Essay Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Hardy

Because of her outspoken personality, Tessie Hutchinson defies prescribed gender roles in her town and speaks against The Lottery, which inadvertently leads to her death. Tessie’s spirit enables her to fight until her very end: “‘It isn't fair, it isn't right,’” (Jackson). Tessie Hutchinson stood out throughout the story for her uncanny ability to speak confidently and argue when other women were more traditional and spoke quietly amongst themselves. The ironic ending of the story implies that Tessie may have been chosen because she threatened the status quo. Tessie was both gender inappropriate and socially inappropriate which alludes to the fact that when someone crosses gender barriers or barriers of any kind, they may be punished

Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'urbervilles In Thomas Hardy's novel, "Tess of the D'urbervilles" the settings and surroundings of Talbothays Dairy and Flint Comb - Ash represent both the good and evil in Tess's life. Throughout the novel Tess is faced with absolute happiness and also total misery. As she moves from location to location the setting of these different places reflect her different emotions. Hardy also uses nature to help the reader identify with Tess's feelings.

AlecÕs first words to Tess , ÒWell, my Beauty, what can I do for you?Ó

Deborah’s marriage story and Lily’s grief are a tool to enhance the reader’s sympathy towards Deborah. On page 358, August declares: “Deborah was pregnant, that’s why (Deborah married Terrence).” August makes Lily think it is her fault Deborah married Terrence. If it were not for Lily,

August explains to Lily about the built in protection that’s around our hearts to heal the pain we go through. But May does not have that built in protection, instead she goes through everyone else's pain as if she is experiencing it herself. Later Lily ponders if May goes through her pain which is hatred, abuse, and betrayal from her father. It’s visible that Lily is unfamiliar of the type of person May is, and really grieves about her when she says, “I turned my pillow over and over for the coolness, thinking about May and her wall and what the word had come to that a person needed something like that. It gave me the willies to think what might be stuffed in among those rocks. The wall brought to my mind the bleeding slabs of meat Rosaleen used to cook, the gashed she made up and down them, stuffing them with pieces of wild, bitter garlic” (Kidd 98). At this point Lily just realizes the agony May is going through. And just deeply wonders and reflects what is written on those strips of papers hidden in the dark cracks. Lily then starts to conclude the injustice happening in the world, and the torture others are suffering. As chapters pass Lily feels she

The second August sees Lily, she knows that she is the daughter of Deborah Owens, who August used to raise and work in her home as a child. Lily opens up to August, and tells her the story of how she accidently killed her mother. Lily goes on to explain why she is unlovable but August reassures her that her mother’s death is a “terrible thing…to live with. But [she is] not unlovable. Even if [she] did accidently kill her, [she is] still the most dear, most lovable girl”(242) that August knows. August understands Lily is going through a lot with the death of her mother, and from running away from home. August makes sure that Lily knows she is not unlovable because in fact everyone around her loves her. More support from August comes when Lily and August have a conversation about Lily’s mom. Lily is very upset with how the conversation went so “August was giving [Lily] time for now, time to be by the river and [to] do what [she] had to do”(279). August understands Lily needs time and space to grieve, just like she did when May passed away. She gives Lily the time and space because she knows what she is going through, with all the emotions and feeling of blame. The final act of

Deborah’s marriage story and Lily’s grief for her mother’s absence evokes sympathy of Deborah on the reader. On page 358, August declares: “Deborah was pregnant, that’s why (Deborah married Terrence).” This revelation creates guiltiness in Lily. On page 359, Lily says: “My mother had gotten stuck with T. Ray because of me.” Moreover, Lily blames herself for her mother’s marriage, making Deborah the

Jack illustrates the purpose of deception by using Earnest to escape his role of Cecily’s warden. When Algernon finds Jack’s cigarette case, he is shocked to find the name Jack graven inside. Jack attempts to explain by saying, “[M]y name is Ernest in town and Jack in the country” (Wilde Act I). As Jack, he has to be a responsible adult and take care of his niece Cecily but as Ernest he is able to live the wild life of a young bachelor. By pretending to be Ernest in town, Jack is freed from the restrictions of being a caretaker, yet he still fulfills the duties of one as he resides in the country. While explaining why he has two identities to Algernon, Jack states that being a guardian does not “conduce very much to either one’s health or one’s happiness” (Wilde Act I). Jack has to take care of Cecily, be responsible for her, and set rules and guidelines for her to follow. In his role of guardian, he finds himself unable to have fun, so he creates an irresponsible, carefree

