《苔丝 (精装)》书评

Tess, A Perfect Woman

“MY OWN HUSBAND, —Let me call you so—…The punishment you have measured out to me is deserved—I do know that—well derserved—and you are right and just to be angry with me. But, Angel, please, please, not to be just— only a little kind to me even if I do not deserve it, and come to me! If you would me, come, I could die in your arms!...I would be content, ay, glad, to live with you as your servant,… The daylight has nothing to show me, since you are not here,…I long for only one thing in heaven or earth or under the earth, to meet you, my own dear! Come to me— come to me, and save me from what threatens me!”These words come from one of the only letters that Tess writes to Clare. They touch me so much, every time I read these lines, I can’t help sheding my tears. The tragical story begins with the discovery of that Tess’ father is an heir of an old, rich family, the d'Urbervilles. For Tess is the oldest daughter of the family, and she is also so responsible to her family, she comes to one so-called d'Urbervilles family for help. There she meets the first important man, Alec d'Urberville, in her life. She is seduced by him, and from then on her life totally changes from this loss of innocence. In order to get rid of the past she decides to go to a distant dairy farm, there she meets the second important man in her life, Angel Clare. Tess loves him so deeply, and even more than her own life. It is this man who gives Tess a new life, and also is this man who actually kills her. At the night of their wedding day, Tess confesses her history to Angel, hopefully that Angel will forgive her as she forgives him, but unfortunately and disappointed, Angel couldn’t accept it. And even worsely, he leaves Tess! That is why Tess writes the letter to him, when she has been in such terrible situations, both in physical and mental. The finality is that Tess kills Alec, coming back to Angel. Though being a murder, she is content that she is pure again, and can’t be despised any more.Compared with Thomas Hardy’s other novels, I think this is the most tragical. The possibly miserable ending runs through the novel. Even at the very beginning of the novel, the author had hinted at the sorrowful development of the story. At Chapter 1, after the parson told Durbeyfield that his real name being d’Urberville, direct descendant to an old noble family, he doubts as to his discretion in retailing this curious bit of lore. It has intimated something will happen because of that. Then the legend of the d’Urberville Coach seems to tell us something unexpected will happen. It appears in the novel twice. The first time is when Tess and Angel is just married on the way back, when Angel doesn’t tell Tess the whole story. The second time is when Tess’ father died, her family has to move to somewhere else, at that time, Alec tells her all about it. Another foreshadowing is the crowing of a cock when Tess and Angel is leaving the dairy farm to their temporary home. An afternoon crow usually means bad, and more obviously, “ the cock crew again— straight towards Clare”! The last intimation I want to show is the Stonehenge. When Tess has killed Alec, escaping, or actually just wandering in the forest with no direction, accidentally they come to Stonehenge. It is the heathen temple. Tess says she is a heathen and she is at home now. Finally she is caught there, saying googbye to her lover.I think Tess is a pecfect woman. Not only her love to Angel touches me, but also her love to her family, including her parents and her sisters and brothers. As the oldest child, she is burdened with her family and takes over the responsibility. Alec also makes use of this to deceive her again. Althouth she is only a country girl with a poor family, she doesn’t look down upon herself. Unlike her mother who always wants her to marry a rich gentleman depending on her beautiful appearance, Tess wants to make her life with her own labour. What moves me mostly is that when she has been profaned by Alec, unlike most of the women would do to marry him, even though she does not love him, Tess wants to have true love. At churlish Groby’s farm, in addition to Alec’s harassing, “she did for one moment picture what might have been the result if she had been free to accept the offer just made her of being the monied Alec’s wife. It would have lifed her completely out of subjection, ont only to her present oppressive employer, but to a whole world who seemed to despise her.” But it is just a moment she thinks about it, she will never do it, never!Talking about Angel, I am so conflictive. In most of readers’ opinion, he is a hypocrite. Some readers hate Angel even more than Alec. But I think it is not very fair to him. It is right that he hurts Tess’ heart even deeper. But in the place of Angel, I think he is still sympathised. We should not forget the story happened in British country in 19th century, compared with other people, Clare is more advanced undoubtly. Yet just as most of the young men in his situation, he is too ideal. Angel notices the malpractice of their society, but he can’t face the reality. He loves Tess dearly, but perpaps rather ideally and fancifully. So when Tess tells him that she has such a history, he can’t accept it. It is too merciless that he doesn’t forgive Tess and even leaves her. But if it is not such a long time, if Angel hasn’t sick in Brazil, maybe there will be not such a tragedy. Whatever, Tess’s death has been the most severe punishment to him.Hardy asked in the novel “who was the moral woman”, I think at last Angel should have the answer, and now I also have the answer. Yes, It is Tess, the pecfect woman!