact on the freedom one has on marriage.

  - Thus, traditionally, as an upper class man, Angel is not allowed to marry someone of Tess' social position. However, considering that Angel refused to go to Cambridge because he can "do without [it]" it can certainly be argued that Angel also feels comfortable to break social barriers and conventions by marrying a working-class girl like Tess. He is admirable as he sacrifices a lot for his own happiness. Perhaps a sign that he doesn't have much pride? He is selfless?
• "He loved her; ought he to marry her? Dared he to marry her? What should his mother and his brothers say? What would he say himself a couple of years after the event?"

  - The repeated questions create a fast pace environment, arguably reflective of the moral conundrum Angel is in, as he figures out whether pursuing Tess is the right thing to do.

  - The repeated questions are also reflective of Angel's worries. Angel is presented as a character who values his family's opinions and society's opinions too. As a result, despite the fact that he loves Tess, he is worried of the views society would have of him. Thus, it can be argued that Angel can be seen as a complex and difficult character to understand. To one extent he wants to liberate himself from social pressures, to another extent, he wants to maintain tradition. Could this be his struggle of escaping his social class? Perhaps he wants to leave his social class entirely but feels entrapped?

  - It can be argued that in choosing to marry Tess despite knowing it would lead to complications within his family and society, Angel shows bravery. He also loses a lot - his marriage with Tess is controversial and therefore breaks familial bonds and relationships with his brothers. He sacrifices a lot for Tess - a sign of true love.

  - Angel is doing something controversial by wanting to marry Tess.
• "He noticed their growing mental limitations."

  - Angel as a progressive character who challenges religion and social norms; he refers to his brothers.

  - He is a challenge to tradition and conservative views. Thus, his response and his view of his brothers could suggest that he has seen the faults in being socially and religiously conservative, wanting to separate himself from this part of him.

  - We admire Angel - he does something difficult.

  - We also admire Angel because we are made to believe he is a glimmer of hope. His progressive approach suggests that he might have a progressive and less conservative view to purity than the typical Victorian.
• "Each brother recognised that there were a few unimportant persons who were neither University men nor church men; but they were to be tolerated rather than reckoned with and respected."


  - Angel's brothers are putting themself on a social pedestal; they deem themselves and their position as 'university men' and 'church men' as being superior.

  - It could be argued that his brother's are a mirror of Angel's parents, their parents raised them to view society in such a way. Therefore, this further adds onto Angel's bravery for rebelling and escaping his parents' backwardness. It is clear that he is progressive.

  - Ignorant, fixed mindset -> leads to Tess' downfall.

  - IMPORTANT: When Angel begins to despise Tess for revealing her secret, we cannot necessarily blame him for his reaction. We see an active effort from him, trying to constantly rid himself of conservative views, yet, the fact that his parents and his brothers are so conservative and radical, it can be argued that no matter how much Angel tries to escape, his efforts remain somewhat futile.
• "Keep as much as possible in touch with moral ideals."


  - Angel's father to Angel after agreeing to allow him to marry Tess, a dairymaid, a common woman who does not fit in with their social standard.

  - Parson Clare's demand that Angel keeps in touch with moral ideals portrays the inflexible morality of Victorians, especially religious Victorians, making morality an essential factor when considering the goodness of a person.

  - It could also be argued that Clare's demand that Angel keeps these morals is a way of forcing Angel to remain in touch with his family. Despite being allowed to marry Tess, he is given a rule he must follow, in order for his marriage to be accepted - religious morality.

  - Therefore, it would be plausible to argue that Angel's response to Tess is as a result of his fear of causing further disappointment to his parents. He has already disappointed them by marrying a common woman and therefore, the most he can do is respect moral ideals.
• "Is she of a family such as you would care to marry into - a lady, in short?"

  - Angel's mother to Angel; a sign of social inflexibility and social superiority. The most important thing to them is Tess' social class.

  - Significant to the tragedy: Angel is made to believe that his family is desperate for a lady for him, thus, he is excited when he finds out Tess is of a D'Urberville ancestry, making Tess believe she is not accepted by Angel's family unless she is of a higher social class. In doing so, Angel creates fears for Tess to visit his family when she needs money. She is fearful of judgement.
• "My mother too, will think so much better of you on account of it. Tess, you must spell your name correctly - D'Urberville - from this very day."


  - We see a slight change in Angel's attitudes to social class; here, he is presented as being a snob who is concerned with social class and sees social class as the most important factor.

  - Moreover, in telling Tess that she "must" change her surname's spelling, Angel also shows a sign of deception. He appeared to not be concerned with social class and family names, yet, in giving Tess a command, Angel takes on a position which allows him to control Tess socially (similar to Alec but different too) moulding her and seeing her as a project for himself, allowing him to make her a much better spouse according to his family's requirements.

  - Readers may be slightly confused: Angel previously said he does not like "old families".

  - Angel as a complex character -> Perhaps he truly does not care about social class, rather, Tess' secret is just good news because it means he will not disappoint his family as much now with his marriage of Tess.
• "His influence over her had been so marked that she had caught his manner and habits, his speech and phrases, his liking and aversions."

  
  

  "He judged that a couple of months' life with him in lodgings whilst seeking for an advantageous opening would be of some social assistance to her."

  - Angel's influence over Tess; although his influence is certainly not toxic, his assertion of social class of power presents him as a self-centred and selfish character who sees Tess as a project and forms her to his own desires, so she can fit in with his social class.

  - Tess as a project. ARROGANCE OF ANGEL?

  - Social superiority. Perhaps in seeing Tess like a project, Hardy implies that Angel may be ashamed of Tess?
• "He had written and duly informed them of the time. His brothers had not replied at all, whilst his father and mother had written a rather sad letter, deploring his precipitancy in rushing into marriage, but making the best of the matter by saying that, though a dairywoman was the last daughter-in-law they could have expected."


  - His brothers' lack of approval and his parents' reluctance to accept Tess could be seen as a bad omen for Victorian readers. During the Victorian era, it was expected that the parents of both husband and wife approve of the marriage. Thus, in lacking this approval, it could be argued that the marriage is fated to suffer.

  - Humorous; Angel's parents know best; in proving himself wrong, Angel gives readers and himself a further reason to believe that his parents had a rational reason as to why they did not accept a common woman.

  - His brothers' lack of response to the letter shows a level of disrespect and social superiority. They are arguably the biggest villains of Angel's family.
• "They disapproved of the marriage."

  - Social superiority; Angel's brothers as villains to Tess and Angel's marriage, as well.

  - Social backwardness.

  - We begin to despise the brothers.

  - Significant to the tragedy: It is Angel's brothers who prevent Tess from asking for helping from Angel's parents, and thus, leading her fate to meet Alec.
• "Different societies, different manners."

  - Angel to Tess as she is pleading for forgiveness over her past because there have been cases where "the husband has not minded it much".

  - In placing a focus on the different social positions and the different mannerisms, claiming that his social class is "different", Angel puts himself on a superior pedestal and puts himself in a higher position than Tess and the other common people. In doing so, we question if Angel did truly attempt to remove himself from the social class he is part of, or did he deceive Tess and us, into believing so, so he can win us and Tess over?

  - Excessive pride; it is clear that he cares about his reputation. There is extensive focus on how society perceives him.