Critical Reviews/comments

Question 1

What did the Pall Mall Gazette say about Tess of the d’Urbervilles?

Answer 1

‘Tess’ tragedy is due to “the tyranny of man… and of social circumstance”’

Question 2

“On the whole, we deny that Mr. Hardy has made out the case for Tess… we cannot at all admire Mr. Hardy motive for writing this very powerful novel” which critic said this?

Answer 2

The Spectator

Question 3

Complete the quote by RH Hutton in The Spectator - “Though pure in instinct…”

Answer 3

“She was not faithful to her pure instinct”

Question 4

What did Harpers Weekly call Tess?

Answer 4

“Artificial” and “not in the reality of any sane world we recognise”

Question 5

Which critic said “a course and disagreeable story told in a coarse and disagreeable manner”?

Answer 5

Mowbray Morris in Quarterly Review

Question 6

What did Ellen Moses say about Tess?

Answer 6

‘A patchwork of “cultural stereotypes”: “earth goddess, modern woman, doomed bride of balladry, prostitute, Victorian daughter, unwed mother, murderess, and princess in disguise: Tess is surely the all- purpose heroine”’