what is a subtext
a text the writer keeps in mind throughout the creative process which often helps determine the course of their writing
which three main subtexts are used in Tess
- the bible
- Milton’s paradise lost
- Bunyan/s pilgrim’s progress
what should be noted about all three subtexts and how does he use them?
-all christian
-all would be well known to his readership
uses them to 1) rewrite christian truth, especially in terms of Providence/ theodicy
“0 attack the christian church
Hardy’s use of The pilgrims progress
- use of geographic symbolism
- Hardy’s allusion to the ‘Valley of Humiliation’ down into which the ‘unhappy pilgrim must go’
- Tess is allowed to reach her ‘heavenly city’ but it is defined in terms of erotic human love
what is the pilgrims progress?
a two-part allegory of the journeys of Christian and Christiana (his wife) to the heavenly city along the road of life
MR Clare’s faith (which writings are they grounded on)
- grounded on the writings of Paul in the new testament.
- paul taught that people could only be saved from the consequences of sin by having faith that Jesus ahd rescued them
How does Hardy use the bible in a positive way
How does Hardy engage with the bible in an adversarial way?
- when Tess in ch19 asks about the sun shining on the just and unjust she uses a bible verse that originally referred to God’s mercy and grace to refer instead to the world’s injustice
- Hardy frequently quotes from Job which deals extensively with suffering as well as from the gospel accounts of Jesus’ crucifixtion
Biblical images in Tess
- Angel sees Tess as ‘The Magdalene’
- this is ironic as whislgt angel knowns of mary magdalenes sim, he does not yet know this of tess- the reader does
Parallels between Paradise Lost and Tess
- Loss of happiness from pastroral innocence due to (sexual) temptations
- Very strong Eden imagery in Talbothays
- Tess and Angel see each other as a new Adam and Eve
- final note of paradise is given to Liza Lu and not tess
Hardy’s deconstruction of Eden imagery
- garden with apple trees BUT its foul smelling and overgrown
- Angels harp playing is cacophonic
