[hardy-l] More on the ending to Tess of the D'Urbervilles

[Rosemarie Morgan]

Philip Mallett said he didn't think Tess had been traumatised and also 
commented that perhaps we are fetishizing virginity.

  I meant (to Paul) that I would only be repeating myself about her 
strength, courage and hotheadedness etc -- not that I was repeating the 
"rape" issue.

  As for "seduction pure and simple" TH had at times to couch his terms 
very carefully. "Rape" was a legal term, and I think it still is, so he 
could only have spoken of alleged rape at the best of times --and the 
context hardly warrants that. I doubt he'd have ever used the word "rape" 
though maybe his "Facts" notebook shows otherwise. "Seduction" -as you know 
-- was very serious charge, a social transgression and doesn't carry the 
same connotations at all these days.. but it remains an easier word to 
speak nonetheless and more accurate under the circumstances of no trial.


himself having provided extra-textual evidence for the latter by using
>the phrase "seduction pure and simple." I can't imagine anyone from
>Hardy on, male or female, arguing that whatever the experience was it
>wasn't "traumatic."  Did people really argue that, and I somehow missed
>it?
>
>Best,
>
>Keith Wilson