Tess

• "Chasten yourself with how the thought of "how are the mighty fallen"."


  - In the beginning of the novel, Parson Tringham tells Tess' father about their ancestors, which interests Tess' father and makes him hope that he can do something about the news.

  - However, Parson Tringham soon lets him know that his past ancestry is no longer of relevance - the D'Urbervilles are "fallen" and John Durbeyfield should chasten himself with this thought.

  - Moreover, in saying this Parson Tringham ironically foreshadows the negative fate Tess will experience at the hands of this news. Parson Tringham believes it would have been better off for John to not know his own history as it could not help him and his family. Rather, the knowledge puts Tess in several difficult positions.

  - Despite being told that the previously powerful are now reduced to nothing, John's excessive pride still holds onto the reputation of the D'Urberville family that no longer exists. In not listening to Tringham, John unknowingly causes the downfall of Tess. Had he chastened himself with the thought, Tess' rape would have been prevented. Thus, it can be argued that wealth and lineage was not of relevance to Tess' fate. She was merely a poor girl who could not escape her negative fate; she was meant to suffer.
• "An artisan of some sort with a tin pot of red paint."

  "Thy, damnation, slumbereth, not."

  "Thou, shalt, not, commit -."

  - Tess encounters an artisan with a tin pot of red paint after making her return to her family's home, post-rape.

  - The red paint is significant; there is persistent red imagery throughout the novel, many of the times used to describe and anticipate Tess' loss of innocence and the activity which stains her innocence. However, in making the artisan use red paint, Hardy deliberately draws attention to religion and its unjust, as well as corrupt nature. Although the Victorian Church believed in the Christian God that was considered benevolent, the actions of the Victorian Christians are far from benevolent. The red paint is deliberately used to portray the inflexibility and harshness of Victorian morality based on religious values and laws. Moreover, the red paint also suggests that Victorian morals laws have to be followed, otherwise resulting in the ostracism of the person who chooses not to follow them.

  - Evidently, the quotes that were painted in red were "thy damnation slumbereth not" and "thou shalt not commit". These biblical verses ironically resonate with Tess. She committed a sin - the sin of adultery and her damnation is inevitable. The sin she has committed is also one of the biggest sins in Christianity. Therefore, Hardy helps us anticipate Tess' wrongful and immoral condemnation by the Church for a sin she was forced to sin for. It was out of her personal will.

  - Tess as a victim of religion and its inflexibility. Perhaps Hardy is trying to advocate against religion and it setting moral norms? Perhaps Tess would have been saved from suffering if religion was more flexible.

  - Foreshadows Tess' punishment.

  - STRUCTURALLY significant: The scene was placed after her return from Trantridge. She tries to escape her past, yet the past follows her and she is held liable for her sins.
• "I don't believe God has said such things!"

  - Upon seeing the Biblical verses written in red, Tess begins to be in denial. Could her denial be a sign of panic and fear of her condemnation to sinning and her potential punishment, knowing she was forced into sinning? Or, does religion not apply to her? Has she converted from Christianity to Paganism and therefore these Biblical verses are not applicable to her?

  - Moreover, it could also be argued that Hardy uses Tess' character to voice his own opinions about religion. Having challenged religion himself and the morals it imposes, it could be argued that through Tess, Hardy rejects the institutionalised Church.
• "Tess revived sufficiently to show herself so far as was necessary to get to church one Sunday morning."


  - Highlights the importance of religion and religious influence in Tess' life. Although Tess is by now aware that she is likely to be punished by the church, she still makes an effort to attend church.

  - By telling us of Tess' desire to attend church service, Hardy makes us aware that Tess has a connection to the church, and therefore, foreshadowing the impact of religious views and religious moral norms on Tess, as a Christian woman.

  - It could also be argued that Tess tries to "revive" herself to go to church "one Sunday" out of fear. The red-painted biblical verses could have created fear within her and therefore put her in a sense of desperation to repent and save herself. We also begin to question if the Church really is all-loving and tolerant of all people. Why does the Church create such fears for Tess? Is the Church weaponised?
• "She knew what their whispers were about, grew sick at heard, and felt that she could come to church no more."


  - Once again, Hardy focuses on religion and its flaws. Here, religion is presented as creating a sense of fear for Tess as she begins to feel ostracised as a result of the condemnation faced from church-goers. The problem is not that people believe in the church and God, rather, it is a problem how religious people act. They condemn and ostracise sinners through the weaponisation of religion and do anything but represent the benevolence of their God.

