The fairest flower is the first to be picked for the bouquet. In the same way, the finest fruit is seldom left undisturbed on the bough.
This has always been and will always be. In fact, it is an essential law of Nature. The tragic element unfolds when this law expresses itself in human terms. Here, life consumes life in a desperate bid to perpetuate itself. In this novel, the character of Tess depicts one aspect of this strange tragedy.
The manner of her first appearance in the novel is noteworthy. It serves to emphasise the fact that she is really the fairest flower on the bough. Moreover, the writer makes a conscious effort to convey the timelessness of the tragedy that is to unfold before us. For this, he describes the club-walk at Marlott. This surviving custom from an ancient pagan ritual serves to begin the story on a metaphysical note. The gathering of women, both young and old, forms the background for the portrait of Tess who is the fairest of them all.
She is depicted as being a fine and handsome girl :
“…her mobile peony mouth and large innocent eyes added eloquence to colour and shape.”
A red ribbon in her hair is another distinguishing feature of her physical appearance. The writer is subtle enough to keep this first description in a low key. And, his artistic use of symbolism and suggestion makes it clear that something more than just a girl is being described.
Gradually and skilfully, the writer fills in the concrete elements of her portrait. For example, he tells us that she has an oval face, deep dark eyes and long heavy clinging tresses. In fact, the description becomes very detailed :
“The teeth more regular, the red lips thinner than is usual in a country-bred girl.”
Her innocent beauty is summed up very aptly thus :
“ It was a luxuriance of aspect, a fulness of growth, which made her appear more of a woman than she really was.”
And, there is a lot more to her than just physical charm. She has a very tender and caring disposition which indicates an extremely sensitive nature. This is evident in her deep concern for her family. In fact, one marvels at her love for her uncouth mother and her good for nothing father. And, her attitude towards Liza-Lu is a sublime combination of sisterly and motherly love.
Significantly, these very qualities make her vulnerable to disaster. Her beauty attracts Alec’s predatory passion while familial her devotion puts her completely at his mercy. Tess also has a well-defined sense of right and wrong. This too adds to her misery by ravaging her with guilt after her seduction.
But, this unfortunate girl has great inner strength. At no time do we see her head bowed in defeat. Even her pleadings with Angel do not convey a sense of weakness. Rather, they show a woman fighting desperately for her rightful place in life. This is why she remains dignified when he leaves her. This dignity is evident in all phases of her life. Dairyman Crick and her other co-workers have the highest regard for her. Even Alec cannot dismiss her as just another sexual conquest. His urge to marry her points in this direction.
Tess suffers the worst inner conflict in her attitude to marriage. Having lost her virginity to Alec, she finds herself in love with Angel and becomes his wife. Then, he abandons her and she is again pursued by the man who ravished her. And, she submits to him again with bitter resignation :
“Once victim, always victim—that’s the law!”
From this point on, she is no longer just a person. She becomes a personification of the cruelty that life inflicts on itself. Her murder of Alec is her last desperate attempt to right the wrong that Nature has inflicted on her. But, this time, even the repentant Angel cannot save her from the retribution which follows.
Tess is hanged as a convicted murderess. But, her death has a poetic poignancy to it. She once broke the necks of some wounded pheasants to put them out of their misery. Perhaps, this was the only kindness that was ever repaid to her. In crafting her character, Hardy has exhibited something more than just mastery over craft. He brings to Tess a burning passion and a wistful sadness plumbed from the depths of his soul. Tess does not belong to one place of time. And, her tragedy is not confined to any one aspect of life. She is more an idea than a person. And, her pain stretches to encompass all of humanity.
