Angel

• "A parson's son and is too much taken up with his own thoughts to notice girls."


  - Tess' arrival to Talbothays Dairy and the first description of Angel at the farm.

  - Angel is presented as being Alec's foil. Unlike Alec who embodies patriarchy, misogyny and sexual infatuation, Angel is presented as being gentleman-like, and a challenge to the typical toxic masculinity which involves obsession with the opposite gender. Thus, it is clear that Angel is a character that contrasts Alec and is much more admirable.

  - Structurally important: Alec overtly made his infatuation with women and Tess known from the very first interaction. Angel however, despite being surrounded by women who possibly admire him, does not.

  - STRUCTURALLY IMPORTANT: Where the two characters meet again, after the missed opportunity at the May Day dance. Tess' reconnection with the past. Although this reconnection with the past is positive, the fact that Tess has to reminisce her past in a new job and new place suggests that Tess will also inevitably reminisce her past negatively.
• "Tess was hardly noticed that she was present at the table. She talked so little and the other maids talked so much."

  
  

  Angel thinks upon hearing her voice: "What a fluty voice one of those milkmaids has!"


  - Here, Tess is presented as the embodiment of Victorian ideals of women: modest, quiet, fearful of attracting attention.

  - Some may argue that Tess' behaviour is innate to her character, whilst others may argue that her past-trauma has made her self-conscious. Nevertheless, Tess is actively protecting herself from threats and danger.

  - Although Tess does not talk so much, upon hearing her voice, Angel admires Tess for her "fluty voice". This is their first encounter with each other at the Talbothays Dairy. He is a foil to Alec; unlike Alec when he first meets Tess, he notices her physical features - her large bust - "my big beauty" and makes his predatory and sexually infatuated motives clear. It is clear that this contrast in responses to Tess imply that Angel's attraction to Tess is pure, romantic and innocent, as well as natural. Whilst Alec's attraction to Tess is impure, sinful and unnatural - forced by lust.
• "What a fresh and virginal daughter of Nature that milkmaid is!"


  - Angel idealises Tess' virginity and purity without even forming a relationship with her. In doing so, Hardy helps us anticipate how crucial virginity is to Angel, as well as setting up the possible future relationship for failure knowing Tess does not fit his standards.

  - Angel as a tragic villain; tragic downfall of Tess - peak moments of happiness which are disrupted by Angel's norms on purity and chastity.

  - This is the only Tess that Angel sees; he never sees the real version of her before they get married.

  - Significant to the tragedy -> Tess is made to believe that Angel is contrastingly different to Alec. Angel's past mistake of having sex with a woman in London also gives Tess hope of forgiveness. However, her hope is futile and she is not forgiven, because of Angel's double-standards on chastity which lead to her downfall as an abandoned wife seeking attention from another male.

  - He has an idyllic view of Tess, so idyllic to the extent that it calls for disappointment. He is deluded.
• "Every day, every hour, brought to him one more little stroke of her nature, and to her, one more of his."

  - Hardy's description of the relationship between Angel and Tess. This relationship contrasts Tess' relationship with Alec entirely. Unlike Tess' relationship with Alec - an unnatural one which goes against the order of nature, Tess' relationship with Angel is presented as being a gradual, slow-paced relationship with ongoing growth, similar to the patterns of nature. It is not fast paced and forced.

  - The gradual pace of the relationship does however provide the readers with some hope. Considering Angel's idyllic view of Tess which was formed on initial observation, we hope that their gradual progression allows Angel to see Tess' true nature and vice versa. Arguably, the only time their relationship goes against the natural order of things is when Angel romanticises Tess for what she is not. This deceived view is faulty and will cause errors in the relationship.

  - Moreover, this relationship contrasts Tess' previous relationship in the sense that it is not built on sexual infatuation. The couple is eager to get to know each other and don't fall victims to lust. Once again, shows the natural order of things -> it does not force the relationship into anything.
• "He looked at the unpractised mouth and lips."


  - STRUCTURALLY IMPORTANT: Like Alec, Angel has a weakness. Alec's weakness is his sexual infatuation with Tess which puts him in a predator-like position. At his every encounter with Tess, Alec focuses on Tess' beauty. Angel too also has a weakness. Although his weakness does not put him in the position of a predator because he is not sexually infatuated with Tess, his weakness is also dangerous and threatening. At every given moment when he is around Tess, he cannot help himself from admiring her supposed innocence. Thus, both male characters are foils and parallels of each other.

