Tess's Whole Life

Many readers attribute Tess's tragedy to Hardy's fatalism -- the humble status of women in the contemporary traditional society is the beginning of the tragedy. There's no denying that's one thing.

But I think Tess is doomed to tragic fate first because she has her own clear bottom line and dignity. In fact, according to the plot development of the novel, as long as she compromises and changes her mind, her beauty and wisdom can make her live better than everyone else, which is also what D 'Urberville said to her in the novel. But at the crucial choice point, Tess was not a girl who nodded easily. She always seems to make the most miserable choice for herself. When she is about to get everything, she completely loses everything without any hesitation. So, when she was facing a turning point of fate, to the secular view, she is the most stupid, ever made the most unrealistic choice, always let yourself in a difficult situation, and fall into the lowest point of life, and, in fact, I think this is her perfect moment, at that moment, independent personality shine, this is her personality is also a noble soul.

Apart from other factors, it was Tess's poverty and humble status that led to her unfortunate fate, which was also the most important reason for her being oppressed by capitalist exploitation and constrained by bourgeois moral concepts. 

According to Schopenhauer, personality is the driving force behind the choices we make in life, and to a large extent determines our destiny. In the intrinsic cause of Tess's tragedy, its fundamental weakness is a decisive factor. This weakness had its source, too, for Tess was born in an environment in which resistance was scarce before her eyes. Therefore, When Tess faced the traditional morality, she still lacked the courage to resist. After she was sexually assaulted by Yalai, this weakness filled Tess's whole heart. Her guilt and inferiority added stronger motivation to her weakness, making Tess more powerless in the face of external injuries. This is reflected in Klein's marriage proposal to Tess, Tess's inner contradiction; It is also reflected in Claire's blame for her, she humbly begged For Clare's forgiveness, even offered to be his slave. Because she had been defiled, Tess believed in her heart that she was a sinner, and this self-reproach doubled her pain.

Tess had been silently suffering all sorts of injuries, but had been quietly attributing them to herself, and in the face of the mischief of fate Tess could no longer gather her courage..

2020-12-16

分享

喜欢(0)