  - The church is not a welcoming place. This is Tess' first time at the church after she sinned. As the first encounter with the church is negative, Hardy helps the readers anticipate Tess' fate at the hands of the Christian church. We know that Tess will no longer be accepted by the church.

  - As readers, we begin to understand Hardy's scepticism towards the church. We begin to adopt a similar view.
• "Her baby had not been baptised."


  - This quote shows the importance of religion. Naturally, when a child is sick, the mother's first instinct is to worry about the child's well-being and how to move forward to ensure the child recovers from the illness. However, Tess' first worry was the fact that her child had not been baptised. The fact that this is Tess' first worry implies that Tess feared religion and the church. She has been ostracised by the church-goers at her attendance during church and fears that it might happen to her child as well. As a result, Tess' main priority is religion and making her baby as Christian as possible.

  - As readers we begin to question the church and its practices. If the church worships a benevolent God, why does the church create such fears for its believers? Have the practices of the church changed over time to the extent that it no longer reflects God's love?

  - Surely if God was all-loving, he would not care about Tess' baby not being baptised?

  - The pressures of the church and the fears caused by the church have made Tess abandon her maternal instinct. She is worked up by the fears caused by religion.

  - Tess' newborn as a victim of religion.
• "She was well grounded in the Holy Scriptures."


  - Tess was religious and actively participated in the worship of God. Tess' connection with religion is one of the factors that intensifies the tragedy and makes her rape even more tragic.

  - As readers, we know that Tess' faith and connection with Christianity would prevent her from committing one of the biggest sins. Thus, this is a clear indication that it was not Tess' fault that she sinned, rather, she was forced to sin.

  - Moreover, this also intensifies the tragedy because it anticipates Tess' wrongful ostracism at the hands of the church, and Tess' wrongful execution. Tess' innocence had been exploited. Had it not been exploited, she had still probably been a girl "grounded in the Holy Scripture" and the ideal Christian woman.
• "Her darling was about to die and no salvation."

  "The child's double doom for lack of baptism and lack of legitimacy."

  - Once again, we begin to question religion and the Christian church. If God is all-loving, why is Tess' baby marked out to suffer when he is innocent? Why is he being punished for a supposed 'sin' that is out of his control, as well as his mother's control?

  - We begin to question God's empathy.

  - These quotes also allude to an institutionalised church. The Victorians do not believe in God because he brings the comfort, rather, they weaponise God's scripture to condemn those who do not follow their norms. 'Saints vs. Sinner'-like. The Christian Victorians put themselves on a pedestal.

  - Moreover these quotes also create an image of the baby in hell, implying that Hardy is questioning the sanity of religion because it scares society.

  - Religion seems harsh. Tess as a victim.
• "O merciful God, have pity; have pity upon my poor baby. Heap as much anger as you want to upon me, but pity the child."

  - Tess is a victim of her religion since she gives birth to an illegitimate child. She feels responsible for her being ignorant and having done a sinful act.

  - Presents the importance of religion to Tess; Tess as a spiritual character.

  - This quote makes us feel empathetic towards Tess and angry towards the suffering she feels. As readers, we are aware of Tess' rape and her involuntary participation, being forced to eat the strawberry or give in to Alec's predator actions. Therefore, having to see Tess abandon her place in heaven over a sin she has been forced to commit is painful. She accepts the harsh punishments of the church to save her baby, however, she will be suffering endlessly. Tess will be wrongfully punished.

  - Tess as a victim of the church. Once again, we begin to question the morality of religion. If religion and the church was moral, surely, a person would not have to abandon their deserved place in heaven for the salvation of an illegitimate child that was born illegitimate out of his fate and his mother's unjust fate.
• "Bastard gift of shameless nature"


  - We begin to question the morality of religion. Why does the church dehumanise a being that was forced to suffer and was brought into sin out of their own control?

  - Church as institutionalised and corrupt; puts 'pure' and 'sinless' Christians on a pedestal but condemns the rest of the Christians. Surely, an all-loving God would be accepting to all?

  - Moreover, in calling Sorrow a "bastard gift of shameless nature", the baby is presented as worthless, almost inhuman. The baby is not even worthy of recognition because of the circumstances he was born in.

  - Tess and Sorrow as victims of religion.

