Monday, June 29, 2020
The Unconventional Heroine as a Tool for Social Change - Literature Essay Samples
In Thomas Hardyââ¬â¢s tendentious Victorian novel, Tess of the Dââ¬â¢Urbervilles, Hardy uses a format akin to that of a tragic hero to critique the double standards of Victorian society. His heroine, Tess, challenges Victorian standards by maintaining her innate purity and refusing to be defined by society even after committing acts that ought to both taint and define her. Unlike a tragic hero, Tessââ¬â¢ downfall is not due to a flaw in her character but rather in societyââ¬â¢s ability to perceive her character.Tess embodies nigh on every characteristic that the ideal Victorian woman ought to be; that is: modest, selfless, loyal, dutiful, pure and beautiful. These traits are exemplified throughout the novel. Tessââ¬â¢ beauty is unquestioned; being referenced as her ââ¬Å"trump cardâ⬠. Her selflessness and duty are exemplified in her compliance with her parentââ¬â¢s wishes to ââ¬Å"claim kinâ⬠, despite not knowing ââ¬Å"what good will come of itâ⬠. Tess is also cautious to pursue her ââ¬Å"loveâ⬠of Angel out of modesty but, once married to him, is loyal even after acknowledging that he has ââ¬Å"punishedâ⬠her unfairly. On a characteristic level, Tess is ââ¬Å"pureâ⬠, ââ¬Å"kindâ⬠and exemplifies the model Victorian maiden. Despite this, Tess is ââ¬Å"doomedâ⬠and on her ââ¬Å"beautiful feminine tissueâ⬠is ââ¬Å"traced a coarse patternâ⬠. This challenges the idea of conventional heroinism as, despite fulfilling the abstract ideal, Tess is condemned and ultimately ââ¬Å"the woman paysâ⬠. Throughout the novel, various members of society attempt to classify and reduce Tessââ¬â¢ complexity. Alec refers to Tess as ââ¬Å"temptressâ⬠and a ââ¬Å"mere chitâ⬠, whereas Angel deems her a ââ¬Å"goddessâ⬠. She is also referred to as ââ¬Å"simpleâ⬠, a ââ¬Å"peasantâ⬠and her capacity for complexity and independent thought is dismissed by Alec as her ââ¬Å"mind [being] enslaved to [Angelââ¬â¢s]â⬠. These assertions aim to define Tess based either on her actions, her situation or whom the men in her life wish her to be, as was customary for women of the time to comply with. Tess subverts this idea by demanding to be acknowledged as an individual. She beseeches Angel to ââ¬Å"call [her] Tessâ⬠and challenges her classification as a ââ¬Å"peasantâ⬠by being a ââ¬Å"peasant by position but not by natureâ⬠. Tess uses her quiet strength to consistently assert her independence which acts as a quiet yet powerful protest to the con ventions of the time. However, it is not only other characters but also societyââ¬â¢s perception of Tessââ¬â¢ own actions that attempt to challenge her purity and identity. After being raped by Alec Dââ¬â¢Urberville, and thus falling pregnant, she challenges both her and her illegitimate childââ¬â¢s right to dignity by questioning the ââ¬Å"liturgical reasonsâ⬠that prohibit her child from being baptised. This action is a direct challenge to the Victorian society to acknowledge her as a human being over and above her circumstances. Tess again challenges the impact of her actions on her status by accusing Angel of being ââ¬Å"unjustâ⬠in his treatment of her despite her premarital affairs ââ¬â to be conventionally warranting disgrace ââ¬â and finally in murdering Alec ââ¬Å"for [Angel]â⬠as Tess feels justified in the action. Tessââ¬â¢ rape, infidelity (for the sake of her family) and, ultimately, her murder of Alec, ought to condemn Tess and yet she refuses to igno re the injustices dealt her despite accepting her execution. Tess does not allow her actions to define her character even after Angel insists ââ¬Å"you were one woman, now you are anotherâ⬠. Although Tess chooses not to be defined by her actions she is ultimately punished for them. It is here that Hardy challenges the idea of a tragic hero as it is not Tessââ¬â¢ character that leads to her downfall but rather societyââ¬â¢s perception of it. Tessââ¬â¢ illegitimate child taints her ability to be a ââ¬Å"truly Christian wifeâ⬠and is the result of an action for which Angel claims ââ¬Å"forgiveness does not applyâ⬠. These standards are born out of Angel being a ââ¬Å"slave to custom and conventionalityâ⬠and not by Tessââ¬â¢ own fault. Despite this, both Angel and societyââ¬â¢s condemnation of Tess forces her into a place of fear and shame. As a result, Tess is forced to work long hours in cold weather at Flintcombe Ash to support her family and is frequently harassed by Alec who, too, is obsessed with making Tess a ââ¬Å"moral womanâ⬠. The fact that ââ¬Å"outside of humanity [Tess] had no present fearâ⬠only emphasises that it wa s society that caused her downfall. In the words of King Lear, Tess is more ââ¬Å"sinned against than sinningâ⬠and is ultimately executed for her murder of Alec. Tessââ¬â¢ personality ought to qualify her to be the perfect Victorian woman and yet she is condemned in the eyes of society and ââ¬Å"doomedâ⬠to a life of hardship. This dichotomy is an unconventional take on a traditional Victorian heroine and is, consequently, a powerful tool in critiquing the standards of feminine perfection at the time.
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