 |
||||||
|
by Thomas Hardy
My mother began reading this novel out loud to me during those long, tedious summer months, and thus began a new tradition. At first, we attempted to make this a family activity, but after the boys started cracking jokes at the descriptive Old English like Tess "bouncing her womanliness", we decided that our boys were not mature enough to appreciate good Victorian literature. However, the feminine members of our family loved this book. Nicole insists that this novel will make a classic movie. The plot was controversial at the time of its publication because of the rape and the tragic ending, but it has a very modern flare. Therefore, it would make a great movie.
It actually was made into a movie, but not a very good movie. It had no name actors, and was way too long. They could have done a better editing job. For example, there is one chapter that the moviemakers did not do justice to. It was the romantic chapter I had my mother read through twice aloud, this scene where Angel carries the girls over the river, and says to Tess, "Three Leah's for one Rachel." This line was probably one of the most romantic lines of the book, and I was quite disappointed when I found it edited. This sort of reminded my mother of the tragic ending of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. When we finished the book, we were vacationing in a hotel, so when the cleaning lady came into the room with a hysterically-crying mother, she probably assumed that somebody had just died. Oh well, my mother always cries! Nicole fits in nicely! :-)
We liked looking up all those strange old English vocabulary words. Reading this book was like a vocabulary treasure hunt for my mother and me. It is a real bonding time for us to explore our emotional sensitivity. Some say that Hardy was trying to make a point about the lunacy of marriage during that particular period (As if marriage between a rapist and his victim is the only acceptable marriage in the sight of God, especially after a child is created from the affair). But what do you think? Is Thomas Hardy trying to be another Martin Luther, making critical statements in order to cause a religious reformation concerning marriage?
Kelly wrote:
I read Hardy’s most well beloved novel, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, last semester for a British literature class. This novel was a treat to read. I could not put it down! I wrote a term paper on it. The time period and the setting of Hardy’s life played an important part in Tess of the d'Urbervilles. It is hard to imagine that Tess of the d'Urbervilles was criticized, but it was indeed. A review in the April 1892 edition of Quarterly Review declared that “Mr. Hardy has told an extremely disagreeable story in an extremely disagreeable manner.” Hardy’s masterpiece, was set between the late Victorian era and the Modern era. His “extremely disagreeable story” was rebuked for its social and moral commentary on the hypocrisy of Victorian ideals and traditions. Hardy criticizes the idea that birthright is an important quality. Men involved in sexual activity before marriage were excused, whereas premarital sexual activity for women was forbidden, no matter what the circumstances.
Along with the many tearful moments of this tragic story of ill-fated love, there are moments of pure romance. One such moment occurs between Tess and Angel while they are washing their hands. As their fingers intertwine, Angel asks, "Which are my fingers and which are yours?" Tess replies, "They are all yours." Awwwwwww! This novel is truly a work of art!
©N. Kent Last Updated: February 5, 2008 mail Nicole Kent
