Tess of D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

Tess of D’Urbervilles

-        by Thomas Hardy

Tess of D’Urbervilles is written by Thomas Hardy and is first published in 1891. The story is set back in Victorian England when sexual and social hypocrisy could be found in the society. The book was very controversial at that time because of the critiques towards the strict moral cords. The novel centres on a young woman, Tess, who struggles to find her place in society. She sent to a noble household, D’Urbervilles to claim kin with them. Instead, she comes back with shame and humiliation. The story continues with how Tess deals with her disappointments in life, struggling against her past and finally defeated by fate.

Tess of D’Urbervilles is a romantic novel. Ironically, hate plays a vital role than the love. Although hope and happiness are also present in some places in the book, but they are overshadowed by the sorrows. In short, it is a dark romance. This is a novel in which Hardy’s protagonist and other characters are confronted by an almost endless array of moral and socially acceptable choices.

Subtitle of the book ‘Tess of D’Urbervilles: A pure woman and it defends his abhorrence or the double standards. Tess’ struggle was one for equality and happiness and in the end she finds neither. In the time period that this novel was written, Thomas Hardy suffered a lot of criticism for publishing such a sexualized book and for challenging the sexual morality of the society he lived within. (bri)

Works Cited

<brightkite.com/essay-on/a-book-revi>.