Do you consider Tess as a pure woman ? Tess of D'Urbervilles /Thomas Hardy’s Tess Of The D’Urbervilles (A Pure Women) - Do You Agree with Hardy’s Subtitle, A Pure Women?

Clearly, Hardy believes that Tess is a pure woman. He says so in the subtitle to the work and he often refers to her as pure or innocent. So the author clearly sees Tess's purity

‘Tess Of The D’Urberville’ was written by Thomas Hardy in 1891. Tess is  the main character . The question is whether Tess is pure or not. 

The subject of purity caused a lot of controversy in the Victorian times. Victorian society would considered women purity as an important subject. Hardy also inculcated this topic in his popular novel and define purity through the character Tess and he also named this novel A PURE WOMAN.As the named suggest Tess as a pure woman and Hardy also thinks Tess as pure.

The dictionary definition of the word purity is that if someone is pure they are innocent, fresh, virtues, chaste and very trustworthy.

Though Society says that Tess is not pure because she is not a virgin. However, Hardy suggests that Tess is the only pure and good human being because of her virtue and innocence .Society sees only Tess's physical purity but not her sprite.She was being raped against her wishes.

           

Hardy himself fires it more whe he calls her a “maiden no more.” Some people may ask how Tess can be considered to be pure when Hardy himself declares it. We should keep in mind that Tess has lost her maidenhood under certain circumstances. This does mean the loss of her purity. In the physical sense, Tess is not a virgin. But her spirit and mind continues to be pure still. 

Tess is a pure woman. she goes to Trantridge when she is compelled by her mother. She does not like it. But she realists her responsibility and works as a farm keeper. Alec comes to take her from her home to Trantridge. He is attracted by her face and figure as soon as he sees her. He tries to push strawberries into her mouth. But Tress tries to resist him but in vain. On the way, Alec kisses her against her will. Tears come into her eyes as a reaction of it.Tess wipes with her hand on her cheek where he has kissed her. Alec kisses her again. So Tess become very angry with him. She becomes an employee in the d’Urberville household. Alec now keeps forcing himself upon her attention. Tess feels disgusted with his advances. Thus we see she is never pleased at the advances of Alec. So she is pure by nature and attitude.

Everything was happen to her against her will and because of bad fate.

Nature plays an important role in the seduction of Tess. Alec seduces her in the lap of nature. He rapes her literally. Tess fails to protect herself. Neither her mind nor her heart plays any role in it. Of course, she is no longer a virgin but her purity is intact. we find that she has passed a brief period in the D'Unbervilles household after her seduction. We find no news of her sexual contact with Alec after that night in the wood. But she always tried to avoid him after the incident. So there is no doubt that Tess is a pure woman spiritually.

After four months of her seduction, Tess return home. She gives birth a baby. This is only her sin. But he is not blamed for it. She was helpless in that circumstances. She has been an unwilling sinner. She hates Alec and refuses his offer again and again. we find that the burden of her existence has become intolerable to her. Her brothers and sisters are shelter less.Tess Marries to Angel but fails to say him about her past adventure in proper time because of bad lack when the written later was shift under the carpet .Angel left her. In this situation, Tess surrenders to Alec again because of circumstance.She tried to work and wait for Angel for his arrival but Angel had not given any replies to her.Alec took the responsibility of Tess family .She had to surrender herself to Alec. This is not her willing surrender. Her body surrenders. Her mind and spirit semain intact. This is proved at last. As soon as Angel comes to her ,she stabs Alec to death.


We find that Tess has committed at least two sins. She surrenders her body to Alec. She has committed a sin in this respect. But here she is compelled to commit it by her circumstances . Tess murders Alec.Her murder has nothing to do with purity at all.

To sum up it becomes clear that Tess reaches a purity of spirit even if she fails to satisfy the standards of the world.