  - Significant to the tragedy: Angel's repeated focus on Tess' purity makes him deluded and tragically forms a deceived idyllic view of Tess - seeing her as the epitome and embodiment of purity. This prevents him from seeing the real Tess, her impurity and ultimately, leading to his own disappointment when the secret is revealed, leading him to leave her for not fitting in with standards. But also, his unrealistic view of Tess' innocence is what determines her to kill Alec upon Angel's return, as this is the only chance she can be admired by her husband, having sinned so much previously.

  - Sexually pure: "unpractised"
• "He called her Artemis & Demeter."


  - NOTE: Upon hearing Angel's nicknames for her, Tess asks Angel to "call me Tess!". It could be argued that this is Tess' attempt to reveal the truth to Angel. Angel's use of Goddess names for Tess puts Tess in an uncomfortable position around him, despite being attracted to him. Could this be because she knows that Angel's view of her is deceived?

  - Theme of Appearance vs Reality -> common throughout; Angel is deceived by Tess' innocence and Tess is deceived by Angel's pure intentions and loving nature.

  - Artemis -> Goddess of Virginity

  - Demeter -> Goddess of fertility and harvest.

  - Angel has a distorted image of Tess in his mind. He sees her not only as a virginal and a fertile woman- but, also as the Goddess of Virginity and Fertility, implying that to him, Tess is the epitome and the embodiment of those features. She is admired and almost worshipped by him. Thus, if Tess it not pure and virginal, no woman can be.

  - This view will lead to the emergence of further tragedy in Tess' life; his idyllic view on her and her appearance blurs his vision towards the reality. Arguably, Angel's fault for Tess' downfall.
• "They are pretty - fresh looking."

  - Angel's view on the other dairymaids in Talbothays Dairy. His view of innocence and purity is applied to all women, not just Tess.

  - IMPORTANT: Could suggest that Angel's view on purity and innocence is hard to change - backward ways of thinking. Bad Omen -> likely to foreshadow his response to Tess' secret. Inflexible way of thinking.
• "How very loveable her face was to him."

  
  

  "To a young man with the least fire in him that little upward lift in the middle of her red top lip was distracting, infatuating and maddening."


  - We begin to see a slight shift in their relationship. Their relationship is progressing; the couple is more comfortable with each other.

  - Pure love: physical attraction is built but gradually.

  - It is important to note however, that the narrator's description of Tess' lips put her in a complex position. Despite attempting to present her features positively, the description of her features present her as being an immoral and tempting seductress, a threat to men and the cause for male downfall, likely making them fall into sin. Thus, not only is Tess put in the position of Eve, but also, some may also see her as the reason for her rape. Her beauty is what made Alec sin.
• "Clare was a man with a conscience. Tess was no significant creature to toy with and dismiss; but a woman living her precious life."


  - It is clear that Angel is the foil of Alec. Unlike Alec who is the embodiment of patriarchy and sees women's feelings as being ignored being justifiable, dehumanising women, Angel is presented as a challenge to patriarchy, seeing Tess' innate worth as a woman.

  - It is evident that Angel has a different view of women and does not feed into patriarchy.

  - It is also important to note that Angel's stance puts him in an admirable position for the readers, he treats Tess as a human being, instead of dehumanising her for his own sexual pleasure.

  - Significant to the tragedy: We believe Angel is the right partner for Tess and have hopes for Tess' life as she begins to fall in love with Angel. However, his response to Tess' truth makes us question whether his initial treatment of Tess was duplicitous and not his real self.

  - Ironic; foreshadows. Tragic -> As Angel finds out the truth, he begins to toy with her and dismiss her, causing her downfall and leading her to become a murderess because of the emotional toil.
• "Chaste as a vestal"


  - Angel's view of Tess. He has an overly idyllic view of her to the extent that is unrealistic, making us realise that it is faulty.

  - Significant to the tragedy: His deluded view of Tess' purity prevents him from seeing the true nature of Tess, and thus, when Tess' truth is revealed, it is Angel's idyllic view that persuades him to abandon her.

