An Analysis of the Causes of Tess's Tragic Fate

石河子大学毕业论文题目：对苔丝悲剧命运的原因分析An Analysis of the Causes of Tess’s Tragic Fate院（系）：外国语学院专业：英语班级： 2011级2班学号： 2011505024 姓名：汤晓红指导教师：叶春莉完成日期： 2015年5月18日AbstractThomas Hardy is an outstanding novelist in the nineteenth century. He hasproduced numerous works including novels and poetry. His most famous work--Tess of the D’urbervilles has a great influence on the world literature. The paper focuses on the exploration of Tess’s tragedy. Tess’s tragedy can be illustrated by three factors--Hardy’s fatalism, socia l reasons and the reasons of herself which included the relationship between Tess and Alec and Clare, her family and the weakness of her character. There is also some enlightenment fromTess’s tragedy. It is believed that women play a crucial role in society. Tess is a woman with good qualities and her experiences give a warning to woman today:the proper treatment of one’s behaniors is critical by the social rules.Key words:Thomas Hardy;Tess’s tragedy; Causes; Enlightenment摘要托马斯.哈代是20世纪一位杰出的小说家。

他一生创作了大量的作品和诗歌。

他最有名的代表作是德伯家的苔丝。

德伯家的苔丝对世界文学有着重要影响。

本文的焦点是探究造成苔丝悲剧命运的原因。

造成苔丝悲剧命运的原因有三个：哈代的宿命论，社会原因和自身因素，而自身因素又包括苔丝和亚雷，苔丝和克莱尔的关系，苔丝的家庭和苔丝自身的性格弱点。

本文也将讨论从苔丝的悲剧命运我们得到的启示。

我们坚信女性在社会中扮演重要的角色。

拥有美好品质的苔丝和她的经历警示我们社会规则通过评判人们的行为给予合适的对待。

关键词:托马斯.哈代;苔丝的悲剧;原因;启示ContentsI. Introduction (1)II.Literature Review (1)III. Causes for the Tragedy of Tess (3)A. The Effecfs of the Social Discrimination (4)1. Social Environmen (4)2. Unfair Law (5)B. The Inner Elements of Tess (5)1. The Relationship between Tess and the Two Men --Alec and Clare . 52. Her Family (7)3. The Weakness of Her Character (8)C. Hardy’s F atalism (10)D. Enlightenment (11)V. Conclusion (11)Works Cited (12)I. IntroductionThomas Hardy (1840-1928) was a great English novelist and poet. Hardy’s works reflect the change of the society, economy, politics, moral and traditional culture when the bourgeoisie became popular and strong in England.Bourgeoisie society changed the morals, law and religions of the England and result in women’s tragic fate. His works was not only inherited the great tradition of English realism，but also pioneered the 20th century British literature. Tess of the D’urbervilles is not only one of Hardy’ masterpieces but also one of the greatest tragedy works in the history of English literature.In this novel, we can learn that Tess’s attitude to ward her unjust fate is to resist it; however, she failed to change her fate time after time. We can not help thinking about Tess’s tragic fate and feeling pity for her. At the same timewe can deeply feel that her tragedy is inevitable.So the reasons of her tragic fate have become a concern for us. This paper will try to make a detailed analysis of the reasons of Tess’ tragedic fate. And I will discuss it in three parts, they are as follows: the social reasons, the reasons of herself, and theory of Har dy’s fatalism.II. Literature ReviewTess of the D’urbervilles is regarded as the greatest work of Thomas Hardy and the most mature work. It was published one hundred years ago. It is still very popular and attracts generations of scholars’ attention and interests.Manyreaders and critics at home and abroad tend to feel that the most prominent achievements of this novel is that it successfully created the image of theheroineTess, but they interpreted heroine Tess from a different points ofview.Like Liu Kaifu interpreted Tess’s fate from the perspective of pessimism. And Tess’s fatewas influenced by British society, economy, law, religion and moral hypocrisy in people's lives in the19th century. Qian Yanqiu(15) analyzed Tess’s rebellious spirit through Tess's resistance of her fate. We could find the changeof Tess’s thoughts from three parts: from passive to active, from unconscious to rational ,from blind to mature, the complicated description of Tess’s inner heart modeled the charmingheroine image. Yang Yang(23) from two aspects: therelationship between men and women and the relationship between human andnature, revealed the reasons of Tess's tragedy with the ecological feminist principles. By using ecological feminism theory, Yang Yang thought that the social transformation is not always making progress especially in the Victorian period,the social transformation can also make some bad influence on the society, On the basis of Marxist feminist theory, Du Shu(11) thought that in a capitalist society and patriarchal society, Tess's tragedy is inevitable.There are many readers who have discussed the causes of the Tess’s tragic fate from a variety of different perspectives, such as: Nie Zhenzhao, In his book Grief and Fortitude Artist clearly stated "the direct reason caused thetragicfate of this woman is her poverty, social hypocrisy on ethics and unjust legal system "(145). Zhang Xiaoyan(33) discussed the heroic image of Tess fromthe definition and standard of heroism. By analyzing the different period of Tess’s heroism，she concluded that her heroism caused her tragedy. Besides her heroism,Tess's tragedy is also due to the social elements, her character, and Hardy’sfatalism.Professor Webster(45) begins with adiscussion