Tess

• "The village of Marlott lay amid the beautiful Vale of Blackmoor, an engirded and secluded region, for the most part untrodden as yet by tourist or landscape-painter, though within a four hours' journey from London."


  - The settings in a novel ordinarily provide background, atmosphere and interest; they add a degree of authenticity, and in Hardy's novels can be extremely detailed.

  - Hardy specialises in a very careful handling of scenery and season, so that time and place reinforce mood. Therefore, in introducing the place of Blackmoor as being "secluded" and "untrodden" it could be argued that the setting is used to also describe the state of Tess. An isolated and innocent girl away from the dangers of the industrialised London. The beauty of the place is also reflective of the beauty of Tess and her connection to it - a child of nature.

  - This helps readers anticipate that with the change of setting comes change in Tess too. The setting mirrors Tess. Once she is in an industrialised setting, she will face the dangers of industrialisation.
• "Much less had she been far outside the valley."

  - Tess' has not left her region very often. She is inexperienced and isolated within Marlott. Marlott brings her a sense of security.

  - She is just an innocent village girl with minimal life experiences or challenges. In focusing on Tess' lack of experience outside of the valley, it could be argued that Hardy makes a point that Marlott is a safe haven for her, a preservation of innocence. As soon as Tess leaves Marlott and sees more, her life changes for the negative.
• "The crimson brick lodge came first in sight."

  "The same rich red colour that formed such a contrast with the evergreens of the lodge."

  - Tess' first journey out of Marlott as an inexperienced and innocent teenage girl.

  - Her journey leads her to a "crimson brick lodge" -> "crimson" a repeated colour motif throughout the novel - red-like colour which portrays danger, hazard, a warning and death. Therefore, in making Tess' first journey out of Marlott lead her to a lodge which portrays these signs, Hardy implies that Tess' escape from Marlott is not going to be for her benefit. Rather, it will cause her danger. Each journey for Tess is significant and is a metaphor for the life-changing experiences she will face.

  - The contrast with the red house and the greens almost could be considered to reflect the innocence of Tess and her oneness with nature that will be tainted by the dangerous and unsafe place. The author helps us anticipate the danger.

  - Moreover, the crimson red lodge implies a newly built house and wealth, alluding to a family that makes a living out of industrialisation. Is this a bad omen? Is industrialisation and newness a threat to Tess?

  - As Tess moves from Marlott to Trantridge, Tess moves metaphorically from childhood and innocence to womanhood.
• "The luminous fog became general and enveloped them."

  
  

  "Webs of vapour"

  
  

  "Thick darkness"

  - The "luminous fog" conceals the act; it takes a powerful position and is able to hide the truth. The fog is given an overwhelming power and ability which is almost supernatural. The supernatural nature of the setting suggests that the act goes against the natural order of things and that it is forced.

  - Moreover, it could be argued that Hardy deliberately implements the fog as a symbol that works metaphorically to suggest sexual impropriety, evilness, but also for censorship reasons (to be able to publish the book).

  - The "fog" also hides the truth which makes the novel even more tragic; it is reflective of the truth of the situation being hidden from the church and the people which condemn Tess, wrongfully blaming her for her sins. The inability to discern the truth of the situation leads Tess to become a victim of society and a victim of injustice.
• "The Chase"


  - On their journey home from the market, Alec rides along a place named "The Chase". Alec does not ride along the place incidentally, rather it is all purposeful.

  - It could be argued that Hardy's use of the name "The Chase" is a metaphor for Tess' chase at the hands of Alec, the predator. Alec cannot be trusted, he is a dangerous threat to Tess, almost deadly. Moreover, "the Chase" could also foreshadow Tess' past chasing her, to the point that she can only escape by killing her predator.

  - Tess is presented as being animal-like; a sacrificial animal. She is hunted by Alec.

  - The Chase also implies the lack of morality behind the act. It is non-consensual; Tess was forced into it.
• "Tess had never before visited this part of the country, and yet, she felt akin to the landscape."


