Tess of d’Urbervilles is a romance classics novel, naturaly portray the peasant life of fictional town called Wessex. The protagonist, a young Teresa Durbeyfield is innocent and pure, because what her family believe that they are decesdent of d’Urbervilles, the old house who came from Normandy with William The Conqueror as appears by Battle Abbey Roll. Tess live with her drunkard father, mother and her little brother and sister.
She had errand to seeking for financial support and fortune, she began a journey towards d’Urbervilles mansion to klaim kin. Little does she know, at d’Urbervilles mansion, her apparence captivated in Alec d’Urbervilles’ eyes, a men who turns up her world up-side down. Tess gets a job as his mother poultry keeper. Tess’s life at Tantridge was quite pleasant, her income may help to support family. But, an incident came, she impregnated by Alec, the incident is not by her will and she does not love Alec, Tess is swore that she never ever see him again. Tess return home and give birth Alec’s child, the poor child named Sorrow only given a short life.
Tess, only 17 years old, have to bear the pain of losing, have become a family responsibilities, and have to burried her past, let live a new life as the milkmaid at Thalbothays. Then, at there she met Angel Clare.
Among many of them who discuss this novel as a vessel for Hardy’s criticisms of English Victorian society of the late 19th century, First, I highlighted the disfungsional drunkard and lazy father as a lifeline but failed, the role was replaced by Tess. I am more admire the peasent woman works shyless, don’t care about her feminime status. She can works at indor as milkmaid or outdoor in the field. She is difinetly a strong and independent woman.
“A woman should not be try’d beyond her Strength, and continual dropping will wear away a Stone—ay, more—a Diamond.” ( pg. 522)
Second, Thomas Hardy criticize the sexual double standart of an unvirgin man who wants marry a pure (virgin) girl, In the modern life this case is just an egoistic of a man, but in Victorian society the case become more complicated or the main character is made it so.
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Third, the diferent religion of the three main character is interesting, living in country, with farm life as majority, Tess and other villagers still belive in paganism although the curch membership is mandatory. This is hard to said, that Tess considered as an infidel for what might the christians belief. The dialog between she and the priest is controversial, when she want her child to be christened burial but the priest rejected illegitimate unbaptize child. Even so, Tess is really had a good heart among everyone. Whereas Angel is the son of the vicar and Alec as the Evangelical preacher, they seems like the person who really upholds his religion, but their conduct is somehow contrast with they religious belief.
“Why, you have the religion of loving-kindness and purity at least, if you can’t have—what do you call it—dogma.” (Tess to Alec, page 471)
I think this novel is outstanding, the way Hardy woven the story very natural and cinematic, nevertheless at some time, this is depressing (when I know the ending) and made me lose my appetite of reading (3 days bookhangover). After all, I love this novel, I didn’t expect that she is brave enough, I love Tess with all her innocence and how she faces her difficulties of life, I admire her.
Rating Ruang Buku Megga : ✮✮✮✮ (4/5)
Title : Tess of d’Urbervilles
Author : Thomas Hardy
Publisher : Faber & Faber
Year : 2018
Pages : 570 pages
Pages : 570 pages
ISBN : 9780571337033