of Hardy’s intentions in writing Tess. According to his views, Tess of the D’urbervilles is a contribution to Hardy’s war against man’s inhumanity.Arnold Kettle(36) takes a different point of view. For him, the subject of Tess of the D’urbervilles is not the tragedy of a “pure woman”,but rather the destruction of the English peasantry. Mr. Kettle sees it as complete as a social novel.All this reveals the roots of the tragedy of Tess from all the above, but for the enduring literary works we should carry out new exploration and new discoveries. In nutshell, through what I have discussed above, it is obviously that her heroism, her character as well as Hardy's fatalism are the direct Causes of Tess's tragedy. But these direct causes are deeply rooted in the cruel social environment: the impoverished peasant, the unjust law and cruel convention. So we can draw a conclusion that the social environment is the main and root cause of Tess's tragedy and realize the social environment has great influence on people’s life.III. Causes for the Tragedy of TessThe reasons of her tragic fate have become a hot concern for us. This paper will try to make a detailed analysis of the reasons of Tess’ trag ic fate. Andthe paper will discuss it in three parts, which are as follows: the social reasons, the reasons of Tess, and the theory of Hardy’s fatalism.A. The Effecfs of the Social Discrimination1.Social EnvironmentThe story happened in the Victorian age. It was a period that England had a great development and it’s economy had developed very well.The rapid development of industry brought a series of serious social problems especially for the lower class. At the end of the 19th century, capitalism expanded throughout England, which caused many poor families bankrupt. They lost their land and had to work for landlords or capitalism under bad conditions in order to support their family. The farmers had to live in poverty. The destruction of English farmers was caused by capitalism, and which is the cause of family’s tragedy.In the late 19th century,the economic crisis took place there in bourgeois world; it led to the social change. The change made many peasants lost their lands and became workers. Large quantities of peasants were bankrupt. It was the same with the D’Urbervilles’s. Their narrow minds and stupidity made them puzzled. The society was so cruel that it did not give them a chance to live and made them discard their children. Tess was born into the family of a poor rural tradesman. Her father drinks a lot and doesn’t work hard. Her mother herself was like a child and never thought about the future. There were many children in their family. Her family is poor and when the old horse “Prince” was killed by accident, the economic condition of her family was worse, that meant the bankrupt of the family. Her mother sent her to claim kin with a distant relative of noble D’Urbervilles family in the hope of changing the poor and miserable condition of the family. Her disjoint from the country leaded to her later tragedy: the young master Alec seduced her and the following pregnancy compelled Tess to return home in disgrace. Her tragic life begun. So the destruction of English peasantry caused by capitalism is the root cause of Tess’s tragedy.2. Unfair LawIf Tess lives in the contemporary era in which people are equally protected by the law,she would not die any more. However, Tess lives in the Victorian era which capitalism invaded the rural region. In the capitalist society,law was served for the capitalist class. Farmers were at the bottle of the society, they never had equal rights as upper class.It is clearly in the novel. Alec, the representative of capitalist power and violence dared to do what he desires, not only because he had money and power, but also because his evil behavior was protected by the capitalist law And rules. In the eyes of Victorian people, the young upstart squire is noble, while Tess is considered to lure Alec in order to acquire Alec's money. Tess bears all that injustice silently all along, however, when she defends herself for the first time, "Justice was done, and President of the Immorals, in Aeschyleanphase, had ended his sport with Tess."(Hardy,49). Obviously, she was the victim of the unjust, hypocritical law.B. The Inner Elements of TessIn one novel, people’s character also takes a very important part. In this novel, people’s character caused the tragedy. Alec and Clare were very closely related to Tess’s fate.1. The Relationship between Tess and the Two Men--Alec and ClareThere were two men who were very closely related to Tess’s fate. Tess was a daughter of poor peasants who had been reduced by a wage laborer, so Alec--- the vicious capitalist power of the Victorian Times and Clare --the representative of liberal bourgeoisiewho killed her cruelly and without mercy. It seem ed that Alec was the prime culprit of Tess, but in fact, it was Clare who killed Tess mo re cruelly.When the horse died, Tess’s famliy got into the economic difficulties. Tess complied with her mother’ suggestion that she w ould claim kin. Since then, Her fate was closely linked with Alec. For the first time, when Alec met Tess,there was a singular force in the gentleman’s face and in his bold rolling eye was Tess’ beauty. The first sentence Alec said to Tess is “well, my beauty, what can I do for you” ( Hardy 32). From the words we believed that Alec never loved Tess but Tess’ beauty. There were many evidence to prove it in The novel. “his eye ,after their first glance upon her face, hung confusedly in every other direction but hers, but came back in a despetate leap every few seconds.” when Alec met Tess again, he gave up his preach. Though many years passed away, Tess’s beauty still exist s and Alec desires her beauty.