  - Makes us feel angry because it reduces the baby to its sin. The victorian church does not follow Jesus' footsteps in forgiveness.

  - Biblical beliefs applied wrongfully.
• "Then I don't like you! I'll never come to your church no more!"

  - This was Tess' response after hearing that the vicar did not want to baptise/give Sorrow a Christian burial.

  - What Tess says is controversial and may stir different feelings to arise. On the one hand, Tess' response to the vicar could be seen as admirable of Tess. In a society where religion dominates and restricts people, Tess is able to leave the church and challenge it for its corruption. She rebels and has a say against the injustices she faces. For once, she is not passive and therefore, is admirable. Tess questions the legitimacy of the church. Here, the church is presented as being more institutionalised than spiritual. It is not a place of worship and following/praising God's love, rather, it is an oppressive place with oppressive rules.

  - On the other hand, Tess' response may cause controversy and anger amongst Victorian readers. As religion was so important to Victorians, Tess' rebellion may lead the readers to dislike her even more. Tess is the ultimate sinner to them.
• "Don't for God's sake speak as saint to sinner, but as you, yourself to me myself!"


  - Underlines the corruption of the church and religion. The saints are put on a pedestal, whilst the sinners are seen as inferior and are condemned for their sins. Once again, shows the corruption and the institutionalised nature of the church as it does not reflect Biblical teachings. Jesus associated himself with sinners and loved them despite breaking the biggest and most important religious commands. The Victorian church however, does not follow Jesus' footsteps.

  - The Church is used as a form of oppression - saints vs sinners.
• The baby was buried "at the cost of a shilling and pint of beer, in the shabby corner of God's allotment."


  - The church is presented as a corrupt institution where people buy a place in heaven. It challenges and undermines God's and Jesus' teachings that all people are worthy of salvation as long as they believe in God. According to the God given scripture, therefore, Sorrow and Tess should be forgiven, yet, the weaponised church does not permit their salvation.

  - Moreover, the corrupt and institutionalised nature of the church is presented through the payment of the Vicar which resulted him in agreeing to the burial after denying Tess' request multiple times. The lack of purity within the church is evident. The Victorian church does not follow God because they want to and have to, rather, they use God's teachings and commands as a form of business.

  - The price also suggests that to the vicar, the baby was not worth much. The baby's worth is reduced to his sins. Corruption; pedestal - saints above sinners.

  - "Shabby corner" suggests not all Christians were worthy of the same treatment from God and his salvation. We then question the purpose behind Jesus' crucifixion if Sorrow does not have the same right to salvation as others?
• "Thought of putting an end to myself."

  - Tess confesses her secret to Angel. Angel's reaction to her past mistake was unexpected; he is shocked because she does not follow his ideals of chastity and his parents ideals of purity.

  - The influence of religious morality on Angel has led Angel to reject Tess, almost condemning her for a sin that was unwillingly done by her. Similar to the church-goers which spoke badly about Tess, Angel too also elevates himself to a superior position and puts himself on a pedestal because of his religious views on morality and purity. However, it could also be argued that Angel's current reaction is not the reaction he wanted to give. Rather, he was aware that he sacrificed a lot for Tess and was not willing to disappoint his family further, and therefore, held onto one of their requirements.

  - Nevertheless, it is important to note that Tess' response to Angel's reaction is a distressing one, showing the weaponisation of religion and the threat it causes to people's lives, making them feel inadequate.

  - Tess' suicidal thoughts are also shocking to the Victorian reader. Not only does Tess commit adultery, but her suicide would also have led to her committing murder - one of the worst sins.

  - NOTE: Greek tragedy & Aristotle would see Tess' suicide as being admirable and an ultimate sign of bravery of a tragic heroine.
• "Whatever her sins, they were not sins of intention but of inadvertence."


  - As Tess did not sin willingly, but rather was forced to sin, Hardy believes punishment is not applicable to Tess. She is still the pure woman he sees her to be.

  - Hardy challenges religion partially here. In holding Tess accountable for her sins, Hardy focuses on the importance of being moral people and good people, as well as holding people accountable for their flaws. However, in being aware of the circumstances of her sin, Hardy wants religion to adopt a similar approach to sinners. Before condemning them and punishing them, people should be open to pay attention to the reasons as to why someone is considered a sinner. Judgement should be given based on each person's situation, not universally.