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Violence for the Sake of Violence?
As one examines the current popular movies today, and many of them contain scenes of extended violence. For the most part, these scenes are to draw in viewers who otherwise would not pay to watch. This is not the case in Tess of the D’urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. Hardy uses violence in his novel in order to enhance the story and make in more believable. In his novel Tess of the D’urbervilles, Hardy uses violent scenes in order to further his story.
One of the first violent scenes Hardy includes is the one in which Tess is raped by Alec D’urberville. Technically, this event might not be seen as a rape, as it does not seem as Alec forces himself upon Tess. However, a reader realizes that Tess does not love Alec, has no romantic feelings for him, and does not want him touching her. This aversion Tess holds towards Alec leaves her available to marry Angel, and gives Hardy the background necessary to make Alec’s murder believable. Tess was also in a compromising situation, being tired and confused. There was not much she could do to stop Alec, if she even knew what was happening. During and after the rape, Tess’s mental condition deteriorated. While she could still function, there is obvious differences between her and the people she knows. This change in her thoughts and personality were both what attracted Angel to her, and what gave her the ability to commit murder. However, after Angel finds out that she is not ‘pure’, she is unfairly punished for what Alec did to her. Thus, Alec’s raping of Tess was important to the novel because it set up openings through which Hardy could continue his story.
Another, smaller violent scene was when Tess slapped Alec with her glove. While this might not seem very important, it actually is a clear foreshadowing of Alec’s murder. Violence has never been part of Tess’s character until this scene, which is important , as it paves the way for the murder. The fact that Tess is still resistant to Alec shows how he has affected her, as well as how loyal she is to Angel. Even though Angel has left her and seems not to care about her, Tess will not do anything to bring shame to his name. This loyalty is bordering on an obsession. The fact that Tess slapped Alex also shows she is becoming even more unstable. The pressure that Alec is putting on Tess makes it harder for her to think normally, and thus, she reacted with violence.
The scene that was the most violent is when Tess murders Alec. This occurs when Tess finally breaks down after seeing Angel for the first time in a long while. After this meeting, Tess realizes that Alec lied to her when he said that Angel would never come back. Due to her extreme loyalty to Angel, Tess murders Alec, because by bringing her to live with him, Alec shamed Angel through her. [[[[does this sentence make sense?]]]] Tess does not seem to realize- or, if she does realize, she does not care- that by killing Alec, her hope of happiness with Angel is cut short. This scene was necessary in order for Angel and Tess to be together, as it was the destruction of the man who had soiled Tess in the first place. It is ironic that Tess’s act of violence is the only one that is punished, though it is the most justified. This violence shows Hardy’s cynicism in the ways of the world, and is important in wrapping up the novel.
The violent acts in Hardy’s Tess of the D’urbervilles are all necessary to the creation of the plot. Violence both starts and ends the novel, along with the acts that drive it forward. In order for this story to make sense, Hardy needed to use violence. In this case, the violence in Tess of the D’urvervilles is completely necessary and justified.
Okay, well, it needs to be longer, but I'm putting it up here now to give anyone who wants to a chance to look at it/fix it. I not sure if I really answered the question, so if anyone wants to check/suggest things for that, I'd appreciate it. Thanks for your help!