德伯家的苔丝《The Daughter of Nature》

Tess of the D’Urbervilles is one of Hardy’s finest novels . From the novel we can get to know the story of Tess the daughter of nature. In the Victorian period a poor farmer Tess’ father send Tess to a so-called relative’s home who is pretty rich. Alec D’Urberville is delighted to meet his beautiful cousin and he seduces her with strawberries and roses. After that Tess is pregnant and gives birth to a baby who dies soon. Then Tess begins to work as a milkmaid and she meets her true love Angel Clare. However Tess is deserted by Angel because her relation with Alec. Meeting Alec again Tess kills him. Tess and Angel spend one night of happiness together before she is arrested.

While I was reading Tess of the D’Urbervilles I was really impressed by the beautiful and original natural environment. As with all Hardy’s great novels Tess reflects his love of the Wessex countryside and he describes its geography and people clearly and faithfully. And in my opinion Tess is just like the beautiful and original environment she is so pretty and honest she is the daughter of nature.

In the novel there are many words or sentences that describe the beautiful natural environment. For example “This fertile and sheltered tract of country in which the fields are never brown and the springs never dry is bounded on the south by the bold chalk ridge that embraces the prominences of Hambledon Hill Bulbarrow Nettlecombe-Tout Dogbury High Stoy and Bubb Down……Behind him the hills are open the sun blazes down upon fields so large as to give an unenclosed character to the landscape the lanes are white the hedges low and plashed the atmosphere colorless.” How fantastic the scenery is! When I’m reading the words I don’t think they are merely words on the contrary it seems that I’m appreciating a wonderful painting an excellent artwork as if I was in the fields by the springs and had breathed the clean and fresh air.

Just like the natural environment Tess is as pure as the nature as clean and honest as the nature. She grows up in such a unsophisticated environment the air she breathes is so fresh the water she drinks is so clean the people she lives with are so honest……everything around her brave and honest. Although she was seduced by a so-called gentleman—Alec and from then on her life totally changed from this loss of innocence. People looked down on her and respected her no more she didn’t lose the faith of life. She worked harder than before she enjoyed the beautiful nature around her and finally she found her real lover. Although in the end Tess was put to death I really appreciate her courage to chase love and life. This is her valuable natural instinct. Just as what Clare said “What a fresh and virginal daughter of Nature that milkmaid is!” Yes Tess is the daughter of nature. From her we find the kindness and honesty of human beings which are just what we need today.

Tess the fresh and virginal daughter of Nature with the beautiful natural environment will live in my mind forever.