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3.48k reviews for:
Tessa d'Urberville: Historia kobiety czystej
Róża Czekańska-Heymanowa, Thomas Hardy
3.68 AVERAGE
3.48k reviews for:
Tessa d'Urberville: Historia kobiety czystej
Róża Czekańska-Heymanowa, Thomas Hardy
3.68 AVERAGE
dark
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When I put this book on my "To-Read" list, I really had no idea what it was about, all I knew was that it is a classic and millions of people have read it. WHAT IN THE HECK IS THE WORLD THINKING? This is the worst story: horrible, depressing, and degrading. No amount of good writing can compensate for that!
**>Story Spoiler Alert<** Tess is poor, she works hard to try to provide for her family, she gets raped, she gets pregnant, she gets shunned, her baby dies, she feels like it is all her fault and that she is a sinner, she finally meets the love of her life, they get married, she tells him what happened to her, he leaves her for being an immoral woman, she has to resort to being her rapist's mistress to provide for her drunken father and the rest of her immediate family, she has finally had enough and kills the man who ruined her life to begin with, she is arrested and put in jail for the rest of her life.
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND CAN LIKE THIS BOOK? If you do like it, and you and I meet one day, we will have to have a LENGTHY discussion about what is wrong with you.
**>Story Spoiler Alert<** Tess is poor, she works hard to try to provide for her family, she gets raped, she gets pregnant, she gets shunned, her baby dies, she feels like it is all her fault and that she is a sinner, she finally meets the love of her life, they get married, she tells him what happened to her, he leaves her for being an immoral woman, she has to resort to being her rapist's mistress to provide for her drunken father and the rest of her immediate family, she has finally had enough and kills the man who ruined her life to begin with, she is arrested and put in jail for the rest of her life.
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND CAN LIKE THIS BOOK? If you do like it, and you and I meet one day, we will have to have a LENGTHY discussion about what is wrong with you.
When 2 GR groups I am a member of are reading [b:Tess of the D'Urbervilles|6201975|Tess of the D'Urbervilles |Thomas Hardy|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328304449s/6201975.jpg|3331021] at the same time, that had to be a sign that I needed to read it too.
[a:Thomas Hardy|15905|Thomas Hardy|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1429946281p2/15905.jpg], did such a wonderful job with the descriptions and settings in this novel. I felt like I was walking beside the protagonist, Tess, through the whole story. Sometimes, florid writing gets in the way of the plot, but I loved the descriptions and the beautiful words Hardy used in this novel. One minor complaint I have is the heavy-handed Scripture references and the footnotes which made the flow of the plot sometimes difficult to follow. However, with that said, Hardy used those Scripture references to set the tone of Tess’s society and the reasoning behind his characters’ actions, so I can’t fault him too much for that.
[b:Tess of the D'Urbervilles|6201975|Tess of the D'Urbervilles |Thomas Hardy|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328304449s/6201975.jpg|3331021] main theme is the demise of past generations which has led to the trials and tribulations of the current generation. The overarching story here is Tess singlehandedly trying to better herself and her family by claiming the old d’Urbervilles name. It turns out that what her family wishes for isn’t at all what it’s cracked up to be.
One of my favorite literary techniques is foreshadowing, and this novel has it throughout. Every page, and every chapter, I was waiting for that other shoe to drop. Right when things would be going good for Tess, WHAM something would come along to stop in its tracks. Hardy threw in some dark images foreshadowing bad things that would eventually come to Tess, and I loved the roller coaster ride of emotions as a reader.
The double standard that Tess was subjected to showed the faults of the society in Hardy’s day perfectly. This book is a “classic”, primarily because of this. Double standards are indeed a societal factor today.
At the beginning of the novel, I thought Tess was too passive, but she changed by the end of the novel and took matters into her own hands. The most heartbreaking part of the story for me was when she went back to her parents farm in Marlott and worked the farm only to have it all taken away. Sometimes, I thought Hardy was too hard on Tess!
[b:Tess of the D'Urbervilles|6201975|Tess of the D'Urbervilles |Thomas Hardy|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328304449s/6201975.jpg|3331021] is a very entertaining novel, and I highly recommend it!
