Tess

Tess's story ends with the black flag over Wintoncester prison, but her soul achieves eternity in Hardy's words. She is not merely a literary figure but a mirror reflecting the hypocrisy and contradictions in the morality of every era. When we sigh for Tess's fate, we are also examining ourselves: In our time, how many invisible "black flags" are judging souls that should not be judged, all in the name of morality?