Tess Of The Durbervilles Essays (2857 words) - Literature, Film

Tess Of The D'urbervilles Tess of the d'Urbervilles Oral: Structure, point of view and narrative techniques in Tess of the d'Ubervilles. Ok well this isn't really an essay as such it's a an oral that I had to give on Tess, but still it took ages and I guess I could be kind of helpful. -veronica Narrative techniques - Chance and coincidence, symbolises the forces working against Tess. Coincidence as a means to an end - Irony- social laws brought into account with the natural law. Ironies are also paralleled by separate ironies throughout he novel. Irony is enforced by omens - Technical words, jargon to add authenticity (local farming terms, musical, artistic or architectural) - Classical allusions. - Folk-law and folk magic. - Seasonal background as an accompaniment to emotions - Uses the microcosmic (Tess) to demonstrate the general - Tess shown in relation to the work she does, Tess is a natural women compared to Mercy. - Relies on change of place and the idea of pilgrimage - Insight into character - Sharply drawn visual and sensory descriptions - Exploits contrast and comparison of place and character - Letters Structure - Title, division into phases - Coherence and real life timing in regard to the length of the phases - Realism is not impaired by the controlled structure because of the coherent but however not entirely coinciding events, such as her successive journeys home - Final chapter as demonstration of Hardy's complete control - No sub-plots - Hardy's fluctuating fatalistic and determinism. - Double meanings - Symbolism, Tess as an animal Point of View - Written in third person - Omniscient narrator. - Different stand points of narration, Narrative: distinguished from descriptions of qualities, states or situations and also from dramatic enactment of events. Narrative technique is the method of telling stories. Narrative technique is a broad term to describe anything Thomas Hardy does to communicate his message and ideas. Under this umbrella of narrative technique also fall such things as structure, style, point of view, imagery and so on. To understand many of the narrative techniques Hardy adopts we must have some understanding of his background, the audience and the times he was writing in and why he would have wanted to broach such controversial issues. Hardy was a poet, he intensely read and studied poetry and literature from his early twenties. Prose fiction was his temporary profession out of economic necessity. This serves to explain the symbolic, metaphoric, poetic nature of his writing and also the many references to Shakespeare, other literature and the bible. In order for Hardy to convey his ideas he had to not only consider the needs of his current audience but also pursing his greater literary and personal obligations. To do this he had to include his insights indirectly and evasively, adopting symbolic meanings that reached beyond the superficial social actions of the time. It is also important to note how the novel was released and the ?censoring? that was in place to control controversial or ?inappropriate? morals, values and issues. The serialized format of realize also contributed in a large way, somewhat dictating the story line and affecting the general lay out. This is evident when you notice that there are several series of rising action, climax and denouement, generally towards the end of phases. Examine the explanatory note to the first edition - ?form a true sequence of thing?, talks of the Victorian expectations of a true story. Possibly why Hardy paid such attention to the surroundings and the use of local terminology. - ?Piece the trunks and the limbs of the novel together? The effect of the serialization and censoring had on the novel. It is not in its true form until can be read completely and together. - Artistic form?in respect of the book's opinions and sentiments? Hardy struggling to be true to his greater literary and personal values and morals. He had to entertain his current audience but his language was used in such a way that the general story lines transcends the ages, and elevates it beyond the story. The quote he reflects on is obviously appropriate and intended to the orthodox Victorian expectations, ?If an offence come out of the truth, better is that the offence come than that the truth be concealed? St Jerome's. Letters ? - They provide a different insight into the characters: - Altered level of narrative - Different character voices