  - Tess' arrival to Talbothays Dairy made her feel comfortable, safe and protected, to the point that she felt "akin to the landscape". In stating that Tess felt "akin to the landscape", Hardy makes us aware of Tess' relationship with nature; Tess' best moments of her life are when she is allowed to enjoy the innocence and beauty of flowers, animals and nature, not when she is surrounded by new-builds and industrialisation which are a threat to her as a valley girl. Therefore, Hardy makes it evident that Tess is possibly a pagan, she worships nature and gets joy from it, rather than getting joy from the Christian religion.

  - Thus, Hardy's view of Tess as being one with nature raises questions. If Tess is a pagan or finds herself within paganism, why are religious morals applicable to her? Surely, she should not be considered a sinner if her beliefs as a pagan don't align with Christian morality.

  - Tess' arrival to Talbothays Dairy contrasts her arrival to Trantridge. Her arrival to the dairy is significantly positive which could be argued is a good omen. Her arrival to Trantridge was ominous, scary and full of warnings - a bad omen. Thus, the contrasting experiences evidently suggest that Tess does not belong where industrialisation is peaking, rather, she is a nature girl.
• "It was a typical summer evening in June."

  "Slug slime"

  "Mists of pollen"

  "Cultivated flowers"

  "Dampness of the garden"

  - The setting at Talbothays Dairy is presented as being a peaceful, happy and fertile one, reflected by the atmosphere set by the flowers and nature. Nature is thriving, bees are thriving, and so are all other aspects found within nature. Likewise, it could be argued that the thriving nature could be reflective of Tess thriving after her innocence. She is finally reunited with nature and away from the threats of industrialisation, therefore, her life is likely to change for the positive.

  - The "slug slime", "mists of pollen" and "cultivated flowers" show growth and fertility; a reflection of Tess' growth and the fertilisation of a possible relationship between Angel and Tess.

  - Pathetic fallacy; the weather and nature reflects Angel and Tess.

  - However, it is also important to note that too much heat can be overwhelming and almost dangerous, causing dehydration, a sense of discomfort or even death. Thus, it can be argued that the happiness Tess feels is not long lasting, rather it is temporary and will soon be ruined by the discomfort she feels.

  Similarly, it could be argued that Angel and Tess' relationship could also be short lasting, the sexual tension will reach an unbearable point to the extent that it becomes toxic.
• Angel: "Are you afraid?"

  Tess: "Not of outdoor things."


  - Tess as one with nature again. Like a theist who finds comfort in religion, Tess finds comfort in nature. She finds the presence of nature peaceful, implying she is a worshipper of nature.

  - It is evident that to Tess, the laws of religion do not apply. It is the laws of nature that do.
• "The ache of modernism"


  - The countryside is slowly becoming more industrial.

  - The "ache" also implies a danger and a sense of discomfort caused physically and emotionally to those that are ones with nature and do not agree with modernisation and industrialisation. Modernism is a threat. It is an evident threat to Tess.

  - "The ache of modernism" is also evident in Tess' experience at Trantridge - a modern and intimidating place which causes her suffering.

  - A reference to Tess' loss of innocence as a result of modernity.
• "The season developed and matured."

  - Hardy uses pathetic fallacy and the development of nature and seasons to reflect the development of love between Angel and Tess.

  - The gradual and progressive development of the season is reflective of the gradual and progressive development of love between the two, it is all natural and two-sided, unlike the forced and one-sided relationship between Alec and Tess.

  - It is also to note however that with the development and maturity of summer, winter comes closer. Could this development of summer mean that summer is nearly over and the winter that is to come will reflect the feelings and change in relationship experienced by the two? From a relationship filled with love, to a relationship full of hate and cold-heartedness?
• "Amid the oozing fatness and warm ferments, it was impossible that the most fanciful love should not grow passionate."


  - Pathetic fallacy; Summer can be both beautiful and dangerous to experience like love. Love is also beautiful but dangerous and threatening, it can cause disasters and harm people.

  - Could the overly warm atmosphere be a threat to the couple just as it is to nature?

  - The writer also makes a point that it was "impossible that the most fanciful love should not grow passionate". Did the two fall in love because of the weather? Is Angel, like Tess too, a child of nature and finds comfort within the nature? Or is their relationship natural?