[a:Thomas Hardy|15905|Thomas Hardy|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1429946281p2/15905.jpg], did such a wonderful job with the descriptions and settings in this novel. I felt like I was walking beside the protagonist, Tess, through the whole story. Sometimes, florid writing gets in the way of the plot, but I loved the descriptions and the beautiful words Hardy used in this novel. One minor complaint I have is the heavy-handed Scripture references and the footnotes which made the flow of the plot sometimes difficult to follow. However, with that said, Hardy used those Scripture references to set the tone of Tess’s society and the reasoning behind his characters’ actions, so I can’t fault him too much for that.
[b:Tess of the D'Urbervilles|6201975|Tess of the D'Urbervilles |Thomas Hardy|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328304449s/6201975.jpg|3331021] main theme is the demise of past generations which has led to the trials and tribulations of the current generation. The overarching story here is Tess singlehandedly trying to better herself and her family by claiming the old d’Urbervilles name. It turns out that what her family wishes for isn’t at all what it’s cracked up to be.
One of my favorite literary techniques is foreshadowing, and this novel has it throughout. Every page, and every chapter, I was waiting for that other shoe to drop. Right when things would be going good for Tess, WHAM something would come along to stop in its tracks. Hardy threw in some dark images foreshadowing bad things that would eventually come to Tess, and I loved the roller coaster ride of emotions as a reader.
The double standard that Tess was subjected to showed the faults of the society in Hardy’s day perfectly. This book is a “classic”, primarily because of this. Double standards are indeed a societal factor today.
At the beginning of the novel, I thought Tess was too passive, but she changed by the end of the novel and took matters into her own hands. The most heartbreaking part of the story for me was when she went back to her parents farm in Marlott and worked the farm only to have it all taken away. Sometimes, I thought Hardy was too hard on Tess!
[b:Tess of the D'Urbervilles|6201975|Tess of the D'Urbervilles |Thomas Hardy|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328304449s/6201975.jpg|3331021] is a very entertaining novel, and I highly recommend it!
challenging
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Hardy is far from subtle in his depiction of Tess as a pure, beautiful woman. The book might be more interesting if it allowed her to be a flawed person, while still undeserving of her tragic fate. That said, there's no doubt that this book has left an outsized impact on my life. I must've been 11 or so when I stumbled on a simplified version that my mom was using to learn English, and boy, I was almost definitely too young for it then. Such heavy subject matter that cast a shadow on my mind. I was 16-17 when I read the original text for myself, and what struck me then was how mercilessly Hardy steers Tess's fate, at every possible turn, in spite of her attempts to survive. The story is a blistering critique of Victorian sexual mores, which create this impossible situation for Tess after one man's unforgivably selfish, violent action. We still live in the shadow of those Victorian attitudes, which, as a woman, is horrific to think about. I feel like I'm always bringing up this book in literature classes, and that's just a testament to how much it's haunted me through the years.
Spoiler
How I used to think Angel and Tess's relationship was romantic!
Riveting tale of life in 19th century England featuring a young girl, whose misfortunes are heartbreaking. The author goes to great lengths to keep us enthralled as the story unfolds with all its twists and turns. Hardy tells of the double standards of the time and the utter unfairness of life for the vulnerable working class and especially women. A must read for those who like historical dramas.
I did not like Far from the Madding Crowd.
And I read this after reading Far from the Madding Crowd, so I was a little apprehensive, I thought maybe I just wont like any of Thomas Hardy's books.
But then I read Tess... ahhh Tess. Nothing will infuriate you more than Tess.
This book is a hard reminder of the unfairness women have had to endure.
This may contain some ranting spoilers.
It starts with Tess's drunk father - the first man to fail her.
Unable to make the journey to the market (drunk) Tess must go on alone. She falls asleep and gets into an accident. This forces her into the radar of Alec d'Ubervilles, someone she can trust because he is her "kin" right? Nope and nope.
At this point Hardy will dance around the fact that Alec assaults Tess. Her parents almost rejoice, because surely this means he wants to marry her right? (nope)
Tess births and buries her child and runs from her past to a milk farm, where she meets for the second (first) time Angel Clare.
Angel and Tess fall in love, ashamed of her past she pushes Angel away.
NOW- in today's day and age, a woman knows that she has nothing to be ashamed of if a man takes advantage of her. BUT in Hardy's day, Tess is helpless and burdened that Angel will learn the truth of her past with Alec.