“remember,my lady, I was your master once! I will be your master again. If you are any m an’ wife you are mine”( Hardy 291) Alec was not only a wicked person that he was eager for hell with Tess but also a hypocritical person. Not saying what he did to Tess, but saying he did not realize his mistakes. When he seduced Tess, he did not realize that the virginity is how important it is for girls. “He just said that why run away like that without saying god bey”(Hardy36). He was ready to pay to the utmost farthing and he would give Tess clothes, money... What a capitalist Alec is. In the eyes of capitalist, all thing can be measured with money. Not to mention the love and the chastity.Alec was a evil person, so he did not sympathize Tess. He only cared for making fun and did not care about other people’s life at all. So after his behiviors harmed Tess, he tried to hurt Tess again. When Tess’ father died, Alec c ame to tempt Tess over and over. Though Tess refused his help, Alec did not give up. He had taken the liberty of speaking to Tess’ mother directly. And Tess’ mother was very p leased with his offerings. So Tess became Alec’s lover again. And the real tragedy will happen soon. When Clare came to find Tess, Tess knew Alec cheated her. In order to pursuit happiness, Tess \killed Alec bravely. But not soon, Tess was sentenced by hanging.Next person--Clare. Generally speaking, Alec destroyed Tess’ body, Cl are d estroyed Tess’s spirit. Comparatively speaking, Clare was the person who killed Tess really. Because Tess’s ture love was him. Tess told Alec so many times That there was one person who she really loved. Though he had abandoned her, she could not stop loving Clare. Clare was not worth for Tess’ love.Clare was a son of pastor. His father wanted to send him abroad to go to university, but he wanted to study farming. Tess met him when she worked in a dairy farm. They fell in love with each other quickly. Clare is a complex character. He looked down upon the upper class. He disliked urban life. He refused his family’ s wish to send him to Cambridge, and went to the county side to study agriculture where he met and fell in love with Tess. They spent a happy love time. But the tragedy happened on the wedding night, when Tess talked her past with Alec, Clare considered Tess was a fallen woman. He still judged purity with the social conventional values and moral standards that were planted in his mind during his education. He was a slave to custom and conventionality. He abandoned his wife for Brazil which was a death blow to the innocent woman Tess. Before he got the story of her past, he thought that she was a beautiful, pure, honest, and innocent girl. Tess wasan angel in his mind.But after that, he just abandoned her. In fact, he knew it was not Tess’s fault,but he did not try to understand her. He ignored her love and heartlessly abandoned her. This made Tess despaired and wanted to leave this world.Clare is also a hypocritical person. He requested Tess to forgive his fault but he did not forgive Tess. Clare did not tell Tess about his past before wedding, only because he was afraid of losing Tess. The temporary law dose not sentence divorce for virginity. Clare justified for himself that “I am a moral man and like my father, I love goodness and I hate impurity.And yet I was lost and confused”(Hardy 89).Alec injured Tess physically. Clare destroyed her spirit. Clare left Tess for Brazil. He suffered from many different difficulties during his travel and realized life’s real meaning. He came back and found Tess. He told Tess he loved Tess and he wanted Tess to live with him. Clare’s reappearance is the direct reason that Tess made decision to kill Alec. These two men who had closely relationship with Tess are the crucial causes of Tess’ tragedy.2. Her FamilyIn a patriarchal society, men and women had already been given different roles due to the influence of traditional culture. In a normal family, girls was taught the female virtues since childhood, while boys were trained how to be a real men.Tess’ father, Jack Durbeyfield, was a vain, foolish man. He did not know he was the descend ant of Durbeyfield. The parson told Tess’ father they were noble. Her father could not do some works. Because her Father drank too much alcohol, he had serious heart disease. The haggling business, which had mainly depended on the horse, became disorganized forthwith(Hardy 38). This showed that their family all