symbolizm in tess of the d`urberville?

[africana]

thanks for advice!

[manarbzu]

hey africana
am having the same problem with the allusions in tes of the durbervilles
as for symbolism
em......re-read the story..u'll find it once u go over the things u passed by quickly
goodluck

[antonia1990]

Many of my teachers say that Stonehenge can be considered a symbol, because of its description featured near the end of the book. I can't remember what exactly it symbolizes, though.....

[kiki1982]

I have noticed sme parallels between card-laying and Tess...

In the beginning, the women's club with their wands could stand for 10 of wands which signifies responsibility, extra tasks, charges...
Also the wand that Tess has in her hand could stand for an ace of wands which signifies an undertaking of some kind.
She could also be herself a queen of wands who signifies a trip of some kind, a mother figure... Usually a pretty, creative and undertaking girl.
The two sisters 'queen of diamonds' and the 'queen of spades' could, the two of them stand for looming deceit and arguments... Which does happen shortly after. The queen of spades, or swords in Tarot stands for a dark female (mostly) who is very clever, can harm people, thinks a lot and usues those thoughts, but sometimes in a negative way. A queen of diamonds or pentacles more cares about money and earthly possessions, but is also a down-to-earth person who exactly knows what the world is like, hence her favouritism with Alec, but also the fact that she doesn't get depressed by it.
The 'chinaman's queue' of treacle (black sirup) could stand for an ace of swords reversed (literally the form of it as described by Hardy!) that signifies an unstoppable force of problems, bad things etc. (Straight afterwards Tess will be raped after the argument with the queen of spades/swords and Alec already follows on his horse).
The ace of pentacles or diamonds which signifies financial improvement occurs when Izz and Marian write to Angel asking him to look at his wife because 'a stone can be worn out - even a diamond'. It occurs just at the time Tess is harassed by Alec and turned out of the cottage... Afterwards she goes to live with Alec and her financial situation indeed improves...
The ace of hearts/cups that signifies love and good times literally occurs when Tess stabs Alec and the blood leaks through the ceiling. Indeed, Tess and Angel will have a honeymoon while fleeing for the police.
Stonehenge could have something to do with the whole headen theme. Human sacrifice, as it were, that Tess seems to be. Other than that it could be the 10 of swords which signifies total end in a bad way. After that Tess is hanged (?) in prison... Although actually Stonehenge doesn't look like a bunch of swords sticking out of the ground...

In the beginning of the book 'the little fortune teller' occurs, a book that her mother took from the outhouse in order to predict Tess's future with Mr d'Urberville... So it could be that Hardy knew something about that. It seems to be so anyway. I wasn't inclined to believe it in the beginning but the coincidences really were too right to be accidental...
There should be more clues in it somewhere but for that you should really read the book again...

[kelby_lake]

Many of my teachers say that Stonehenge can be considered a symbol, because of its description featured near the end of the book. I can't remember what exactly it symbolizes, though.....

It symbolises paganism.

The portraits of the D'Ubervilles in Tess's married house symbolise the D'Urberville grip over her. The D'Urberville name and anything relating to it symbolises depraved aristocracy and the "fall of a house" similar to that in Greek tragedy.

[kelby_lake]

In the beginning of the book 'the little fortune teller' occurs, a book that her mother took from the outhouse in order to predict Tess's future with Mr d'Urberville... So it could be that Hardy knew something about that. It seems to be so anyway. I wasn't inclined to believe it in the beginning but the coincidences really were too right to be accidental...
There should be more clues in it somewhere but for that you should really read the book again...

This is really interesting. Superstition and mysticism play a little part in Far From The Madding Crowd and Jude. I suppose it contrasts with formal Christianity.