Tess Of The d'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy

Also known as 'Tess Of The d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented' or 'Tess Of The d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman', Thomas Hardy's ninth and most well known novel is certainly not everyone's cup of tea. 'Tess' was published first in 1891, at the end of an extremely conservative century when censorship was rife. Thomas Hardy was first and foremost a poet. It was never going to be a fast moving book. In my opinion, the real beauty of classic English literature is that there is absolutely no sense of instant gratification. In order to appreciate it properly, you have to understand and love the aesthetic side of literature. 

Hardy's use of language is both beautifully poetic and subtle. There are pages and pages of pure description of landscapes and menial farming tasks and yet, unlike other novels I could mention..*ahem* Moby Dick..., I never once found reading 'Tess' tedious. The novel relates the tragic story of a virtuous and simple farm girl, Tess Durbeyfield. Tess' troubles begin when her idle and flippant father discovers that he is a descendant of the ancient fallen family of d'Urberville. This discovery forces Tess to enter into a society she is still too innocent for, resulting in gross ill-use and ultimate tragedy. 

Personally, though I understood how dreadful the situations Tess was plunged into were, I thought she was rather irritating as a character. My God, if I have any criticisms of classic English literature, it would have to be the roles of female characters. Well, at least the roles of female characters in novels written by male authors. Dear Lord, they're so whiny and dependant! Different times, I suppose. I was much more fond of Tess' lover, Angel Clare. He seemed ahead of his time, if slightly hypocritical and dramatic. 

I enjoyed 'Tess' because I love the style of British Victorian literature, and because of my interest and understanding of the era, I know the barriers Hardy pushed in publishing such a 'racy' and 'scandalous' novel. If you have no such interests, you won't enjoy it. Simple as.