Both her community and Angel strongly criticize Tess for her rape, which was not her sin but Alec's. She is seen as someone to be criticized and cast aside because of a terrible thing was done to her, rather than something she did herself. Her final execution draws attention to the feeling that (community of people/all good people in the world), situation/event, and some external force, whether Thomas Tough and strong or a god, have been working against her the whole time as the narrator, he also manages to appear as her only advocate against an unjust world. Tess's hardships are described as mere sport for the “President of the Immortals,” which contrasts with the Christian idea of a God who has a benevolent plan for everyone, and connects with the notes of paganism throughout the novel. Hardy points out and emphasizes the multiple unhappy coincidences that take place, like Tess overhearing Angel's brothers instead of meeting his father. The story keeps asking the age-old question “why do bad things happen to good people?” Hardy even muses over the possibility that Tess's sufferings are a punishment for her ancestors' crimes, or else that some murderous strain is in her blood, foreshadowed by the d'Urberville coach.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is the tale of a mythical beast which is said to haunt the Baskerville family. The story centers around Dr. Watson, who is sent out by Sherlock Holmes to the Baskerville manor to uncover clues. Throughout the story, Arthur Conan Doyle depicts the dominant male figure of the 18th century, in which evil and wicked men were able to manipulate women. They were often used as tools to assist in their evil ploys or for sex, and were treated poorly and unequally.

Litz, A. Walton. "Into the Nineteenth Century: Pride and Prejudice." Interpretations of Pride and Prejudice. Ed. Rubinstein. E. Englewood Cliffs: Pr

Her problems start with her “cousin” Alec, who after seeing Tess’s beauty, tries to cohort her having sex, which she refuses. After she continued resistance for three months, Alec claims that she has “trifled with [his] feelings, eluded [him], and snubbed [him]” (Hardy 1891, p. 102) in regards to his advances. In the story, however, Tess has never accepted his advances, she has continued to tell him, no, but she always ends up apologising or it (which he gets angry from). Alec believes that she owes him something and Tess, in turn, feels bad for not accepting this because it makes him feel “hurt.” It is this set by society that the woman is meant to succumb to a man. Even when she marries when Tess tells her husband Angel that she had relations (though it is her being raped by Alec) in response to Angel telling her about his relations. She felt relieved saying to him, “now YOU can forgive ME!” (p. 331), which he denies her; Angel does not forgive her as she has forgiven him. She is held to a double standard because she is a woman. The males in her life dictate who she is and where her story goes; the men are free, but Tess is held in place. They are dominating in her society, a masculine trait, and one that leads to Tess killing

Jack’s creation of a fictional brother Ernest gives audience an impression that he is a hypocritical person who ignores the consequences of being dishonest. Only when his desire to marry Gwendolen is threatened does he learn that he cannot escape from responsibility or “come up to town as often as [he] like[s]” (Act 1, p.8). Suffering from the dilemma, his hidden sincerity and kindness are discovered. This makes him become a rounder character. As a consequence, the rest of the plot will be affected and advanced by his unique traits and

In his novel, Les Miserables, Victor Hugo identifies the principle social evils of French society through the actions and qualities of his characters. By depicting each of his characters’ struggles through destitute and oppressed measures, Hugo is able to identify the social errors of 19th century France. The fact that characters such as Valjean, Javert, Fantine, and Cosette, attempt to rise above poverty and redeem themselves indicate that such inequalities did, and still do, exist to this day. Through the use of feminist ideals and the criminal injustice system, Hugo attacks the principle social evils that each of his characters face in Les Miserables.

     As well as an incapacity to act, Gabriel demonstrates a fragile ego by constant internal examination after every interaction at the party.  His first encounter is with the hostesses¹ maid, Lily.  When he questions her as to whether she is going to get married anytime soon, Lily becomes angry at this intrusion into her life.  Gabriel reveals this encounter "cast a gloom over him which he tried to dispel by arranging his cuffs and the bows of his tie" (Joyce 2348).  Instead of wondering why she is upset by the comment, he views the situation from only his point of view.  He wonders what he did to upset her, whether he used the