  - Unrealistic: he puts Tess in a holy position, presenting her as Virgin Mary. He implies she is the epitome of virginity and purity. No one can be as pure as Tess, once again placing unrealistic and unattainable goals over Tess. Even if Tess had not sinned, the level to which he exaggerates her purity is unachievable.

  - Irony; religious reference, but he does not want to be "commanded by the Church".
• "She is brim full of poetry - actualised poetry."

  - Angel describes Tess to his family as he begins to tell them about him marital prospects.

  - Metaphor; in comparing Tess to a piece of art, it can be argued that Angel over exaggerates Tess' existence, physical and moral qualities to make her more appealing to his parents. It could be argued that Angel sees her as a project which he can work on and develop to make her as close to his parents' criteria as possible.

  - Nevertheless, in using this metaphor and presenting Tess as a piece of art, it can also be argued that Angel is romantic attraction to Tess is dangerous because it makes him deluded about her existence and her as a person. In saying that Tess is a form of written art, Angel also suggests that Tess is perfect and satisfying like art, she cannot be faulty or bad and therefore, everything about her is ideal.

  - Significant to the tragedy: Every time he talks about Tess, he idealises her. He lacks self awareness and the ability to realise that all he sees of Tess is faulty and prevents him from seeing the truth about her. Thus, it can be argued that the disappointment experienced by him when Tess' truth is revealed is his own fault.
• "I shall soon want to marry, and, being a farmer, you see, I shall require for my wife a woman who knows all about the management of farms. Will you be my woman, Tessy?"


  - The marriage proposal.

  - The peak of their relationship.

  - Once again, a reference to Genesis. Tess is likened to Eve - a useful companion. A bad omen -> Adam and Eve's relationship was short lasting.

  - Not only is this Angel's declaration of love, but it is also the ultimate declaration of love. Considering Angel's background, coming from an upper class family, in challenging social norms and conventions and denying attending "Cambridge" for "being a farmer", as well as wanting to marry a woman "who knows all about the management of farms", it can be argued that Angel truly loves Tess. He sacrifices social and familial expectations for love; a true testimony of faithfulness and love.

  - He has betrayed his family in doing so.
• "His experience with women."

  - Another parallel between Alec and Angel; they both have experiences with women. Perhaps a common pattern amongst their social class?

  - Double standards; the corruption of Victorian social norms is evident. He is not ostracised or condemned by society, yet, Tess' life is falling to ruins because of her past.

  - This gives us some hope. Considering Angel's treatment of Tess and his genuine love towards her to the extent that he sacrifices social norms for Tess, we have hopes for Tess' future. We perhaps are made to believe that Angel will forgive Tess for her past because they have a similar past.
• "He loved her dearly, though perhaps rather ideally and fancifully."


  - The narrator is aware of Angel's idealised view and love towards Tess.

  - Significant to the tragedy -> missed opportunity -> the narrator is aware of Angel's blinded and deluded love towards Tess, yet, Angel is not. As the audience, we are put in a sense of desperation and want to make Angel be more open to other interpretations of Tess.

  - Significant to the tragedy -> missed opportunity -> Angel failing to realise the true nature of Tess, or failing to rid himself of his idyllic and perfectionist view of Tess' purity is what causes his own downfall and Tess' emergence as a murderess as he puts her in a mental and emotional chaos.

  - Bad omen; he loves Tess for who he perceives her to be. Not who she really is.
• "'A comely maid that' said the Trantridge man."


  - Structurally important; Tess and Angel go to the market a few days before their wedding to buy items for the wedding. Thus, in deliberately making Tess and Angel encounter a "Trantridge man" before the wedding, Hardy sets up the wedding and marriage for failure. Even as Tess begins her new life, away from her past, with a new lover, her relationship will be impacted by her past and her past will mark her out to suffer.

  - It is also structurally important because in making Angel aware that Tess has an opportunity as a "comely" woman amongst those in Trantridge, Hardy attempts to change Angel's idyllic view of Tess to a more realistic view of her purity. Writer's advice -> Hardy is preparing Angel to find out the truth about Tess.

  - Missed opportunity; had Angel listened to the "Trantridge man" the marriage could have prevented and Tess would not have been brought into emotional conundrum.

  - Marked by her past and cannot escape; foreshadow.

  - Her beauty as a nuisance. She is condemned for her beauty and is seen as impure because of it.
• "You must be deemed perfect today, at least, my sweet!"


