Character Alec D’Urberville in “Tess of the D’Urbervilles” Essay Example

this sequence what it is.

The location of this scene helps the audience to take in how rich these D'Urbervilles really are and how they choose to express this. When Tess first arrives, she is flabbergasted to find out that the D'Urberville mansion is not an ancient relic as it were, but one of modern design and newly laid red bricks! As she is walking towards the grounds of the house, there is an establishing shot that views a magnificent house, and next to it are some stupendously tall bushes (this is a highly technical use of camera angles). Next to them strolls Tess, looking very small and immaterial. This gives the audience an idea of how rich, powerful and important the D'Urbervilles are compared to Tess, who is a poor country maid, with no significance.

The first interaction between Alec and Tess starts when Tess is walking next to those substantially large trees and we hear laughter in the milieu; this shows clearly that someone is having a good time. This enhances Alec's importance. Shortly after, Tess finds herself staring out into a lake near the house, behind her, (where the audience can glimpse but Tess cannot) we see a figure standing in the doorway, he lights a cigar as he walks towards her. Smoking shows a sign of evil as it is a vice, or at least an indulgence; this represents a man with bad inner character. The spectators can clearly see that before Alec reveals himself to her, he is 'eyeing her up' as one would say in slang, and thinking dodgy thoughts, as it were, clandestinely in his head. What goes on where

Alec is concerned is only visible to Tess after the audience first sees him.

As soon as Alec makes verbal contact with Tess, she abruptly stops looking into the lake and becomes rather perturbed. This shows that Alec has an air of authority about him, enhancing the fact that Alec is superior due to his clothing. Another inkling that the audience may pick up on is that Alec's clothing appears very high in quality, thus showing his eminence, whereas Tess's clothes are those of a poor, straightforward and innocent girl. This heightens Alec's worldliness! Also, Alec's jacket and his trousers are a very light shade of vanilla, or to the untrained eye, white. However, his waistcoat (on the inside) is an extremely dark, sinister shade of black.

This is quite obviously intended to symbolize Alec's kind and helpful character that appears on the exterior, but his evil and villainous character of his inside. Hence his caricature nickname: Alec D'Urbervillain. The first line we hear Alec say to Tess (before she notices his sudden presence) is along the lines of, 'well, my beauty'. This shows the beginning of Alec's seduction of Tess. Clearly, he is a womanizer, to so assertively and confidently call someone 'my beauty' the first time you meet them, insinuates personal ownership.

After this he says, '... what can I do for you?' this makes Tess feel indebted to him, which is always a bonus. Tess replies, 'I came to see Mrs. D'Urberville...' in a very uneasy manner and a Dorset accent. Alec explains to her that this will not be possible, as Mrs. D'Urberville is his mother, and is an invalid (blind and in a

wheelchair).

As Alec says this, he walks over to a nearby table and picks up a drink of what seems to be red wine, this would have been particularly rare during this period and to add more style, it is in a very ornamental and what would seem to Tess as expensive glass. When Tess attempts to explain her reason for her unauthorized presence, Alec chuckles and walks around her, as if to imply that she is his 'prey'. The fact that he laughed at her shows that he is an evil man and has most probably antagonized Tess! To add more reason to show that Alec is a villain, he has a drink and does not offer one to Tess, as if to say 'you're a young country girl and shall not have a drink!' After Tess explains her presence, little does she know that Alec's family only bought the name and had no association at all (as was previously mentioned). When Tess suggests that she might leave, Alec is very quick to think of reasons or excuses to influence her to stay a while longer.

He gives her reasons to stay and convinces her to let him show her around the grounds to 'pass the time' for a while. During this conversation between them, the camera is shown from underneath, to give Alec a height advantage. This works considerably well seeing as Jason Flemyng is a rather tall actor anyhow. In the jargon of filmmakers, this shot would be known as a low-angle shot, (this works for short actors such as Tom Cruise). The height difference between them gives Alec stature and importance, which both

shows his superiority and makes him look handsome.

As they start to walk off, he says, 'I really hope there's something I can do to help... ', again forcing Tess to feel obliged to him.

