Tess of the D'urbervilles quotes and analysis

• Chapter one: Tess' father and the Parson 


  'How are the mighty fallen'- Gives a sense of verisimilitude (true/real appearance), class and social mobility come to the forefront of this conversation. Introduces the theme of the inevitability of suffering and loss
• Chapter two: Tess' appearance 


  'a fine and handsome girl', 'pronounced adornment':

  Tess presented as an innocent country maid, but with complexities to her character
• Tess' home life 


  'the dialect at home'- Tess is both educated yet remains a peasant, introduced to Tess' bawdy mother and her 'metaphysical impalpability'
• Elements of pride that elevate the tragic hero of Tess

  A symbol of strength through constant misfortune, Tess' rape and Sorrow's death etc, antithesis to subservient Victorian women- 'I won't walk another inch with ye'

  Maintains pride and dignity at death- 'I am ready'
• Elements of pride that diminish Tess as tragic hero

  Prideful in her insistence to take Prince to market with the bees, rather than see her family fail- 'I won't have it'

  In her most desperate state at Flintcomb ash, she refuses to ask for money and help and runs away- 'Here's a pair of old boots- tramp shoes'
• Setting used to reflect Tess' more positive emotional states


  Marlott reflects Tess' naivety and inexperience of the world- 'untrodden' and 'secluded'- metaphor for Tess' untainted childhood

  Talbothys- sense of happiness evoked after the death of Sorrow and then falls in love with Angel, 'ever balanced on the edge of passion'
• Setting used to convey Tess' negative emotional state


  Shows the destruction of English peasantry and symbolises Tess' tragic journey- 'she was doomed to come'

  Shows exploitation of workers in the industrial era- 'their movements were mechanical'

  Village parallels her emotional distress and heart break- 'barren' 'few trees' 'the remains of the village'
• Tess as a victim of the patriarchy 


  Tess raped and condemned as a 'fallen woman'- evoking sympathy 'why didn't you warn me there was danger'

  Endures endless suffering at the hands of men 'he made her his creature

  Angel abandons her- calling her an 'imposter'
• Tess as a victim of organised religion

  Victim of a repressive religion- Sorrow's death- 'Shabby corner of God's allotment'

  Hypocrisy of the Church shown through Angel, tragedy of being a woman at the time- 'my poor, sweet Tess. Dead, dead, dead.'
• Entire identity is shaped by the patriarchal society 


  Parents use Tess as a commodity to trade for social nobility- 'We'll send Tess to claim kin'

  The rape forged another identity upon Tess, cultivated by society

  Concept of a 'fallen woman' further reiterated through the rejection of the Christian Church- 'I'll never come to your church no more'

  Her sense of wellbeing and worth is wholly dependent on a man, dignity and self-worth stripped off her when she has no choice but to return to Alec
• Shame in Tess' family


  Family's irresponsibility and carelessness- her father 'drunk and inclined'
• Tess' shame after the birth of Sorrow

  Induced by repressive religious ideologies of Victorian societies- 'shabby corner of the graveyard'

  Her shame ostracised her from society- 'she went out only after dark'
• Tess' shame with Angel


  Tess' confession to relieve her guilt is met by further scorn of Angel- 'it is not the same'
• Tess' shame when returning to Alec

  Ashamed at her position in Sandbourne- 'I say it is too late'
• Restrictive lives of ordinary people

  Decline of pastoral life and poverty-people being replaced by machinery- 'threshing machinery

  Female objectification used a means of social mobility- 'his bold rolling eye had flashed upon her form'
• Hypocrisy of religion 


  Sorrow representing the reality of organised religion- 'with the drunkards'