On the Symbolism of the Natural Objects in Tess of the d’Urbervilles

DOI

10.2991/assehr.k.220131.040How to use a DOI?

Keywords

symbolism; natural objects; Tess’s fate

Abstract

Tess of the d’Urbervilles is British writer Thomas Hardy’s most renowned novel and his sophisticated attempt on the technique of symbolism. This rural novel has been hailed as a masterpiece, symbolizing Hardy as a giant who achieved the clever combination of critical realism and symbolism.

This article attempts to explain the use of natural objects in “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” from symbolism. Through the approaches of literature research, explication, and analysis, this thesis seeks to explore the rich meaning of the natural objects reflected by the symbolic mechanism, and therefore to reveal the irreplaceable significance of symbolism in the novel.

In Tess of the d’Urbervilles, symbolism, especially natural things, has run through the entire novel. In terms of the physical properties, the natural objects in this thesis are classified into three types: heavenly, geographical and botanic objectives. Functioning to create atmosphere or to prefigure the future, all three types that appear in different contexts and change constantly meaning with the storyline are equally significant. Through these methods, the novel can more vividly narrate the story and the characteristics of the heroine rather than directly describe. This article will discuss the use of symbolism in Tess of the d’Urbervilles from the above three aspects, analyze Tess’s tragic fate and the remarkable artistic effect of this novel.

Copyright

© 2022 The Authors. Published by Atlantis Press SARL.

Open Access

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Chunxiao YUE
PY  - 2022
DA  - 2022/02/01
TI  - On the Symbolism of the Natural Objects in Tess of the d’Urbervilles
BT  - Proceedings of the 2021 International Conference on Education, Language and Art (ICELA 2021)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 223
EP  - 226
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220131.040
DO  - 10.2991/assehr.k.220131.040
ID  - YUE2022
ER  -