When all we can hear is the faint, distant sound of their voices, and all we can see is the two of them walking some way into the colossal garden, a maid walks past smirking, this implies that she has had experience with Alec and knows that he's just off to attempt to seduce another woman. Instantaneously after this, yet another maid walks out of where she and Alec had been, doing up her dress. Clearly, the two of them had been having a great time in there, but when she discovers Alec with Tess, her contented, blissful face turns to one of jealousy and envy. The fact that this has happened means that Alec is thought of highly by those maids in his vicinity, or is in the habit of using them on a regular basis. Either possibility could mean that he is shallow and superficial, but not full of meaning and desirable characteristics. The main bulk of what we next see is set in a greenhouse.

The greenhouse is full of strawberries and other exotic and rare specimens. As they walk in, Alec stands closer to the exit, as if to say, there's no way out Tess, I'm coming for you and there's nothing you can do about it! He starts by asking Tess if she is comfortable, perhaps insinuating that his bed could be more comfortable than a greenhouse. He says, 'there are some fine specimens in here' (whereas he

should say 'there are some fine specimens in here'), however, notwithstanding the grammatical failure, he is talking about the beauty of what's in the greenhouse, but there could be a double meaning to it and he could be complimenting her. He takes a strawberry and eats it, as he eats it there is an extreme close-up of his face.

This achieves many goals, we get to see his mustache, which is meant to be attractive and show wealth, and also we can hear him eat the strawberry. This is like he is devouring Tess! Or eating her! Also, it is common knowledge that strawberries are a metaphor for sex and this is what Alec desires. He then offers her one and refuses to let her take it herself; this demonstrates his control over the situation and his eagerness to be close to her. Tess bites with vigor, symbolizing her aggression towards Alec, as a sort of word of warning for him not to come any closer. Alec then eats the one that she has bitten; this is clearly 'pushing past the barrier'.

His audacity and impudence show that he is not scared to make it obvious to Tess that he has strange feelings of lust for her. The reason he ate the strawberry that Tess bit was that he wanted to kiss Tess and his easiest option was to do it via a strawberry. Also, Tess's lips (along with some other things) are very red and I can't imagine why, but for some eccentric reason, this is meant to signify her beauty and splendor, being partly or maybe entirely Alec's reason for attraction towards her. After this

extremely traumatic experience with Alec, the director (being Ian Sharp) clearly and very cleverly thought that the audience would need some time to reconsider watching the rest of the film or perhaps just needed time to cool off after the disturbing scene concerning Alec and his audacity; in order to achieve this goal, he has shown simple images of Alec and Tess walking around the garden or picking flowers, during which a manic little melody comes on.

This lifts the audience's spirits and helps us to understand more about Tess. The audience can witness Alec giving Tess lots of roses and other pretty flowers, this would normally show love for someone, on the other hand, in this case, Alec has used them as a way to make Tess consider that she may feel for him due to his kindness. This happy little tune carries on into the next section when Tess has clearly left and is now on her way back to her home, wherever that is. Another exceedingly old man who is with her on the carriage makes a sly comment about how she has strawberries when they are supposedly out of season, and she has to explain about the roses that she was given.

In conclusion, the impression that Ian Sharp has created for Alec would seem to give an audience is one of extreme repulsion and dreadfulness. Alec would appear to be a 'ladies' man' or as the French would say, a 'drageur' meaning a man of the ladies, or in literal translation: a dragor. This word could only be used to describe a man of immorality and sin. Furthermore, the overall impression very

cleverly created by Jason Flemyng, directed by Ian Sharp, would be that he is very intelligent but tends to use it for some of the wrong reasons, such as tricking Tess (and evidently other victimized maids) into giving him what he wants, generally at their expense or displeasure, especially in this case. Tess would seem to have a considerable misfortune in having met Alec after no experience of any men whatsoever.

It would seem that Tess had landed herself in a trap, as it were, which she only knew she was in after it was too late. The general idea is that Tess finds Alec very attractive, but exceptionally obtrusive. This is all expressed in the way Alec strolls around very confidently, while Tess appears to feel uneasy or uncomfortable, as one would, considering the situation and circumstances. Alec has taken advantage of Tess's vulnerability, innocence, and simplicity and used them to his own benefit; these are the actions of a man who needs more to do with his spare time. Moreover, to sum up, the character of Alec in just a few words, he has been portrayed as someone who takes advantages, is obtrusive, has experience with a number of supposedly innocent maids, is a villainous ladies' man, and has extreme worldliness, talent, and power which he uses for what could be referred to as the wrong reasons.