Preview

Hardy's Use of Setting in First Four Phases of Tess Essay Example

Powerful Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1415 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Hardy's Use of Setting in First Four Phases of Tess Essay Example
How Does Hardy Use Setting in the First Four Phases of Tess of the D’Urbervilles?
The setting can completely alter a novel. Ordinarily the careful handling of the setting will not only add a degree of verisimilitude to the novel, but also enforce the mood and echo a shift in sensibility. For instance, Charles Dickens made no mistake in his setting of ‘The Mystery of Edwin Drood’ in a foggy, seaside village. However, some authors go further and use the setting to underline the current conditions of their characters. This is a technique utilized by Thomas Hardy, in ‘Tess of the D’Urbervilles’. Hardy uses locations for specific parts of his novel that accentuate Tess’ state due to the situations forced upon her. It is therefore essential that the settings of the novel are appreciated in order for the characters of the novel to be truly understood.
In the first phase, Hardy not only uncovers Tess’ homeland of ‘Marlott’ in his descriptions of the setting, but also uncovers Tess’ true nature through the use of a metaphor. ‘Marlott’ is “for the most part untrodden as yet by tourists... though within a four hours’ journey from London”, just as Tess is on the cuspe of womanhood with “phases of her (innocent and vulnerable) childhood (lurking amongst)... all her bouncing womanliness.” This makes a connection between the idea of a child’s naivety being like an unspoilt countryside, whilst a development of sexuality is like a corrupted and polluted, urban city. Furthermore, this demonstrates Hardy’s detestation of urbanisation due to the corruption he believes it to breed in people and may even be considered an omen of the educated and urbanized man, Alec, who will go on to take Tess’ virginity, which was considered in the Victorian era to be the essence of her innocence. The metaphor continues: “ best...viewing...(is)from the summits of the hills...except... during the droughts of summer (or) in bad weather (as it) is apt to engender dissatisfaction” just as a journey

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Many authors use the setting of their story or tale to accentuate the meaning of the work. Cynthia Ozick uses a different type of setting than is typical described by an author. Ozick in instead refuses to give us exact locations as to where the barracks are, how big is the area the electric fence encompasses.…

    • 56 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Another example that the setting contributes an enormous part to the story is where Bet lives. She lives in an upstairs apartment which is way too nice and pricey for Arnold and her. The setting sets a struggle for Bet because she has can not take care of Arnold and pay the bills of the house. Therefore her having to send Arnold away. Which implies that the meaning of the work is that we all have to do things we aren't fond of in our…

    • 490 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Every story, every novel and, in fact, every great literary work, shares one thing in common: a setting. These vivid compositions are exquisitely weaved around a place, time and social circumstance. The element of setting is used to create a specific atmosphere, and thus, helping to establish a desired mood. It provides valuable insight into the fundamental background of any storyline. In addition, the setting acts as a profound influence on plot progression and character development by compelling actions, internal and external conflicts, as well as the themes of a novel. Mary Lawson’s Crow Lake, a moving story of family, love and tragedy, is no exception. Lawson effectively develops the themes of isolation, familial bonds and educational ambitions through brilliant usage of the settings: Crow Lake, the ponds, and the university, respectively.…

    • 1107 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ethan Frome Got Some Dome

    • 378 Words
    • 2 Pages

    An author purposely chooses and includes various details about a story’s setting in order to create and enhance the story’s mood. The mood of a story can be deepened by a setting like…

    • 378 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Setting – How realistic/unrealistic it is, how well the reader can relate to it, how it’s described (detailed, vaguely), how much a reader might want to “go” there—figuratively speaking…

    • 570 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The author of Twelve Angry Men, Reginald Rose, did not choose the setting by accident. The surrounding setting in the novel had a lot of purpose, intention, and dedication to it. Setting in any novel plays an extremely important role in defining characters, plot, and themes. Every piece of setting in Twelve Angry Men plays an integral role. In Twelve Angry Men, the weather and the jury room play a defining role in the setting.…