  - Structurally important: Tess wants to "confess all [her] faults and blunders" before the wedding, but, Angel's idyllic and deluded view of her prevents her from confessing the truth.

  - Missed opportunity; Angel as a villain, preventing Tess from revealing the truth and thus, setting the marriage relationship up for failure as it is built on his deluded view of her.

  - Once again, Angel's delusional and unrealistic view of Tess is evident. He is in denial of seeing her as anything but perfect; almost as if he objectifies her and sees her as a project which he can work on to make her to his standard.

  - Missed opportunity. Angel as his own villain too; he had the opportunity of seeing the real Tess. He sets himself up for disappointment. FORESHADOW.
• "Dissipation with a stranger"

  - After the wedding, Angel reveals his truth. He was adulterous with a woman in London for 48 hours.

  - Male double standard; Men had sexual freedom - especially middle & upper class men.

  - His truth gives us hope. We are made to believe that he is likely to forgive Tess for sinning similarly.

  - However, it can be argued that Angel's truth being revealed puts him in the position of a tragic villain and also presents him as being an embodiment of patriarchy and misogyny. In expecting a woman who is a "fresh and virginal daughter of nature" or "chaste as a vestal" whilst being tainted by sin and living in sin, Angel presents his double standards. He is also presented as a hypocrite. His deluded double standards are threatening to Tess, wrongfully condemning her for her past and making her fall into emotional and psychological torment as the novel progresses.
• "You can now forgive me! It is just the same!"

  - Upon hearing Angel's truth being revealed, Tess feels hopeful that she will be forgiven as well. Dramatic irony - Tess is not aware of Angel's ideal views of her and therefore, she is deceived into believing the wrong thing. As the readers, we pity Tess as we know what will emerge. Angel's deluded view of Tess is dangerous for Tess. She cannot escape social condemnation, even when in the presence of the man who provides her true love.

  - Tess as a victim of Angel's. Double standards; patriarchy and misogyny.

  - Irony; their sins are not "just the same". Tess was forced to sin, whereas, Angel did it out of his own desire.
• "O Tess, forgiveness does not apply to the case! You were one person; now you are another."

  
  

  "The woman I have been loving is not you."

  - Angel is able to escape with little punishment whilst Tess is made to suffer for her past, although she does not play a contributing role to her rape.

  - Here, Hardy shows the difference in society's moral code for men and women.

  - Irony; Tess does not change as a character. She was the character which Angel initially met. However, Angel's idealised view is the one that changed Tess as a character. Thus, it is plausible to argue that Angel's changed view of Tess is as a result of his erroneous judgement which led him to have a deluded view of Tess. He is his own tragic villain, as well as Tess' tragic villain, emotionally exploding her and socially condemning her for not fitting in with his unrealistic standards.

  - We begin to despise Angel; like Alec, he is the epitome of patriarchy and misogyny
• "He being your husband in nature and not I."


  - Angel justifies his anger towards Tess. Although initially his anger towards Tess is presented as being an embodiment of gender double standards, we now change our view about him and his discontent.

  - It is clear that Angel is angered at the fact that according to religious and social norms, Alec is still Tess' husband. Thus, it can be angered that Angel is not angry at the fact that Tess has sinned, rather, he is angry at the fact that her sin prevents their marriage from being seen as a marriage. Rather, it is seen as an affair.

  - Thus, it can be argued that culturally and religiously, Tess is Alec's wife. As a result, Tess' and Angel's marriage is not valid. This puts the two in a difficult moral position, especially considering that divorce was shunned upon.

  - Tess' situation also causes difficulties in Angel's life. Tess as a tragic villain whose situation ruins Angel's hope to a marriage with a woman who can help him with farming?

  - We begin to blame Tess once again for making the marriage invalid. As Tess is/was religious, she is likely to have known of this rule. She should have told Angel of the truth even if he prevented her from doing so. Missed opportunity -> The letter which she takes back after addressing the sin could have prevented Angel from having his perception on marriage ruined.
• "Yet Clare's love was doubtless ethereal to a fault, imaginative to impracticability."


  - The narrator makes it clear that Angel's idealisation of Tess was erroneous and thus would have never worked.

  - Both Angel and Tess are to blame for the downfall of the marriage. Not only is this a novel about Tess' rape and her as a victim of patriarchy and poverty, but it is also a novel about two lovers who were meant to be but had their future ruined by their fate.

