Hardy examines how a woman deals with the destructive elements in the men around her: Ch 1 opens with

with a vivid description of a failed male, Tesss father, John Durbeyfield, with whom Tess has to take the adult role, and who fails to protect her Male failure is re-enforced for Tess by Alec's powerful masculinity which seeks to undermine rather than defend her, as the sexual predator Though damaged, Tess is able to assert herself again after these encounters However, in the face of Angel's destructiveness, she seems passive and accepts the guilt laid on her (see above).

Gender stereotypes
Hardy makes a number of generalisations about women in the novel, for example he talks of Tess's 'feminine loss of courage' (Ch 44), or 'the woman's instinct to hide' (Ch 31). Readers need to decide whether: This is really a valid insight or simply a male perception? Is this meant to be seen as a 'fatal flaw' or an individual fault of Tess - the reason she does not fare better? When Tess accepts Angels condemnation of her, is her sense of guilt justified or is she fitting into the stereotype that, socially and psychologically, women typically feel guilt?

Women and love

How Tess is portrayed as a woman in love: How does Hardy describe her female passion and does he really grasp female sexuality? How does female love compare with male love? What tensions grow up between Angel's love for Tess and hers for Angel?

During the time of Victorian England, women were treated unfairly by todays standards. They became victims because society treated them differently than they did men. The character Tess from Tess of the dUrbervilles was one of these victims. Victorian society used the concept of purity, a theory of adultery and divorce, and feminine sexuality to trap women. In Tess of the dUrbervilles, both Alec dUrberville and Angel Clare make Tess a victim. Tess is also a victim of her own sexuality. Thomas Hardy, the author, defends her as A Pure Woman until the end despite what views society took on him. In Victorian Society, there were two types of women: Fallen women and Good women. Good women were women who were usually virgins upon marriage. They were married or going to be married, had very little education, were trained in domestic affairs (sewing, cooking, housekeeping, etc.) and they had little or no voice over what was asked of them to do. These women were looked upon as pure and innocent, like children. They would fall into the care of their husbands and would not try to do anything independently or not of their husbands will. Hardy defended Tess as one of the good women.