Book Review : Tess of d’Urbervilles

Thomas Hardy. Tess of the d’Urbervilles. Wordsworth Editions Limited, 1993, Hertfordshire. ISBN 978-1-85326-005-6.

        The novel of Tess of d’Urbervilles first published in 1891. In fact, this novel of Tess of the d’Urbervilles had been rejected by the publishers three times, until it was finally published in the 1891. It is written by Thomas Hardy. In the Thomas Hardy’s beginning career, when he was young, Hardy hoped that he will be a poet. Hardy wrote fiction only when his verse was rejected by publishers many times. When he wrote the novel of Tess of d’Urbervilles, his age was more than fifty years old and he was an expert in storytelling skill. The novel of Tess of the d’Urbervilles was his twelfth novel. He published two more novel, they are Jude the Obscure and The Well-Beloved, before left fiction at all. Then Thomas Hardy committed himself to the verse. In this Thomas Hardy’s second career, he rose. Hardy got a new prestige and created a thousand poems before he died in 1928.

        In author’s explanatory note to the first edition, Hardy said that with sincerity of purpose, this novel was sending by Hardy. Hardy tried to deliver artistic form in the exact sequence of things. There he stated that all judgment and feeling of the novel, he would ask to the reader, then to remember a well-worn sentence of St Jerome’s: If offence come out of the truth, better is it that the offence come than that the truth be concealed.

        Romance and tragedy are the genres of this novel. Romance was shown by the story between Tess and Angel, by showing about how much Tess as a wife wanted to obey Angel as her husband. Then the tragedy that happened to Tess about her tragic life and unbelievable ending of Tess’ life. Then the end plot that there is a murder. With the setting of villages made it more merged with the nature. Hardy wrote this through third person omniscient that made it more readable for the reader. Although sometimes, readers need to read it twice or more. Thomas Hardy also used the poet language and diction. It made beautiful, or although sometime, this made the reader hard to understand.

        The novel has 7 phase with chapters in each phase. The novel has phase for the division, then there are divisions to be chapter in each phase. This makes novel does not look simple. There are too many division in this novel. The novel also has many critics because of the content, due to that will be many teenagers read the novel. Through the novel, Hardy portrayed how a woman in lower class, Tess was treated so badly by man in upper class, Alec. So, the novel was shown a patriarchy at that time.

        This novel was told about a poor pretty pure girl named Tess who was delivered by their poor family into the ancient and knightly family of the d’Urbervilles. They hoped that Tess would got glory and a noble husband, then she could rise their family social status. They also hoped Tess can repair their financial condition, so they could go out of their poverty. But in her way, Tess found many tragedy and problems from rape, pregnant until murder. Tess was a victim of man raped. So, she got pregnant after that. After a long time she never showed herself out, she went out with holding a baby on her arm. Until the death of her baby named Sorrow. She was depressed and gloomy. But then after realizing herself, that a life must go on and she finally got her spirit back. She started a new life and forgot her past. The conflict came between Tess and the antagonist one, also the society around her made Tess became a character who was patient and tough of her way to face her problems even until her end of life. This that Hardy did to portrayed a strong and patient character of Tess Durbeyfield.

        This novel is recommended to read. It is a heart breaking novel that ever existed. Tragedies that happen in the novel is unbelievable enough. Or it can be said that it is surprise. There are many plot twist inside the novel. Even there are too many division of its phases and chapters, it still can be enjoyed by the readers. “Fate cannot be changed” could be implied from the novel of Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles. Overall, it can be rated for 7/10.