In Tess of the D’Urberville’s Thomas Hardy writes astory of a woman who is educated both in a fromal sense of the word and in a worldly sense. She is proud of the fact that she made it through thre fifth (SIXTH?) form of public school and is divided from her family by an educational advantage. Her innocence as a school-girl is hgihlighted at this point by her white maiden dress when Angfel first sees her in the field club walking wiht her peers. She sticks out to him, however, because of her coyness (beauty) and to the reader because of her bright red ribbon. Does this red-ribbon forshadow the events that are lurking in the background?
We next see the ribbon (and hair) when Tess’s mother is readying her for her trip to the D’urbervilles (Alec), when she ties a pink ribbon (a sign of innocence?) in Tess’s hair. Her formal education is about to be eclipsed by her “street” education.
Tess is turned over into teh hands of the man who will eventually “ruin” her, though she remains pure. He puts his cloak over her (book of Ruth?)
When she returns to her home, she has been “runined” and she returns to the clothing of her family. She becomes a filed worker, and we see her in the field shielded, costumed, hidden, guarded by, ensconced in a sun-bonnet. She nurses her child, and she moves from being one of the group to a specific individual ( she was also mentoined individually with the bonnet?). Though Tess has been tainted she still remains a symbol of purity.earthiness).
Once she moves to the dairy, she remains workign class, but she has a somewhat mysitcal air abotu her (singled otu by Angel). She is somehow different than the other maids. (reread this section to look for clothign details). When she goes for a walk she wears pattens (boots) but they are taken by Angels’ brother and whather face). How does the theft of her boots by them signify anythign abotu her (her relationship with Angel? )
After they are married Angel buys new clothes for her (recreates her to his fancy) and expects her to perform her clothing’s class. Diamond are involved, only worn by married women and symbolic of aristocracy. Her class is elevated by her ready-maed clothes, the neckalce, and her marriage to Angel.
Bakc to the fields, and relationship with Alec turned preacher turned asshole.
How is her marriage to Alec coded with her grey cashmere dress, etc.
How is her final return to Angel coded by clothes? How does this compare to her death at Stonehenge? What about the cloak here? How does that work out…
Baptism scene: mourning clothes
-transformed bodily (only way to properly “perform” mourning)
-not clothing because no mourning clothes
–mind/body split (soul can leave body) at the dairy
Reason Breeds Insanity 