An Ecofeminist Interpretation Of Tess Of The D’Urbervilles

In the field of literary criticism, ecofeminist approach has been widely adopted to explore the profound relationship among nature, women and men in literary works. Ecofeminists confirm the innate potential connection between woman and nature, in which women rather than men are more sensitive to observe themselves as a part of nature. However, owing to dualism, women in the patriarchal society has shared the same pathetic fate with nature in human civilization, which proves to be alienated and otherized. Therefore, ecofeminists hope to arouse people’s ecological consciousness as well as awareness of gender equality, longing for a tolerant society in which harmony maintains between nature, women and men. Recent years, with the introduction of ecofeminist approach, there is a research boom in which the reevaluation of literary classics has become a big issue. Among those classics, Thomas Hardy’s masterpiece Tess of the D’Urbervilles is of the great appeal.In this novel, Hardy reveals his affinity to ecofeminism in his views toward nature and women. In addition to the tireless description of picturesque landscape and scenery, Hardy uses metaphors, symbols as well as contrast to endow nature with philosophical meaning. Women and nature have become a harmonious unity in his writing and he boldly expand his humanistic concern to non-human entities. In characterization, as the protagonist, Tess Durbeyfiled behaves as the daughter of nature. She has a mysterious affinity to nature, and her fate complies with the alternation of seasons as the plot progresses. She also turns to nature for consolation. By contrast, Angel and Alec are quite distant from nature. Influenced by androcentrism and materialism respectively, Angel and Alec have jointly cornered Tess to death mentally and physically. However, Tess’tragedy is more a social tragedy. With the intrusion of industrialization in the countryside, Tess is forced to be separated from nature when the traditional country life is overturned. She has no escape in the society which has already been preoccupied by patriarchal values. Therefore, industrialization and patriarchy have become the root of Tess1death. The ecofeminist interpretation of Tess of the D’Urbervilles aims to call on a profound retrospection on the relationship between nature, women and men. A better understanding about Thomas Hardy as well as his work is expected to be achieved, and the awareness of environmental protection and of rebuilding the mutual harmony between human and nature, men and women, is also hoped to be provoked.