  - However, in stating this, Hardy also implies that their relationship may have not come about if they did not meet in the summer. Was their relationship built on the passion caused by the summer heat? Would the same thing have happened in the winter?

  - Anticipates the destruction of the relationship in the winter.
• "Tess breaks the necks of as many (pheasants) as she could find" with "tears running down as she killed the birds tenderly."


  - On her journey to Flintcomb-Ash, Tess discovers several wounded pheasants who were shot but not captured.

  - As Tess is a daughter of nature, nature and the structure and cycle of nature often reflect Tess. Therefore, it could be argued that the birds represent Tess.

  - Both Tess and the birds have been hunted, wounded and both left, injured to their own resources. The one difference however, is that Tess ends the suffering of the birds, but no one ends Tess'.

  - Moreover, it is also important to consider the eco critical approach of this scene. This scene illuminates the relationship between Tess and the natural world, portraying her in harmony with nature.

  - If Tess is in harmony with nature, and participating in sexual activity is part of the natural cycle, why should Tess be punished for challenging religious morals when her morals are based on nature?
• "The stubborn soil around her showed plainly enough that the kind of labour in demand here was of the roughest kind."

  - Tess arrives to Flintcomb-Ash.

  - There is nothing but coldness and a feeling of discomfort that arises from Tess' arrival to the new farm. As mentioned previously, Hardy often uses the setting and journeys to reflect the change in Tess' life. Therefore, it is likely that Tess' arrival to the cold, laborious Flintcomb-Ash, is reflective of what she will experience after revealing her secret to her husband. She will be over-worked by her past regrets but also put in danger because of her position as a vulnerable woman in a tough-conditioned farm.

  - The coldness of this place makes a sharp contrast with the warmth and green world of Talbothays Dairy, foreshadowing the coldness Tess is about to face in her life after a temporary moment of happiness (typical of a tragedy).
• "Sublime in its dreariness"

  "Not a tree within sight"

  "Not, at this season, a green pasture - nothing."


  - A description of the situation at Flintcomb-Ash.

  - Flintcomb-Ash is presented as being bleak, dull and lacking life, almost reflective of Tess' lack of life as a result of her leaving her husband.

  - Does the setting foreshadow Tess' fate? Will the struggles and worries of her past leave her lifeless and change her as a person, to the extent that she has to act out of desperation?

  - It is also important to note that this place contrasts Talbothays immensely; nature is dead. As Tess is seen as one with nature, and the setting she is in consists of dead nature, does this foreshadow her death which is creeping upon her?
• "Green, sunny, romantic Talbothays."


  - Contrasts with Flintcomb-Ash.

  - Pathetic fallacy; the peak of Tess' happiness.
• "The red tyrant that women had come to serve - the red thresher."


  - Theme of modernity.

  - The focus on the red thresher is significant. Hardy deliberately focuses on the thresher which is red, which the women had come to serve. Hardy creates an image of women becoming servants and victims to modernity and industrialisation, perhaps implying that this is their only means of being financially stable. This is also ironically reflective of Tess' situation and her presence in the industrialised and red Trantridge which led to her exploitation for the reward of gaining her parents financial stability.

  - The red of the thresher is also significant. Colour imagery throughout; red - danger to the nature, the threat of modernity. Perhaps a metaphor for Tess and her being threatened by modernity, and her innocence being exploited at the desire of gaining more money and financial freedom.
• Tess: "Did they sacrifice to God here?"

  Angel: "I believe to the sun."


  - Tess and Angel discuss the history of Stonehenge and find that it was a place of worshipping the sun and "sacrificing to the sun".

  - Key moments of Tess' life have happened in the presence of the sun, either when the sun was rising, shining on nature, or setting.

  - In making Tess' death place be Stonehenge, one with pagan history, Hardy suggests to the readers that Tess should be judged on laws of nature and not on laws of religion. She dies where she deserves to die, in a place worshipping nature and not God. Thus, the laws of religious morality are not applicable to Tess because she is a child of nature.

  - Like pagans, Tess will be sacrificed in an ancient temple, dedicated to the sun. An ultimate testament of faith to her belief as a pagan.