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Critical Studies: Tess Of The D'Urbervilles
Thomas Hardy
Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Etched against the background of a dying rural society, Tess of the d'Urbervilles was Thomas Hardy's "bestseller," and Tess Durbeyfield remains his most striking and tragic heroine. Of all the characters he created, she meant the most to him. Hopelessly torn between two men--Alec d'Urberville, a wealthy, dissolute young man who seduces her in a lonely wood, and Angel Clare, her provincial, moralistic, and unforgiving husband--Tess escapes from her vise of passion through a horrible, desperate act.
------"Like the greatest characters in literature, Tess lives beyond the final pages of the book as a permanent citizen of the imagination," said Irving Howe. "In Tess he stakes everything on his sensuous apprehension of a young woman's life, a girl who is at once a simple milkmaid and an archetype of feminine strength. . . . Tess is that rare creature in literature: goodness made interesting."
------Now Tess of the d'Urbervilles has been brought to television in a magnificent new co-production from A&E Network and London Weekend Television. Justine Waddell (Anna Karenina) stars as the tragic heroine, Tess; Oliver Milburn (Chandler & Co.) is Angel Clare; and Jason Flemyng is Alec d'Urberville.
Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Etched against the background of a dying rural society, Tess of the d'Urbervilles was Thomas Hardy's "bestseller," and Tess Durbeyfield remains his most striking and tragic heroine. Of all the characters he created, she meant the most to him. Hopelessly torn between two men--Alec d'Urberville, a wealthy, dissolute young man who seduces her in a lonely wood, and Angel Clare, her provincial, moralistic, and unforgiving husband--Tess escapes from her vise of passion through a horrible, desperate act.
------"Like the greatest characters in literature, Tess lives beyond the final pages of the book as a permanent citizen of the imagination," said Irving Howe. "In Tess he stakes everything on his sensuous apprehension of a young woman's life, a girl who is at once a simple milkmaid and an archetype of feminine strength. . . . Tess is that rare creature in literature: goodness made interesting."
------Now Tess of the d'Urbervilles has been brought to television in a magnificent new co-production from A&E Network and London Weekend Television. Justine Waddell (Anna Karenina) stars as the tragic heroine, Tess; Oliver Milburn (Chandler & Co.) is Angel Clare; and Jason Flemyng is Alec d'Urberville.
118 pages, Paperback
First published January 7, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 28, 2019
3.5 stars
This is a bit of an odd review on my part. I don’t think many are chomping at the bit to see if a critical essay was good or not. But hey, I had thoughts and I wanted to share them. I think most of you guys can just skip this review of Critical Studies: Tess of the D’Urbervilles.
This book did what I thought would be impossible: it made me appreciate Tess of the D’Urbervilles (spoilers for an upcoming review but I really didn’t like this book). I found this incredibly useful to as a study guide before my exams. Handley has some really interesting analysis of Tess and presents them in a really easy to digest package.
Handley goes into a lot of depth about an impressively varied aspect of Tess. He is obviously well versed in both the story and critical commentary of the work. I especially liked his break down of the characters in the novel and his comparisons and contrasts of Alec and Angel.
I did have a few gripes with the presentation of essay. Handley really should have utilised subheadings in his chapters. He’d move from idea to idea within a chapter without even a page break to delineate his thoughts. I’d be in the middle of a sentence only to realise he moved on from his previous point 3 paragraphs ago.
Handley spends a lot of time in this commentary comparing and contrasting the final version of Tess and an altered version Hardy published a few years prior. While I’m sure some can take value from this I found the comparisons completely irrelevant to me and my studies.
I had a major problem with the way Handley discussed Tess’s rape. Handley consistently describes it as a seduction and the world rape is only used once off-hand. Handley definitely doesn’t see Tess as willing in his interpretation, but his constant use of the word seduction instead of rape really diminishes the violence and violation of Alec’s action. Seduction implies a willingness on Tess’s part that wasn’t there.
Stars
3.5
Overall this book was useful. If you’re studying Tess of the D’Urbervilles is school I think it could be helpful to pick this one up.
----------------------
If I get an A* on my English Lit exam I'll bump this up to a 4 star
This is a bit of an odd review on my part. I don’t think many are chomping at the bit to see if a critical essay was good or not. But hey, I had thoughts and I wanted to share them. I think most of you guys can just skip this review of Critical Studies: Tess of the D’Urbervilles.
This book did what I thought would be impossible: it made me appreciate Tess of the D’Urbervilles (spoilers for an upcoming review but I really didn’t like this book). I found this incredibly useful to as a study guide before my exams. Handley has some really interesting analysis of Tess and presents them in a really easy to digest package.
Handley goes into a lot of depth about an impressively varied aspect of Tess. He is obviously well versed in both the story and critical commentary of the work. I especially liked his break down of the characters in the novel and his comparisons and contrasts of Alec and Angel.
I did have a few gripes with the presentation of essay. Handley really should have utilised subheadings in his chapters. He’d move from idea to idea within a chapter without even a page break to delineate his thoughts. I’d be in the middle of a sentence only to realise he moved on from his previous point 3 paragraphs ago.
Handley spends a lot of time in this commentary comparing and contrasting the final version of Tess and an altered version Hardy published a few years prior. While I’m sure some can take value from this I found the comparisons completely irrelevant to me and my studies.
I had a major problem with the way Handley discussed Tess’s rape. Handley consistently describes it as a seduction and the world rape is only used once off-hand. Handley definitely doesn’t see Tess as willing in his interpretation, but his constant use of the word seduction instead of rape really diminishes the violence and violation of Alec’s action. Seduction implies a willingness on Tess’s part that wasn’t there.
Stars
3.5
Overall this book was useful. If you’re studying Tess of the D’Urbervilles is school I think it could be helpful to pick this one up.
----------------------
If I get an A* on my English Lit exam I'll bump this up to a 4 star
July 13, 2011
Most horrible book ever! She names her kid Sorrow and buries it in a tin box.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews