Style

Question 1

Diction used in Tess

Answer 1

• Sophisticated diction
• Despite being a provincial writer, Hardy consciously wrote in the style of traditional 19th century novels- this style tended to be elevated as it sought status for itself and to educate its readers

Question 2

Hardy’s use of local dialects

Answer 2

• Hardy, having grown up in rural Dorset was able to reproduce the typical language of ordinary, uneducated people
• Hardy had an extraordinary ear for dialect and is able to reproduce it in a way that can be understood by a wider readership

Question 3

How does Hardy vary his use of diction/ dialects

Answer 3

-when focalised on tess, diction appears to be more strongly influneced by dialects
-when focalised on Angel/ Alec the diction alters and elevates through the use of classical, biblical and literary allusions
(e.g. Joan Durbeyfield- ‘you’ll be fess enough my
poppet, when th’oust know’
Alec- allusions to shakepeare/ pl)

Question 4

main criticism of Hardy’s style

Answer 4

• frequnetly awkward and clumsy
• use of erudite words unpredictably and for no obvious reason
• Angels thoughts and iodeas often not expressed clearly

Question 5

Key characteristic of Hardy’s use of dialouge

Answer 5

-generally undestated, with small fragments between narrative passages rather than length
passages
- contrived ambiguity, the account of the rape/ seduction (letter not seen, confession to both Angel and Joan not revealed to the reader, alec’s murder is focalised through the landlady

Question 6

Hardy’s use of dialogue for characterisation

Answer 6

• Tess: not allowed much eloquence through her speech; her purity lies in her simplicity
• two suitors: given sophisticated diction- manipulative power over Tess
• Joan’s lack of education illuminate through her dialogue and her letter (with misspellings)

Question 7

quote to illustrate changing conditions for women

Answer 7

‘(Mrs Durbeyfield still habitually spoke the dialect; her daughter, who had passed the sixth standard in the national school under a London trained mistress, used it only when excited by joy, surprise or grief)

Question 8

Hardy’s use of allusion

Answer 8

• The bible: e.g. the sign painter who paints thy damnation, a misquote from peter 2,2: ‘their damnation’- singles out tess
• allusions to obsucre paintings- supports the view oif victorian novelists as educators
• allusion for comic effect ( Jack and Joan opften muddle up their history e.g. ‘Oliver Grumble’ and ‘King Norman’