depends on the Horse. There were 6 children in this family, if their parent were responsible for their children, they were not giving birth to so many kids. Her father had no ability to live but had stubborn pride.When Tess was seduced by Alec, his father felt that it was a shame not for protecting Tess at first. The most cruel thing her father did is that when Tess’s little baby died, her father did not allow them to invite the Parson Tringham to give baby baptism. The baptism is very important to Christian.Without baptism one can not bury in the church.Tess’ mother was a conceited, ignorant woman. In Tess’ opinion, her mother’ intelligence was that of a happy child; she was simply. When she knew they were the descendants of most noble family D’urbervilles, she planed to persuaded Tess to claim kin. She did not consider there will be some danger in that rich Durbervilles familyand she just thought about changing their. When Tess was seduced by Alec, she blamed Tess that Tess did not protect herself well.How can we imagine that a young girl who did not know anything and can protect herself. All these creatures were the passengers on the Durbeyfield family’ board. their pleasures, their needs, their health,even their survival, entirely dependent on the Durbeyfield couple. The poverty of her family and her strong responsibility are another important reason of Tess’ tragedy.3.The Weakness of Her CharacterApart from fierce Alec and hypocritical Clare, it is the weakness of her character that leads to her tragic fate.1. Tess is a Adamant and Self-contemptuous Woman.Tess was from a poor family that caused her self-abasement. She did not receive high education. She was just a little country gril. When she first came to Alec’ house, she was shockd and flurried. There were some description in the novel. “The crimson brick lodge came first in sight, uo to its eaves in dence evergreens.Tess thought this was the mansion itself till,passing through the side wicket with some trepidation, and onward to apoint at which the drive took a turn, the house proper stood in ful view”(Hardy 31) As Chinese old saying goes, Granny liu came into the grand view garden. “simple Tess Durbeyfield stood at gaze, in a half-alarmed attitude, onthe edge of the gravel sweep.Her feet had brought her onward to this point before she had quite realised where she was; and now all was contrary to her expectation(Hardy 31).Because of her self-abasement, she wanted to support her family by herself. Tess was also a fortitudinous girl. Tess refused the help of Alec again and again. When Alec met Tess again, Alec tried to help Tess many times, but Tess did not accept it. And Tess depended on herself to find a hard job in a farm to support her family. Though she married Clare, she got into a hardship,and she did not ask for help from Clare’s family. We should be pride of Tess’self-independence. But because of her self-independence, she never thought thatshe can ask for help from others. If she was not self-independent,She would not face those hardship and her tragedy would not happen.2. Tess was a Irresolute and Cowardly Woman.When Tess and Clare told each other their past, Tess forgave Clare but Clare did not forgave Tess. Tess said please,Clare, please, forgave me. Tess was a belittle lover. “Clare, please say you forgive me, as I have forgiven you”(Hardy 230). This showedthat Tess still had in a relatively rigorous ethical in hermind. She persuited happiness bravely but she also thought she was guilty. When she was pregnant, she refused to see anyone included her teacherand she alsogave up her study. “but I have not seen her for weeks now. I hadhoped that we might start lessons once again. As I say, she is feeling a bit under the weather. I would very much like to talk to her if I may”( Hardy 39 ). This isa talk between teacher and Tess’s mother. Tess was a cowardly person that she did not want to face the fact. Tess wanted to be a teacher butwhen she experienced the seduce she buried her dream in the heart. She thought she has no qualification to be a teacher just for her guilty. If she Could bravely break the Conventional idea she would live a happy life. But she can not do that, so do us. This is a crucial reason of tragedy of us in any era.3. Tess was a Lack of Self-awareness Woman.Tess was born into a poor family, so she had no opportunity to have high education. This made her mind so narrow. On the one hand, Tess persuit her happiness bravely, she did not give up her self after seducing by Alec, and she fell in love with Clare, she made preparation with the bad result that Clare might not marry her. On the other hand, she was a woman of Victoria period. Women in this ear, did not have the same right and status with men. Tess also obeyed this rules. When Tess was pregnant she also felt she was a fallen woman. H er baby’ name called sorrow that exposed that Tess was a victim of man’ world.Tess was able to fight against the unfair society. She could bravelyface various difficulties in life, yet she couldn’t extricateherself from traditional moral Principles.She realized that she was the victim of