Tess of the d’Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy is my last novel before my final exam, and what a way to wrap up this course. Thomas Hardy is an amazing writer engaging the reader from the first page to the last page. There were moments in this novel that I was so enthralled with the story of Tess that I actually had to put the book down and vent. One has to stop though and think, to quote my awesome tutor, “what was picking the authors ass that they had to sit down and write?” I stopped to think about it, about the emotional reaction that the author elicited and what he was hoping to gain in doing so. This novel is an excellent portrayal of the relationships between man, woman ,and the authority of the church. Hardy highlights the hypocrisy of the church in such a blunt way that one cannot help the odd outburst of rage while reading at the inhumane treatment of this young girl; not to mention her startling reaction to the treatment, that is to say she does not recognize that it is all unjust. Hardy uses many tactics throughout to ensure the reader has an emotional connection with Tess to make sure that all her trials will be felt and understood to be unfair.
Although previous to this novel some of the other authors, towards this later part of the nineteenth century began to raise questions of doubt towards the real power of the church and why they were given such authority, none, in my opinion came close to Thomas Hardy. Hardy skillfully creates a relatable character in Tess which every person who reads the novel will be able to connect to; who has not made a foolish mistake as a child? And to see this one error destroy so many lives due simply to the authority of the church is tragic.
an aspiring...? 