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Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles

(Modern Critical Interpretations)

(287)

| Library Binding | 9780877547440

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Book Description

Because of the harsh treatment the heroine of Tess of the D'Urbervilles received, Thomas Hardy stopped writing novels altogether. However, Hardy's masterful presentation of a strong woman destroyed by intolerant Nature is now considered one of his most grimly compelling satires of circumstance.

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Because of the harsh treatment the heroine of Tess of the D'Urbervilles received, Thomas Hardy stopped writing novels altogether. However, Hardy's masterful presentation of a strong woman destroyed by intolerant Nature is now considered one of his most grimly compelling satires of circumstance.

The title, Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles, part of Chelsea House Publishers' Modern Critical Interpretations series, presents the most important 20th-century criticism on Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles through extracts of critical essays by well-known literary critics. This collection of criticism also features a short biography on Thomas Hardy, a chronology of the author's life, and an introductory essay written by Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University.

15 Reviews

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  • 1 person find this helpful

    This is Hardy at his best. One of the most exciting of his novels.

    One thing Hardy wants to put over - and he does so very strongly - is that one's life can be so altered by what appear to be the 'accidents' of life. For example: The letter pushed under the door by Tess but not found by Clare ... (continue)

    This is Hardy at his best. One of the most exciting of his novels.

    One thing Hardy wants to put over - and he does so very strongly - is that one's life can be so altered by what appear to be the 'accidents' of life. For example: The letter pushed under the door by Tess but not found by Clare because it goes under the mat. How that changes everything.

    A great book. I greatly enjoyed it. It has many lessons.

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    GraJon said on Jul 25, 2008 about the Hardcover edition | Add your feedback

  • 1 person find this helpful

    What a book! It's full of fools and the characters are mad:
    Tess's mother is a superficial woman; Tess is a stupid, innocent killer; Angel Clare (WTF! Is it a name? Tsk.) is a crazy psychopath; Alec D'Urbevill is a sick pervert; and so on...

    Foolish - all of 'em.

    ~

    Few ... (continue)

    What a book! It's full of fools and the characters are mad:
    Tess's mother is a superficial woman; Tess is a stupid, innocent killer; Angel Clare (WTF! Is it a name? Tsk.) is a crazy psychopath; Alec D'Urbevill is a sick pervert; and so on...

    Foolish - all of 'em.

    ~

    Few Sentences about Angel Clare:

    "What kind of husband would ask Izz to go in Brazil with him so soon after parting from his wife?" [pg 86]

    That's a good question, dear Tess.

    "Who is he?" asked D'Urbeville. "Where is he? Why isn't he here to look after you? What sort of husband can he be leaving you to work like this?" [pg 91]

    Ah-ha!
    Alec: 1
    Tess: 0

    "I'm Tess's husband. I want to see her at once. You were going to write and tell me where she is. Is she well?"
    "I don't know, sir, but     you ought to."

    XDXD Genious.

    ~

    Vote: 7+

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    Blackrystal said on May 13, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • 1 person find this helpful

    I feel pity about the life of Tess, because her life is totally ruined by a bad man from an ancient noble family.

    It is the encourage from her mother to tell her to visit the D'urberville family, especially one of the member called Alec. And her beauty and innocent, which has seduced Alec, rui ... (continue)

    I feel pity about the life of Tess, because her life is totally ruined by a bad man from an ancient noble family.

    It is the encourage from her mother to tell her to visit the D'urberville family, especially one of the member called Alec. And her beauty and innocent, which has seduced Alec, ruined her life that should be very happy and peaceful.

    If she hasn't visit the D'urberville, she wouldn't have met Alec, and would live with Angel happily ever after.

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    Kittyy Yuen-3A.38 said on May 10, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • Haunting

    I knew from the start of the contents this book contained, as an English student it's hard for my teachers to not comment as we're currently studying Victorian Literature. Nevertheless, despite knowing how it might end, I was still addicted and wanted to know what happened next. Of course, some may ... (continue)

    I knew from the start of the contents this book contained, as an English student it's hard for my teachers to not comment as we're currently studying Victorian Literature. Nevertheless, despite knowing how it might end, I was still addicted and wanted to know what happened next. Of course, some may be put off by the fact that this is Victorian Literature, therefore, there won't be any explicit descriptions of anything that was deemed controversial at the time, yet, in contrast to many authors of that era, Hardy hints at these facts clearly which leaves me, as a reader, satisfied and aware that that was the topic discussed. Despite there being some chapters which, in my opinion, could have easily been absent, such as a whole chapter on cows, the story flows along nicely. Even though some may sympathize with Tess, you're left feeling as if she were an annoying child, but this may only be because of my own point of view, as I preferred Alec rather than Angel. The latter seemed such a fake character, realizing too late in the novel what the right thing to do was.
    A book that can leave you frustrated with characters at times, but the final scene is absolutely haunting and leaves you with a strange feeling in your mind.

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    F Sally said on Feb 15, 2012 about the Mass Market Paperback edition | Add your feedback

  • I decided it was time to read this book as last week my flatmate described it as the "most depressing book I've ever read". Now having finished it I can't say the same (Well of Loneliness still wins that award for me) but I did enjoy. The only problem I had with it was Tess herself. She seemed not t ... (continue)

    I decided it was time to read this book as last week my flatmate described it as the "most depressing book I've ever read". Now having finished it I can't say the same (Well of Loneliness still wins that award for me) but I did enjoy. The only problem I had with it was Tess herself. She seemed not to have enough clear definition or motivation. It was difficult to know what her feelings and ideas were. I thought this was particularly struck home when Angel Clare showed up 150 pages in, and suddenly Hardy was explaining his background, education, thoughts ideas and principles. Unfortunately with Tess herself there was none of that. I think this made it harder for me to feel her plight. And I did find the "moral" stance to be rather strange. Still there were some things that were done very well. I got a real sense of place from the book, I felt that the minor characters were more developed and could imagine them carrying on their lives outside of the main plot. I also really liked the family curse and the suicidal milkmaids. Overall I did like it, but not as much as I had hoped to.

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    Robot-mel said on Jan 15, 2011 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

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