[Hardy-l] Tess--What is Joan's fault?

[Rosemarie Morgan]

Yes! Joanna !

  Yes!

  Cheers
Rosemarie

>
>When Tess upbraids her mother for not telling her about "men-folk" (I 
>don't remember the exact phrase she uses but it pretty much paraphrases 
>what's in the novel), I thought she meant how men could be seducers.  And 
>I do NOT want to imply that I think Tess was seduced in The Chase; she was 
>raped.  I'm talking about all the manipulations on Alec's part leading up 
>to that day/evening--the strawberry episode, encouraging Tess to read the 
>books in the library, stopping by her room/cottage by the hen house, the 
>new dress, presents for her family, the various looks.  That's what Tess 
>could not have had any experience about, either personally or by 
>observation, and surely no village lad had the panache or glibness which 
>Alec employs.
>
>Cheers,
>JoAnna
>
>JoAnna S. Mink
>Professor Emerita of English
>
>
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