Exploring Social Conventions vs Natural Humanity in ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’

sharply with Tess' fate. The dairy lies in an undulating landscape, with a "serpentine trail" leading through it. The setting has a gentle and calming quality, except for the fence posts which are described as "shining like glass rods".

According to Hardy, rods were harsh objects wielded in factories for the purpose of beating people. Similarly, glass is an artificial and brittle material that possesses sharp edges and poses a hazard. Both objects stand out in contrast to the tranquil environment that surrounds them. This juxtaposition reflects Hardy's disapproval of human interference with nature. The natural elements in the scene are depicted positively, while the man-made objects appear harsh. Despite man's attempts to dominate nature, the scene reveals that nature has ultimately prevailed. Seeds have sprouted and scattered trees have grown freely, while cows roam without fences or herds. Birds also soar gracefully through the countryside, symbolizing freedom.

Twice in the passage, the scene is compared to the calm and tranquil sea. Tess is described as being one with nature, seamlessly blending into her surroundings. The "minute diamonds of moisture" on Tess demonstrate her attraction to natural beauty, while the "seed pearls" in her hair and on her eyelashes suggest her precious and beautiful nature.

According to Hardy, as the day grows stronger and more ordinary, Tess loses her ethereal beauty. The rising sun exposes the true natural beauty of the dairy landscape and takes away the unearthly mystery that once hung over it. Even though Tess returns to being just a dairymaid and her teeth, lips, and eyes no longer scintillate in the sunbeams, she remains beautiful. Hardy implies that there is beauty in simplicity, both

in people and their surroundings. Furthermore, the daybreak elevates Tess' era even more, as few people remain as beautiful when exposed to the revel light.

Though not directly stated, the description in this segment reveals Tess at her happiest point. Enveloped by fellow dairy workers in a natural setting, Tess's love for her future spouse, Angel Clare, surfaces and begins to flourish. While her marriage appears promising, her prior encounter with Alec comes back to unsettle her. The frail natural landscape reflects both England's environment and Tess's vulnerable elation, which can be easily destroyed. Conversely, the subsequent text portrays life at the industrialised Flintcomb Ash farm, where nature remains uncontested.

The farm's name, Flint and Ashes, suggests a harsh and unforgiving environment that highlights society's pursuit of progress through conquering nature. The text emphasizes humans' unsustainable and hasty practices, exemplified by the intense velocity and pressure of the farm's machinery. The machine's immense power and the resulting grueling working conditions of the laborers are described, and the first sentence depicts the apathetic machine operator standing near his potent device while the morning air quivers with its heated blackness. This description implies that the operator prioritizes completing the job over any concerns for the well-being of the workers or environment.

The machine operator's lack of emotion towards the workers and the landscape is emphasized by his presence next to his portable repository of force. This detachment from the natural world reflects Hardy's opposition towards industrialization, which is highlighted by the versatility of the threshing machine that can be deployed wherever it may harm the beloved landscape. Moreover, the personification of the morning air 's quivering illustrates how

even the most essential of substances is afraid of the machine. This reinforces the idea that the machine's discord with nature makes it inorganic. The passage consistently reinforces this sense of detachment through the machine operator's disconnection from his surroundings.

The passage portrays the farmer's ignorance of the land he's cultivating and the crops he's harvesting; to him, everything seems the same – "corn, straw, or chaos." The use of "chaos" highlights the author's aversion to machinery; he likens it to anarchy and bedlam – a symbol of Hell. The overall impression created is one of disinterest and detachment from one's surroundings. The "engineer" is more interested in completing the job quickly than anything else. The significance of speed is evident in both extracts, but especially in the second one. At Talbothay's Dairy, meal times are determined by the sun and are moments of rest and nourishment for the workers, which helps them work efficiently. But at Flintcomb Ash, the machine "stopped for half an hour" for breakfast, and the workers had to settle for a "hasty lunch" while remaining at their posts on the machine.

The workers were constantly working without much time to eat, feeling enslaved to the machine rather than supported by it. Even when it was time for their evening meal, the machine continued spinning without pause, reinforcing the idea of their enslavement. The wire-cage where they worked further emphasized their imprisonment and highlighted Hardy's disdain for machinery and its dominion over both the people and the environment. By discussing the past days of farming done by hand, Hardy suggests that although it was slower, the results were better. Society may

believe that progress has been made with the industrialization of farms in England, but there are still those who value tradition over progress.

Hardy expresses his disapproval of industrialisation by saying that it gives pleasure to those who despise machinery, which reveals his distrust of modern technology more than anything else in the book. This sentiment conveys his true feelings about the replacement of traditional methods by industry. Flintcomb Ash embodies the industrialisation that causes Tess the most suffering in the novel. She endures rejection from Angel, her true love, and constant pursuit from Alec, whom she fears. Hardy's purpose in writing this novel was to protest against social conventions that harm natural humanity.

Hardy conveyed that God's natural land and everything related to nature were being dominated by artificial, industrial power. He also urged his upper-class audience to treat people from lower classes with fairness and respect, highlighting this through the example of Tess being subdued by Alec and then condemned by society. In order to avoid offending his readers, Hardy presented these concerns indirectly, unlike what a present-day reader might anticipate. These two extracts make it apparent that Hardy was outraged and dismayed by the increasing industrialization of farming, which was destroying the serene, natural landscape where he resided. He illustrated this by contrasting Tess' suffering at Flintcomb Ash with her happiness and fulfillment at Talbothay's Dairy.