Quotes Flashcards
Where is Tess seen as ‘a pure woman’
‘Virginal daughter of nature’
‘Simple, fresh picturesque country girl’
‘Tess Durbeyfield at this time in her life was a mere vessel of emotion untinctured by experience’
Where is Tess seen as a vessel?
At the beginning of the novel - Tess Durbeyfield at this time in her life was a mere vessel of emotion untinctured by experience
When she returns to Alec - ‘a vessel of emotion rather than reason’
What is beauty?
Beauty lay not in the thing, but in what the thing symbolised
Why do bad things happen to Tess?
- Tis because we be on a blighted star, and not a sound one, isn’t it Tess?
- Ladies know what do you guard against, because they read novels that tell them of these tricks; but I never had the chance of discovering in that way; and you did not help me!’
- ‘but the fates seem to decide otherwise.’
Tess’ impulse?
Our impulses are too strong for our judgement sometimes.
A strong woman who recklessly throws away her strength, she is way worse than a weak woman who has never had any strength to throw away.
Why does Tess leave Alice in the first place?
Perhaps, of all things, a lie on this thing would do the most good to me now; but I have honour enough left, little as ‘tis, not to tell that lie’
What does Tess wish after the rape?
I wish I had never been born – - there or anywhere else
How does angel describe Tess?
Her mouth he had see nothing to equal on the face of the earth.
He had never before seen a woman’s lips and teeth which forced upon his mind with such a persistent iteration of the old Elizabethan simile of roses filled with snow
The first mention of Tess?
She was a fine and handsome girl – not handsomer than some others, possibly – but her mobile peony mouth and large innocent eyes added eloquence to colour and shape. She wore a red ribbon in her hair, and was the only one of the white company you could both such a pronounced adornment
First impression on Tess?
Too proud - ‘Tess’ pride would not allow her to move her head again, to learn what her father’s meaning was if he had any; and does she moved on with the whole body to the enclosure where there was dancing on the green.’
- ‘I would rather take it in my own hand.’
What separates Angel and Tess in the beginning?
He, too, was sorry then that, owing to her backwardness, he had not observed her; and with that in his mind he left the pasture.