social violence and moral principles. Though she dared to beat back the unjustness, she couldn’t break traditional morality completely.C. Hardy’s Fa talism.Fatalism is "that view of life which says all actions is controlled by the nature of thing or by fate which is a great impersonal, primitive force existing through all eternity absolutely independent of human will and superior to any good created by man"(Force 96). Since Hardy spends a great part of his life in the countryside, he sees the decline of the patriarchal mode of life in rural English after the invasion of the industrial capitalism, but he does not understand the root causes of this decline and rules of social development. He attributes the peasants' tragedy to blind chance or mysterious fate. This kind of fatalism is revealed in Hardy's many works especially inTess of the D'Urbervilles. "Hardy gave to the interpretation of the story in accordance with his pessimist and determinist view of the world."( In a sense, Tess is the victim of Hardy's fatalism, and her tragedy is the tragedy of the time when Hardy lives.Throughout the whole story, Tess is constantly involved in the mysterious fate which leads to the tragedy step by step. Her misfortune started from the death of the only horse. Just at that time, Tess's father leart of a rich family--Alec D'Urbervilles which is his lineage. So Tess was forced to claim kin and not long after she was seduced. After the great frustration, desiring to live a tranquil life, Tess met Angel Clare and fell in love with him. Not wanting to deceive Clear, Tess wrote a letter to confess her "wrong doings", but the letter was misplaced and escapes the notice of Angel. When Tess got for the help of Clare's parents, it was unfortunate that she came upon the sons instead of the father. It was bitterly ironic that while Tess did not get to see Clare's father, the one person who would certainly have sympathized with Tess and helped her, she did get to see one of his converts---Alec D'Urberville, the one person she wished not to encounter alone in the whole world. Just then, her father's Death and her family's homelessness made Tess find no way out. Clear was late just for a few days, although he should have reunited with Tess a few days earlier. These series of chance happening seems to decide Tess's tragedy, and each of them puts Tess further into the mysterious entrapment until her died.V. EnlightenmentTess’s tragedy makes us reconsider women’s important role in the society. The significant chance of Tess’s personality shows her spirits of perseverance and independence,which gradually helps her win human dignity between Alec and Clare. She is a perfect literary figure of the novel, setting an example in struggling against hardship.Tess’ s tragedy gives an warning that women should realise self-preservation and their behaviors. Sometimes, an impulse or a haste choice can bring a tragedy. In a word, being independence is a crucial step for women to win freedom and respect.On the other hand, from the analysis of Tess’s tragedy, we can make a conclusion that it is very necessary of women to improve their social status. People can be tolerant with men’s moral problem s b ut they can not accept women’s immoral deeds, so Tess’s sad experience do not arouse people’ sympathy but defamat e her. With the development ofsociety and technology, the vision and thought of mankind becomes boarder. Obviously, women’ contributions to th e whole society are great and they have taken great efforts to show their abilities. Women will be respected and admired for their great potential in the future.IV. ConclusionTess, the central character of the novel, is strikingly attractive, and distinguished by her deep moral sensitivity and passionate intensity. Her beauty and temperament is harmony with the nature; she is the“daughter of nature”. However, as a daughter of poor peasants, she is reduced by a wage laborer, enjoying low social status. Enduring a great deal of pain in life, finally she is completely destroyed. As a victim of the ill-judged execution, Tess is noble and dignified. Tess is a strong woma n in the novel. She fights against the capitalist system, but in her deep minds, she sub mits to the society.In fact, it is the time she lives inposed her in this poor situation. Be sides, wicked Alec representing evil force is the direct cause for her death. But, it is h ypocritical Angel who kills her indirectly and more cruelly. Facing such a severe situa tion,the weakness of her character is the main reason that caused her tragedy. Thus, encountering so many cases, it seems that Tess’s tragedyis doomed. Tess’s tragic fate is not only of herself, but also of the time she lives in.Works CitedAlvarez，A；Skilton，David．Thomas Hardy .England：Penguin English Library,1978．Brown,Douglas.Thomas Hardy．London：Longmans，Green and Co Ltd，1954．Cecil,David．Hardy the Novelist An Essay in Criticism．London：Constable and company Ltd, 1 972．Clarke，Graham．Thomas Hardy Critical Assessments Volume H．East Sussex .Britain：Helm Information Ltd, 1 993．Chen, Jia. 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