Explore the Methods Used by Thomas Hardy to Present and Develop the Central Character of Tess in maiden and maiden No More.
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Thomas Hardy uses a variety of techniques to develop Tess character from the beginning of the book, when she is virginal, optimistic and sexually innocent; to after her rape/seduction in the second phase, when she becomes sullen and emotionally cut off. Certain aspects of her character remain the same throughout the first two phases, such as her strong moral conscience and integrity, and the reader is able to see her develop from a mere vessel of emotion untinctured by experience to a fallen woman
The first notable way Hardy develops Tess character is through descriptions of her interactions with others. When Alec first propositions her she is made uncomfortable by his behaviour, parting her lips in slight distress as he feeds her strawberries. On her journey to The Slopes, she cries when she is manipulated into kissing Alec in order for him to slow down. She tries to compromise with him desperately, asking him will nothing else do?. This is a far cry from the Tess the reader encounters at the beginning of Maiden No More, who has no fear of Alec, and sits like a puppet as they drive. When Alec request to kiss her this time, she no longer objects and acts passively, almost unconscious of his kiss. This shows the reader that Tess has become desensitized to things she previously found upsetting, portraying her as being broken and having little care for her own wellbeing. This evokes sympathy, as the reader knows that Tess isnt at fault, but is still paying the price. Hardys descriptions of Tess appearance also tell the reader much about the development of her character. She is described as having large innocent eyes and having phases of her childhood in her aspect. The reader is constantly reminded of her youth and beauty, later referred to as her undoing. She is constantly linked with the colour white, connoting purity and etherealism. In Phase II Tess takes on a marble hardness, her appearance becoming stern and listless. The contrast of her radiance and innocence with her later state of almost permanent sorrow show the reader how the actions of Alec have deeply affected and damaged her; this causes the reader to resent him for essentially spoiling her. Hardy also uses colour when he foreshadows her seduction/rape, including the colour red in various different aspects of her appearance, such as her lips or the ribbon in her hair. Her physical beauty never falters, and in fact later on in the novel Hardy speaks about how her damaged mentality makes her more attractive. This would have been true of the Victorian Era, when a damsel in distress would have been seen as the ideal woman. Many of Tess actions are mournful and sullen, such as trudging or stopping in a mechanical way. Again, these are a way of showing her deep-rooted shame at the