Thomas Hardy's attitude towards his heroines

[Wind&Sand]

Anybody here has interest in Thomas Hardy and his characterization of his female characters?

[Scheherazade]

If you are more specific, Wind&Sand, I am sure there will be many members who would like to discuss Hardy.

Welcome to the Forum!

[EAP]

Some of them were pretty mean *****es, I felt. And pigheaded to boot.

How'se that for a generalization?

(Yes Cynthia (or whatever her name is from return of the native) and Tess, I am pointing at ye! )

[Wind@Sand]

EAP: it's a modern bias upon these female characters, also an overgeneralization.
It's Eustacia in The Return of Native.

[EAP]

bias of what sort?

How can a statement be an overgeneralization when it has already been reported as a generalization, albeit a tongue-in-check one?

[rodanho]

I have only read Tess and may have only a glimpse of the characterization of Hardy. But I think the heroine of that book is a little bit ideal. She was innocent, naive and had a strong feeling of responsibility towards her family,and the distruction of such a charater is more touching and appalling. That may be the motives of Hardy to create an ideal heroine.

[subterranean]

From Tess and Jude, I see women who personalized themselves, acted, and thought contradictively with values in their era, then eventually became victims of society/desire.

EAP: The Piper in your sig somehow makes me think bout The Piper at The Gates of Dawn

[Adelheid]

I didn't really like the way Hardy portrays his heroines. particularly in the Mayor of Casterbridge. Its is rather sad how Elizabeth turns against her "father". But then I guess, like Dickens, he must be trying to bring out some parts of reality in life. It's just hard to read about it and long for a different ending....

[Wind&Sand]

The purity of Tess is always controvertial ever since. So, as some think Hardy tries to idealize her, some may hold the idea against them.

[dilipbarad]

Hardy redefines the role of women in his novels, focusing on sexuality. By emphasizing the physical aspect of femininity in his unorthodox representation of the sexual female, Hardy threatens the Victorian model of women. Sexuality is evident in Far From The Madding Crowd when Bathsheba unknowingly admits her passion to Sergeant Troy. "If you can only fight half as winningly as you can talk, you are able to make a pleasure of a bayonet wound!" Bathsheba realizes her impulsive expression of sexuality and when she attempts "to retrieve it," she makes the situation worse claiming, "Don't however, suppose that I derive any pleasure from what you tell me"(chapter xxvi). Allowing Bathsheba to disclose her sexuality, Hardy begins to emphasize the sexual qualities of his female character. In redefining the female, Hardy's passionate heroines display characteristics previously found only in male characters.

[dilipbarad]

One of the things I will try to show in my work is that human nature is very complex, and individuals do not always behave consistently, nor can they be reduced to simple terms. So, rather than being 'strong or weak', many of Hardy’s women characters (and the men too, for that matter) are a mixture of strength and weakness.
For example, of Bathsheba in Far from the Madding Crowd has amazing courage in taking on the running of the farm, dealing with her male employees, and entering the all-male territory of the corn exchange.
But she shows weakness in yielding to the tawdry glamour of Sergeant Troy, and immaturity in sending the valentine to Farmer Boldwood with so little thought of the possible consequences.
Tess is less obviously a strong character than Bathsheba, but she has her own kind of strength. She ''baptizes'' her dying baby and confronts the parson with her concern for its eternal welfare. She suffers Angel's rejection of her, and the grueling work at Flintcomb-Ash, without a word of complaint. And in a different way the killing of Alec demands strength of mind and will: a really weak woman could not have done it.

Tess is certainly a ''victim'' - but surely she is also a ''heroine''. If a hero or heroine is someone we can admire, even someone who enlarges our conception of what humanity is capable of, then one could argue that Tess has these qualities.

[Talus Scree]

How do you pronounce the name Thomasin, from our current family reading, The Return of the Native? My daughter says, Tomm-uh-sin; I sayTomm-uh-seen. Thanks

[downing]

I like Eustacia from ,,The Return of the native''

[Mark Titus]

How do you pronounce the name Thomasin, from our current family reading, The Return of the Native? My daughter says, Tomm-uh-sin; I sayTomm-uh-seen. Thanks

Tomm-uh-sin

I like Eustacia from ,,The Return of the native''

I hate her..

[mingdamerciless]

Hey Mark Titus
so . . . any reasons for your hatred of her???