The most famous novel, by describing the unfortunate experience and tragic ending of Tess, a peasant girl with a poor family and humble origins, reflects the huge social crisis hidden under the seemingly prosperous and powerful country in the Victorian era, profoundly lashes the dark and decadent capitalist system, and expresses the author's nostalgia for the natural and simple pastoral life and deep sympathy for the poor peasants and the proletariat. Tess's death is caused by many aspects, on the one hand, personal background and personality characteristics, on the other hand, class oppression and class exploitation, and religious morality under the leadership of capitalist system.
(1) Social and historical background:1In the late 9th century, Britain was in the transition period from an agricultural society to an industrial society, and a large number of farmers went bankrupt, which had a disastrous impact on their lives. A large number of farmers choose to work for big capitalists and farmers, which not only controls their economy, but also affects their fate. This social background caused Tess's fate.
(2) Religious and family environment: Tess is a kind and beautiful girl, independent and hardworking. She was born in a poor family and took care of her three sisters and two brothers like a mother. An accident ended her family's livelihood. In order to reduce the family burden, Tess agreed to the request of greedy father and vain mother, and took a rich woman who claimed to be a descendant of the D 'Urbervilles to visit relatives to get financial support. But there, Tess was lured into pregnancy by the old woman's son, and the illegitimate child died shortly after birth, which was the beginning of Tess's tragedy.
(3) Personality factor: Tess's innocence and purity are innate, which can be clearly seen from her kindness, selfless dedication to family and friends and loyalty to love. After a series of unfortunate experiences, Tess became a brave woman. She no longer silently endured, but rose up against the injustice of fate. Here, the author tries to despise and criticize the hypocrisy of religion and praise Tess's tenacity. Tess's tragic fate is mainly attributed to people's evil nature and hypocritical bourgeois social morality.
(4) Fate factor: Hardy is good at adding contingency factors to his works, which is also reflected in Tess of the D 'Urbervilles. Tess's suffering is caused by a series of mysterious and accidental factors, that is, fate factors. In other words, all Tess's experiences are caused by fate. Such examples abound in novels. Let's summarize them one by one.