Tess of the d’Urbervilles – Task Eight

  1. Select THREE of Hardy’s descriptions of Nature in this chapter, and explain how each can be related to the characters in this part?

The setting of Talbothay’s is in fertile, luscious land, reflecting Tess’s growing happiness.

The garden at Talbothay’s is overgrown, a clear metaphor for Tess’s personality – uncultivated, beautiful and sexual.

When the land is infested with a garlic-smelling weed which ruins the butter, we have a foreshadowing of the way Tess’s taintedness will be damaging to her new relationship.

  1. To what does the title of this phase refer?

To rally means to recover and regain strength. It is a clear metaphor for Tess’s temporary recovery.

3. What signs suggest that the novel will not turn out well? Give two quotations to support your answer.

The story of Jack Dollop (who impregnated a girl outside marriage), and is made to suffer for it, terrifies Tess.

The ruined butter also foreshadows the ruin to come.

  1. What sort of man is Angel?

He is a middle-class student, in love with romantic ideas of the countryside, but with little knowledge of the complexities of human relationships.

4. What are his strengths? (Give one quotation to support your answer)

He is far more flexible in his attitudes than his family (or so it seems).

5. What are his flaws? (Give one quotation to support your answer)

He is a hypocrite – claiming to respect nature but then being appalled by Tess’s past.

– claims to be Christian but has no forgiveness in him.

6. How are Izzy, Retty and Marion significant to Tess and Angel?

They are Tess’s friends but, importantly, they all know that Angel loves Tess and not them. This causes them to try to be happy for Tess, and they cannot understand her reluctance to marry Angel.