Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'urbervilles

Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'urbervilles

In Thomas Hardy's novel, "Tess of the D'urbervilles" the settings and

surroundings of Talbothays Dairy and Flint Comb - Ash represent both

the good and evil in Tess's life. Throughout the novel Tess is faced

with absolute happiness and also total misery. As she moves from

location to location the setting of these different places reflect her

different emotions. Hardy also uses nature to help the reader identify

with Tess's feelings. The natural surroundings and the different

seasons are often in keeping with the events of the novel; literacy

critics refer to this as the 'Pathetic Fallacy'. Throughout the novel

as the seasons change, so does the action, which describes the

significant moments in Tess's life. She falls in love in the month of

"May". When things are fertile and growing. Her Rape and the death of

her body occur in "September" when nature is slowing, dying and

decaying. Also Tess marries Angel in "winter". The harshness of winter

could represent the collapse and bareness of their marriage. As

mentioned before, the locations of Tess's travels are also important.

Talbothays Dairy is situated in a "Lush, fertile land" that suggests

the natural ripeness of Tess and Angel's love. Flint Comb - Ash's

rugged Terrain finds in Tess lots of hardship of labour and the loss

of her husband.

Our introduction to Tess Durbeyfield is Hardy's description of the

"May - day Dancers", dressed in white, the "sun lit up their figures",

portrays the character's radiance, children of nature, Hardy

symbolises their differences by stating that "no two whites were alike

among them". Immediately we are abl...

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...Talbothays was a utopia in Tess's life. It was depicted

with luscious greenery and rolling hills. It was located in the Vale

of Froom, which was known for its rich and fertile soil. There nothing

could bother Tess. However Flint Comb - Ash was a Barron wasteland,

characterized by total misery and pain. It was a cruel place in which

Tess spent the worst days of her life. But at the same time she began

to appreciate her days at Talbothays. Hardy was able to show through

his descriptions of these places how Tess felt throughout the novel.

These descriptions let the reader not only see both places, but to

feel them as well. This allowed the reader to understand Tess's

situation and also take pity on her. The contrast between Talbothays

and Flint Comb - Ash was used to symbolise the enormous conflict

Tess's life dealt with.