Tess is a woman with whom any man could fall in love and any other woman could admire and empathise with. As a character, she embodies purity and virtue; her instinctive intelligence sets her apart, she is the rose among the thorns.
It is clear as an author, Hardy has become infactuated with his own creation, the recurring theme of vitality within Tess has become something he can not escape from. She is almost intrusively described, her mouth, her eyes encaptivate Hardy as he intensifies his Eve.
The issues in the book are timeless, love presides in our questioning of life and for the characters its place in their stories becomes increasingly important. Whether tainted by lust, past experiences or the engraved ideas of society; it forms a stimulant but also a downfall for each of the characters.
The title-’Tess, a pure woman’ caused scandal in its era of Victorian traditionalism. There is, however, no other way to describe this child of nature, with the imposing industrialisation on the agricultural, natural values; so Tess’s innocence is imposed upon by the products of the changing times- Alec. To be damaged does not lessen her sanctity, if anything after her rape or seduction, she becomes increasingly modest and reserved, pushed to even attacking her own beauty.
The moment at which Tess can no longer be called a child comes to her without warning. arguements are irresolvable as to whether Tess was ravished or seduced. The Victorian view of Tess as the seductress can be safely discared. on the other hand, as much as the reader wants Tess to have been completely opposed, Hardy leads a trail of ambiguity pointing to a slow but determined dissolution of her defence. This resulted in either concession for duty or for weariness. Nevertheless this can not be pinned against her conscience, she was abandoned in the midst of danger with no knowledge to protect her.
Even in the midst of depression, Tess presents a strength of mind and a determination, even though it may be towards an ill defined object, she battles circumstance.
The wake of struggle, cruel circumstance and misfortune ends with Tess being finally overcome, yet even in death she maintains dignity of body and soul. in her end at Stonehenge there is created a Pagan sacrificial scene in which Tess and Hardy return to her tie with nature and she is united with it.