Upon closing the back cover of Tess of the d'Urbervilles (which will be abreviated TdU moving forward), my husband looked over and asked "what did you think?" to which I replied "I loved this book. Yeah, I loved it."
When my brother was home over Christmas and I was reading Emma, he and I were discussing our distaste for Jane Austen novels and one complaint that surfaced was that her stories typically focus on people and their high class problems. ("High class problems" is a phrase our family uses if someone is stressed out about where to go on vacation or what to wear to the ball, etc.) Part of what I loved about TdU is that this story is not about high class problems, in fact, quite the opposite. Also, I loved this book because it is another story about crazy people in love (which, as mentioned previously on this blog, I enjoy.) Finally, I thouroughly enjoyed Thomas Hardy's writing style. It was artistic, expressive and detailed without excessive verbosity.
TdU gained a lot of attention (some positive, some negative) in its day because it was daring--it questioned social order, destiny, values, and religion. Most importantly, the book is based on a "true" story which in today's society would be, for the most part, commonplace but would have been kept intenesely secret in the 1800s.
TdU is a story of Tess Durbeyfield, who was the oldest daughter of an impoverished, drunk beggar and a milkmaid. The book chronicles her life and her struggles as a poor woman in rural England.
Favorite Quote: I have three--I couldn't pick one. 1) "the magnitude of lives is not as to their extrenal displacements, but as to their subjective experiences. The impressionable peasant leads a larger, fuller, more dramatic life than the pachydermatous king." 2) "It was for herself that he loved Tess; her soul, her heart, her substance--not for her skill in the dairy..." 3) "This was always how Clare settled practical questions; by a sentiment which had nothing to do with them."
If this were a movie, I'd rate it: PG-13.
Overall Grade: A
Would I recommend this book to my friends: Absolutely...although, not to the ones who demand "happily ever after" endings.
Regarding your favorite quotes I have to say I would vote for the one referencing love for a woman who doesn't quite cut it in the dairy. I think I referenced love even though she lacks agricultural prowess in my wedding vows.
ReplyDeleteYes, absolutely, I remember you saying that.
ReplyDeleteI was insulted in Jacci's behalf at the time as I saw no flaw in her agricultural skills. I hope you can she that she has performed adequately in this respect and that she has exceeded your expectations.