    • 398 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    It can help set the mood, influence the way characters behave, affect the dialog, foreshadow events, invoke an emotional response, reflect the society in which the characters live, and sometimes even plays a part in the story. It can also be a critical element in nonfiction as the setting provides the framework for what is being discussed” (The Writing Place). In order for the setting to flourish in a story, it is crucial for the details to be precise and descriptive. On the flip side, having too much sensory details can ruin the story. Furthermore, giving a complete background of where the scene takes place could overwhelm the reader and turn them off to the rest of the book. By giving the story the pertinent amount of details, the reader is able to construct the setting and scene themselves, which keeps the story flowing forward instead of…

    • 1607 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Separate Peace Essay

    • 400 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Setting say many things, but it also reveals many things, told and untold. It will tell you who has been in it and around it by a mere footprint, but it will also tell you if somebody is destined to be nice or mean by its location. Gene and Finny are destined to be nice and charming because they live in the south, while somebody that is from the east may not be so fortunate. Setting reveals a lot about people and events also, like when Gene wrestled one of his friends into the creek, the winter setting told the readers the water was freezing, and that was the reason they got out so quickly. Sometimes a setting will contrast with what is happening creating an interesting situation, usually it complements the situation.…

    • 400 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    At times I felt bored by these first few chapters of the novel. There was nothing really keeping my eyes peeled to every page. One particular thing that I noticed was how the geography and social values are interrelated, where each setting corresponds to an idea or character type. For example, the valley of ashes represents poverty and moral decay. The world of East Egg reminds me of the Gilded Age, and how things may seem to have an alluring appearance but is covered with unattractive realities. For instance, Jordan Baker displays boredom, cynicism and dishonesty despite her wealth and…

    • 934 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Tess pays in many ways throughout the novel and often Tess’ misfortune is related to male superiority within the society. She is the embodiment of the tragic figure and when Hardy writes ‘President of Immortals’ saw the protagonists life as a ‘sport’ showing Tess’ life was always determined by an omnipresent force. The diction ‘sport’ reflects the fleeting interest that these Gods had with Tess, and that her struggle was merely a pastime. Moreover, the contrast in significance between “Gods” and “Tess” demonstrates her vulnerability. It is clear that Tess’s tragic journey was something she was ‘doomed to receive’; but the bildungsroman is written in such a way that the reader is left wondering whether the course of Tess’s life would have changed had she not been treated ‘so monstrously’ by the ‘cruel, cruel’ men she met along the way. Alec, the archetypal seducer in Victorian melodrama, after his violation of Tess’ virginity, doesn’t realise his sin. The fact he doesn’t realise his sin shows how Hardy presents the idea of sin of males to females and how they differ under this society. What’s more he blames Tess for tempting him with her beauty and she, as a consequence, is paying…

    • 1801 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    The major story line behind Tess of the d’Urbervilles is the tragic life of Tess. Because she accidentally kills Prince, the family Horse, she must help her family make money (TD 22-24). This leads to her meeting an Alec d’Urberville (TD 28) who ends up raping her and impregnating her (TD 58 and Phase 2). Because of this, later on in life when she meets the man of her dreams, she is viewed as being impure and ghastly (TD 181-183). Her life is miserable and she faces much self-loathing. Because of all of these misfortunes, Tess undergoes exposure to the psychology of guilt.…

    • 975 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Lord of the flies

    • 1004 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Setting is the physical environment in which action occurs. It is a common literary element of every story. However, when it is used eloquently, it can be seen as brilliant device that aids in the development of a story. In the novel Lord of the Flies, the author, William Golding, focuses on depicting his setting in great detail. Throughout the novel, he utilizes the setting to motivate character behavior, foreshadow events that will take place, and also to represent the values held by the characters.…

    • 1004 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Setting is one of the literary elements Faulkner used. The way he used the setting and time period in this story is important because it provides meaning behind the words…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Setting was a very important literary device which was used by John Knowles to effectively…

    • 1209 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Story of an Hour Q&A

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The setting in the room is very happy, joyful, bright and promising. The setting of the staircase and front door seem to be dark, dimmer places. This setting helps the author portray the independent joy Mrs. Mallard felt while also making readers know that she is still mourning the loss of her husband (even if she has already found joy in her new independence). It also represents what confines her as a housewife.…

    • 772 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays