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TessoftheD’UrbervillesThenovelTessoftheD’Urbervilles,writtenbyThomasHardy,isafamousEnglishworkdemonstratingthedeepestsenseofmoralsympathyforEngland’slowerclasses,particularlyforruralwomen.Tessborninapoorpeddler’sfamily,astheeldestdaughter,isinnocentandgorgeousgirl,aswellaslackofexperienceoflife.ThepreludeofhertragiclifeisthedeathofPrince,theonlymeansofherfamilyincome,inanaccident.ThefuseofhernightmarelifeisthatJohnDurbeyfield,herfather,isstunnedtolearnthatheisthedescentofanancientnoblefamily,theD’Urbervilles（Inreality,Mrs.d’UrbervilleisnorelationtoTessatall）.SinceTessblamesherselfforthedeathofPrince,shehasnochoicebuttoacceptthedecisionmadebyherparents,toworkintheD’Urbervilles.Alec,thesonofSimonStokes,handsomebutamoral,ismanipulative,sinisteryoungmanwhodoeseverythingtoseducetheinexperiencedTess.Whenhefinallyhashiswaywithher,outinthewoods,hesubsequentlytriestohelpherbutisunabletomakeherlovehim.TessispregnantandgivesbirthtoSorrow,conceivedwithAlec,undertherumorsallaround.Unfortunately,Sorrowdiessoon.Sheweepsbutcollectsherselfandmovesonasastrongwoman.Tessleaveshomeandgoestoworkasadairymaidatadistantfarm,whereshemeetsAngelClaireandtheyfallinlovewitheachother.Thencomestheweddingnight,toohonesttokeepanysecret,TessadmitsaboutAlecandSorrow.Shebegsforforgiveness,butAngelleavesherindisgust.Tessagainreturnshomealone,onlyfindsthatherfamilyremainsimpoverishedandevenhasnoplacetostay.Inthemeantime,Alecappearsagain.HetakesadvantageoftheDurbeyfields’povertyandcontinuestotemptTess.Hepromisestosupportherfamily,onlyasameanstomakeTessdependent.Attheendofhope,shejumpsintothetrapoftheshamelessman.Atthistime,Angelremorsefulforhismercilessness,comesbackfromBrazil,buttofindthecruelreality.AndhisarrivalmakesTessevenmoredesperate.AfterAngelleaves,shestabsAlecintheheartandkillshim.ThenshefollowsAngelandescapewithhim.TheymanagetohideforawhileinawoodbeforetheycometoStonehenge,wheresheisarrestedandsenttojail.TheblackflagraisedovertheprisonisthesignalTess’sexecution.Whyanicewomancannotendupwithaniceman.?Isitjustlikethesayingthatbeautifulwomensufferunhappyfates?What’sthecharacterofTess?WhatpushesTessintothenightmare?What’sthedeepmeaningofTessintheaspectoffeminity?Ontheonehand,Tessisavictim,butsheisalso,attimes,irresponsiblefromsomeaspects.Ifshedoesn’tfallasleepwhiletakingthebeehivestomarket,whichendsupkillingthefamilyhorse,Prince,maybethenshedoeshavetoworkintheD’Urbervilles.ThenightmaremaynothappenifshecanbemorecarefulandresponsibletoherPrince.However,Tess’scharacterisparadoxical,becauseontheotherhand,itisthestrongresponsibleheartthatmakehertosacrificeherselftohelpherfamily.Unfortunately,shewantstomakegood,butintryingtohelpherfamilyshelosessightofherownsafetyandherownwantsandwishes.ShebecomesAlec’svictimintheforest.Shemayshouldhaveknownnottoputherselfinsuchasituation,butshehasfewotheroptions.Therefore,itseemsasthoughsheisdestinedtorelyonothers,evenwhensheknowstheyaredangerousandunreliable.Itisherparentsgreedinessandlazinessthatpushhertotheedgeofthetrap;ItisAlec’slustandamoralitythatdestroysherwholelife;ItisAngel’smercilessandunforgivenessthatdriveherintodespair;ItisthesexualhypocrisyofEnglishsocietyinVictorianAgesthatmakesherintothedeath.Withallkindsofdetrimentalcauses,itseemsthatTessisdoomedtosufferthetragedy.However,thedeathofTesscanreflectawomantakesanactivestepsagainstaman.Theacceptedpatternofsubmissivewomenbowingtodominantmenisinterrupted,andTess’sactseemsheroic.TurnthepointtoChina,therearesomesimilarities.Intheoldandtraditionalculture,womenhavenotmanyauthorities.What’sworse,womenevencannotbeconsideredasoneofmembersinthefamily,since,soonerorlater,thewomenwillmarryothermanandleavehomewithoutdoinganycontributiontofamily.Toliveinthissocietywithproudandrespect,girlsshouldbehardworking,faithful,loyal,intelligent.Timeschangealot,itisdifferentfromtheageofTess.Withabundantresource,girlsshouldbecherisheverychancetoimprovewholequalityandlivingskills,What’smore,holdingastrongheartthatgirlsalsocanbebrilliantanddocontributiontofamilyandsociety.Meanwhile,facethedifficulties,girlsshouldtrytoasktheoldforadvice,whichcanavoidmanydangers.TakeTessasexample,andneverrepeatthetragedyagain,never.Lifeisfullofdifficultiesandchallenges,andwecannotpredictwhatwillbewaitingforus,nightmareorhappiness,whilewecanfaceitwithastrongandoptimisticattitude.Rememberforeverthatit’sourattitude,notaptitudethatdeterminesouraltitude.