Talk:Tess of the d'Urbervilles

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Template:Novelinfoboxneeded User:81.131.134.16, unable to use capital letters, created a duplicate article Tess of the d'urbervilles(see below), which is now a redirect. Someone might want to merge text from here. <KF> 13:59, Apr 4, 2005 (UTC)

Summary of the book- The father of the Durbeyfield family is wandering home when he is told that he is the ancient line of the d'Urbervilles, a once powerful family. Knowing this, he returns home happy and relays the news to his family. Although being from a once great family, his current family is in need and decides to seek help from some "relatives". The relatives go by the name "d'Urberville" (which was bought not inherited, the Durbeyfields do not know this) and the father of the Durbeyfield family decides that Tess should go and claim kin. When Tess goes to claim kin Alec d'Urberville takes a fancy to her and offers her the job as a worker of the family's fowl farm. After a short while of Tess working there Alec rapes Tess. She leaves for home in a bad mood. Gives birth, and works with the other girls in the fields. She calls the baby Sorrow. The baby dies and the parson does not give it a Christian burial. Tess ends up working at Talbothays working as a dairy maid. She meets Angel Clare, who she then marries. They split up because Tess tells Angel about the rape and pregnancy. Angel moves to South America. Tess returns home to find out that Alec still loves her. Alec asks for her hand in marriage and Tess refuses but is so desperate that agrees to go and live with him. Angel returns and Tess murders Alec to be with Angel. Tess is charged with the murder and hanged. Angel marries Tess' younger sister as it was Tess' last wish.

Author- Thomas Hardy

Genre- Fallen women

Title - Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Issues- Many people believed that the novel was too licentious and highly criticised the book. Many also believe that Tess was not raped.

Themes- Fatalism, Double Standard, Rape

Was she raped?

Should she have been abandoned?

Were Alec and Angel really that different?

Does the book prove a point about Victorian social law?

What is the symbolism?

Is the book licentious?