[Hardy-l] Re: Tess on PBS

[Rosemarie Morgan]

Not sure about this Paul - not sure that a sixteen year old girl of Tess's 
inexperience can be said to "shape" the world in any formulaic way. Tess 
"at this time of her life was a mere vessel of emotion untinctured by 
experience" (The Maiden, II) And she comes no closer to spiritual 
'darkness,'  in these early days, than to feel a "Malthusian vexation" at 
her mother's seemingly endless production of babies (Maiden, V). Indeed, 
rebounding from disappointment appears to be her special aptitude -- Hardy 
mention 2 or 3 instances of her capacity to rebound within the first few 
chapters.

I'd be interested to hear more about her 'shaping the world as tragedy" -- 
when you've recovered from your own 'blighted' journey.

All best,
Rosemarie

sense of tragedy that Hardy's Tess manifests from the start
Paul.