A Brave Rebel

The longer novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles, written by English novelist Thomas Hardy and published in 1891, is well known as his excellent representative writing. It met with a mixed reception when first published, and it was still a hot topic when translated into many languages.The heroine, a seduced woman Tess, is openly called "a pure woman" by Hardy. It is the presentation of Tess that marks the height of his achievement in fiction. Tess is a peasant girl, sweet-natured, delicate, hard-working and innocent. She meets with her lover's desertion as well as male violation of her body, and she fights continuously with the fatuous surroundings, utter poverty and social discrimination, but she becomes a pity victim at last.Aiming for the dispute on portrait of Tess from the comment circle, the thesis comprehends it from the prospect of feminist criticism. The thesis thinks the novel portrays a female figure, Tess, who is oppressed, abased and split by the society with patriarchal ideology. In order to seek unique character and complete personality, she dares to break down the unchanged doctrine and defend female personality majesty with her death. The writer Hardy well portrays heroine's strong character and unique personality, and remolds a rebel against traditional female by Tess' rebellion against and conflict with moral standards and religious belief, and by her feeling entanglement with Alec D'Urberville and Angel Clare.The thesis is divided into three parts. Part 1 is writer Hardy and Tess of the D'Urbervilles. It includes: 1.Hardy's life story and his works; 2.Hardy and tragic arts; 3.significance of Tess of the D'Urbervilles in Hardy's works; 4.diachronic disputes on Tess of the D'Urbervilles from the critics. Part 2 is feminist criticism and Tess of the D'Urbervilles. It discusses the significance of comprehending the portrait of Tess from the prospect of feminist criticism, via the foundation anddevelopment of feminist criticism and feminist consciousness in the novels as well. Part 3 is significance of re-comprehending the portrait of Tess from the prospect of feminist criticism. It includes: 1.struggle for disintegration; 2.self-surmounting in destruction. First, from the aspect of Greek-like life ideal for sexual desire, the novel shows Tess' worship for sexual and spiritual love, and her pursuit for perfect combination of reason and feeling, soul and body. Second, the novel reveals Tess' rebellion and fight against the society with patriarchal ideology from the aspect of pagan life. Last, Tess' self-surmounting is mainly reflected in her rebellion against the society with patriarchal ideology. The death of Alec and return of Angel fully shows the triumph of Tess' revolt.