Thomas Hardy's Views On Humanity Reflected In Tess Of The D' Urbervilles

Thomas Hardy is a famous British poet and novelist. His novels enjoy great popularity among his readers throughout the world. As one of the cross-century writers, he witnessed the profound changes in Britain and had rich experience about the British society in the Victorian time. After the Industrialization, people's outlook on social morals and life changed greatly, and Hardy strove to put those changes into his own works. Tess of the d'Urbervilles is one of his representative works which expressed his creative thoughts. Hardy paid much attention to the traditional social morals and the values of humanity. However, the social morals shifted since the rapid development of the society after the Industrialization. Hardy tries to find the missing humanity and morals in the modern society.Ⅱe boldly exposes the vicious capitalist society of England in his world-famous novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles, and sharply criticizes the crimes of cruel capitalism and its hypocritical morality. It also gives poor people like Tess, a pure woman, boundless affection and unlimited sympathy. In Hardy's masterpiece Tess of the d'Urbervilles, his humanity is fully reflected.This essay has a brief analysis of the phenomenon of social morals and the characters in the book Tess the d'Urbervilles, aiming to discuss Hardy's writing thoughts and point out Hardy's attitude toward humanity and the social morals. As a writer of the Victorian time, Hardy witnessed the whole changes of the society. He showed his sympathy for the poor laboring people and tried to reflect it with his works. He tried to express his inner ideas and let the whole world know what his dreams were and brought hope for the people around the country.Most of Hardy's works contain the features of the Victorian time and the color of realism. Therefore, his novels have great significance. The conflicts of his thoughts can be found in his ways in dealing with traditional values and social morals. He should be regarded as an idealist, for he worshiped nature and the countryside where he grew up. All those country lifestyles brought him an ideal dream. However, the development and shift of the society made his dream farther and farther away. Besides, his pursuit of the ideal humanity could hardly be realized in the earthly and ambitious society. He started to doubt whether the traditional morals and religion were right to guide people's way, or whether they were just the "murderers" to kill the perfect humanity. He was full of questions about the traditions and religion, thus his works vividly reflect his humanity thoughts.This thesis is divided into three chapters:the first chapter gives the economic and moral background for Hardy's views on humanity. The second chapter points out the inevitability of Tess'death through the analysis of the tragedy in Tess of the d'Urbervilles, aiming to point out the Hardy's doubt about the industrialiazation and social morality. The third chapter explores Hardy's doubt of society and Hardy's praise of Humanity in order to analyse the humanity reflected in Tess of the d'Urbervilles. The conclusion sums up the arguments of this thesis. It points out that though there are conflicts in Hardy's thoughts, he still tries to find the best way to realize the perfect humanity.