Phase 2 - Key Quotes Flashcards
“I… bad.” - A
“I was born bad, and I have lived bad, and I shall die bad.” - Alec
“he… struggle” - A
“he had quite forgotten the struggle” - Alec
“I… born” - T
“I wish I had never been born” - Tess
“why… men-folk” - T
“why didn’t you tell me there was danger in men-folk” - Tess
“Why didn’t ye think of doing some good for your family” - J
“Why didn’t ye think of doing some good for your family” - Joan
“The… large…” - N
“The basket was heavy and the bundle was large…” - Narrator
“She… about” - N
“She knew what their whispers were about” - Narrator
“social… environment” - N
“social law, but no law known to the environment” - Narrator
“and… laid.” - N
“and others of the conjecturally damned are laid.” - Narrator
“Some… twigs.” - N
“Some spirit within her rose automatically as the sap in the twigs.” - Narrator
Evidence of Alec taking some responsibility (if half-hearted) and foreshadowing of his death.
“I was born bad, and I have lived bad, and I shall die bad.” - Alec
Evidence of Alec’s disregard for Tess’s feelings/what he did to her.
“he had quite forgotten the struggle” - Alec
Evidence Tess may be suicidal/the effect Alec has had on her.
“I wish I had never been born” - Tess
Evidence of Tess’s innocence and the responsibility of her parents.
“why didn’t you tell me there was danger in men-folk” - Tess
Example of selfishness and lack of sympathy from her mother, Joan.
“Why didn’t ye think of doing some good for your family” - Joan
A metaphor for Tess’s pregnancy and the burden it will have on her life.
“The basket was heavy and the bundle was large…” - Narrator
Evidence of the gossip in society and its effect on Tess.
“She knew what their whispers were about” - Narrator
Hardy’s commentary on societal law vs natural law. Tess broke a societal law but there is nothing against it in nature.
“social law, but no law known to the environment” - Narrator
Hardy’s commentary on religion’s disregard for supposed sinners like the unbaptized.
“and others of the conjecturally damned are laid.” - Narrator
Evidence at the end of Phase 2 that Tess has hope for the future, foreshadowing something bad will happen.
“Some spirit within her rose automatically as the sap in the twigs.” - Narrator