Angel convincing Tess that he will love her no matter what, marries her and urges her to open up to him, and she does... aaaaand he leaves.
How DARE she. Angel has morals, he could never take up with a woman like Tess... to prove this, he propositions another woman.
‘I have separated from my wife for personal, not voyaging, reasons. I may never live with her again. I may not be able to love you; but—will you go with me instead of her?’
‘You truly wish me to go?’
‘I do. I have been badly used enough to wish for relief. And you at least love me disinterestedly.’
‘Yes—I will go,’ said Izz, after a pause.
‘You will? You know what it means, Izz?’
‘It means that I shall live with you for the time you are over there—that’s good enough for me.’
Its only after she reveals to Alec how much Tess loves him that he decides to go to Brazil alone.
Tess, wanting to reach out to Angels family travels to Emminster, where she hears her brother in law talking about Angels "unfortunate" marriage. Ashamed she runs away, right into Alec... who found Jesus.
Innocent Alec makes "witch of Babylon" Tess promise that she wont tempt him ever again. But soon decides that Jesus isn't for him and starts stalking Tess.
After the death of her father and the destitution of her family, Tess, for the betterment of those she loves, agrees to be Alec's mistress. Convinced that Angel will never return.
But then he does, and surprise he wants Tess back.
...
I wont completely ruin the book, so I will end it there.
Hardy's depiction of women and morals is a tough pill to swallow, but unfortunately that's how it was. Men were faultless and women bore the brunt of societies hypocrisy. A man and woman could be guilty of the same thing, but only one was truly guilty.
And I read this after reading Far from the Madding Crowd, so I was a little apprehensive, I thought maybe I just wont like any of Thomas Hardy's books.
But then I read Tess... ahhh Tess. Nothing will infuriate you more than Tess.
This book is a hard reminder of the unfairness women have had to endure.
This may contain some ranting spoilers.
It starts with Tess's drunk father - the first man to fail her.
Unable to make the journey to the market (drunk) Tess must go on alone. She falls asleep and gets into an accident. This forces her into the radar of Alec d'Ubervilles, someone she can trust because he is her "kin" right? Nope and nope.
At this point Hardy will dance around the fact that Alec assaults Tess. Her parents almost rejoice, because surely this means he wants to marry her right? (nope)
Tess births and buries her child and runs from her past to a milk farm, where she meets for the second (first) time Angel Clare.
Angel and Tess fall in love, ashamed of her past she pushes Angel away.
NOW- in today's day and age, a woman knows that she has nothing to be ashamed of if a man takes advantage of her. BUT in Hardy's day, Tess is helpless and burdened that Angel will learn the truth of her past with Alec.
Angel convincing Tess that he will love her no matter what, marries her and urges her to open up to him, and she does... aaaaand he leaves.
How DARE she. Angel has morals, he could never take up with a woman like Tess... to prove this, he propositions another woman.
‘I have separated from my wife for personal, not voyaging, reasons. I may never live with her again. I may not be able to love you; but—will you go with me instead of her?’
‘You truly wish me to go?’
‘I do. I have been badly used enough to wish for relief. And you at least love me disinterestedly.’
‘Yes—I will go,’ said Izz, after a pause.
‘You will? You know what it means, Izz?’
‘It means that I shall live with you for the time you are over there—that’s good enough for me.’
Its only after she reveals to Alec how much Tess loves him that he decides to go to Brazil alone.
Tess, wanting to reach out to Angels family travels to Emminster, where she hears her brother in law talking about Angels "unfortunate" marriage. Ashamed she runs away, right into Alec... who found Jesus.
Innocent Alec makes "witch of Babylon" Tess promise that she wont tempt him ever again. But soon decides that Jesus isn't for him and starts stalking Tess.
After the death of her father and the destitution of her family, Tess, for the betterment of those she loves, agrees to be Alec's mistress. Convinced that Angel will never return.
But then he does, and surprise he wants Tess back.
...
I wont completely ruin the book, so I will end it there.
Hardy's depiction of women and morals is a tough pill to swallow, but unfortunately that's how it was. Men were faultless and women bore the brunt of societies hypocrisy. A man and woman could be guilty of the same thing, but only one was truly guilty.