  - Tess' fate ruins everything.
• "My poor, poor Tess - my dearest, darling Tess! So sweet, so good, so true!"


  - Structurally important: Angel and Tess are on their honeymoon at the D'Urberville mansion. Angel is dreaming and sleep-walking about the situation.

  - Writer's device: The deliberate use of dreams are sending a hidden message. As dreams are believed to be reflective of people's isolated feelings which are hidden from the world, it can be argued that in making Angel dream of Tess and see her as "sweet, so good, so true", Hardy suggests that these feelings are the truth feelings felt by Angel towards Tess. However, these feelings also contrast Angel's feelings which are not internalised, rather are shown.

  - Structurally important: Angel presents himself as despising Tess, yet outside of her presence, he loves her. His conflicting emotions suggest that he loves her and wants to forgive her, yet, he feels the need to hide her real emotions out of fear of judgement. It is important to consider that he has betrayed his family by marrying a farm woman. Therefore, this could be his attempt to not further disappoint his parents and therefore, he is internalising his feelings for Tess to please others?
• "Angel handed her a packet containing a fairly good sum of money."

  - Tess and Angel go their separate ways. Tess is returning home and Angel begins to make his way to Brazil.

  - Although we despise Angel for his mistreatment of Tess due to his double standards of gender and moral norms, we begin to slightly admire him for the fact that despite being betrayed by Tess, he still provides for her as a man should.

  - He fulfils his duty as a supportive husband who provides for his wife. Thus, it would not be plausible to argue that he is entirely immoral.

  - Mirrors Alec. Like Alec, he also provides Tess with money or help as soon as she leaves. The two men are very similar but every different.

  - It could also be argued that in giving Tess money, Angel shows that he does love Tess. Had he despised Tess, he would have neglected her financially. Once again, perhaps he loves her but he is forced to leave and not love her because of his family's expectations of him?
• Angel: "You love me very much, Izz?"

  Izz: "She would have laid down her life for thee. I could do no more."


  - Angel begins to make start his journey to Brazil. On his journey, he bumps into Izz and asks her if she would like to join him in Brazil. Although Izz initially accepts the offer because she was one of the dairymaids who had loved Angel, she soon denies because Tess would have "laid down her life" for Angel.

  - Female loyalty and sorella love; Despite being given a good offer and the opportunity to rekindle with her dairy farm lover, Izz's loyalty for Tess transcends her loyalty for Angel.

  - Angel's attempt to take up Izz Huett, a woman of the same background as Tess prefigures his relationship with Tess' sister.

  - Whilst Angel's loyalty to Tess is being questioned, Tess' loyalty to Angel is not. Izz presents Tess as the epitome of loyalty and fidelity to the extent that she would die for the love she has for Angel. Almost tragic -> she is mistreated and yet she would still sacrifice her life for love.

  - Izz's quote also ironically foreshadows Tess' future; Tess "[lies] down her life for Angel" as she gets killed for killing Alec, an act she did out of love for Angel. Thus, this suggests that the tragedy is also a novel of female sacrifice because of male failures.

  - Tess as a dutiful and obedient wife.
• "Angel's remark that whenever she required further resources she was to apply to his father."


  - Angel fulfilling his stereotypical role as a providing husband. A sign of love?

  - Mirrors Alec; although slightly different than Alec. Alec provides to Tess financially because he knows it is a good way of manipulating her and holding onto her. Whereas, Angel provides for Tess out of his own duty.

  - However, it could also be argued that in providing for Tess, Angel also asserts some sort of power over Tess, perhaps attempting to prevent her from rekindling with her rapist?

  NOTE: Tess' pride stops her from taking this offer until it is too late, which brings her into a sense of desperation and forces her to give in to Alec's offer which puts her in a complex situation of remaining loyal to her husband or accepting the tempting offer. She was "reluctant to communicate with her husband's parents".
• "Men are too often harsh with women they love or have loved."


  - Angel returns from Brazil.

  - The way Angel reacts to Tess' truth is because of the love he has for her. His reaction was natural, understandable and expected. His disappointment was also expected and is a sign of his love towards Desdemona.

  - It would be alarming if he did not react with disappointment to Tess' truth, making us question his love.

  - It is also important to consider that his harsh love towards Tess is also as a result of the overwhelming emotion her faced.