IN DEPTH BOOK REVIEW Tess of the durbevilles Classic Books Explained 

I'm a bit late to the party (having only relatively recently discovered your channel and am slowly working my way through your superb videos) but I have to say this is one of the best, and most passionate, discussions of 'Tess' that I've come across. Thank you for sharing - it most definitely deserves wider circulation.

This book is very special to me. In some ways, it affected the course of my own life. I even wrote a song about it, called "Forever Yours" which concentrated on when Tess had been abandoned by Angel, yet she loves him and yearns for him to return to her. What broke me was, when she asked Angel if they would meet again in heaven, he couldn't answer her, he only kissed her instead of replying. She said, "I fear that means no!" and she had such faith and respect for Angel's opinion that she believed him, against her own faith, and all the teachings of the church throughout her life.

I remember Thomas Hardy because in high school I took on his books and his themes as my topic. My teacher told me with my temperament she would advise me to choose another author. She was probably right because after reading Jude the Obscure, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and one other I cannot remember, plus Cakes and Ale by Somerset Maugham because she said it was a shadow of Hardy's life. I was depressed after writing that paper. It was my twelfth grade paper and counted a third of my grade. I must have done alright because the only thing I remember is the bout of depression that followed it. I don't think you are really interested in all that but I just wanted to say thank you for your in depth reviews. It gives me a chance to relive my teens back in the dark ages 60 years ago. So, thank you. I truly enjoy your posts.

I read "Tess" as a freshman in high school. I thought of her as my big sister, my mentor, my cautionary tale, my spiritual superior. She remained so lofty in her degradation and I was so imbued with her by the end that I had no trouble understanding the symbolism of her sacrifice, an aspect lost on the other kids. I remember being very cross with my cousin when he fired off some harsh modern criticism of the novel and of Hardy's treatment of his heroines generally. I suppose it's a case of the right book at the right time, but even now Tess occupies for me a category all her own.

Thank you Tristan, that was a brilliant and illuminating review of Tess, such a wonderful book. Tears streaming at the injustices doled out to "pure" Tess and the courage with which she carried on until the end. It's no wonder that Thomas Hardy had such a tussle between the church and humanism, the innocent suffer as much, maybe more (certainly in Tess's case) than the guilty and hypocritical; why, why, why? As true now as it has ever been.........

These feel kind of like a nice podcast that I can either have on while I do something else or just sit and watch. I hope the amount of content you’ve planned doesn’t burn you out. =)

I just finished Tess of the D'Ubervilles. I agree with your synopsis and wish I had formulated the thoughts while reading the book. One thing that struck me throughout the book was Hardy's unique style of foreshadowing pivotal events in the book by matching the event with contrasts in nature of light/dark; warm/cold, positive negative. Excellent video.

I'd never read this book before, but I think I will now. The part with the slug slime and madder stains, the description that I found weirdly pleasant. The idea that "Society makes people appear ugly when all they are is natural." I felt a tingling in my limbs and a prick of tears.

Wow! This is perhaps the best explanation of this novel I've heard. Listening to others who have reviewed the novel, all I came away with is that the story is very, very sad. Tristan, you have done a brilliant job at going deeper, beyond the low hanging fruit to share with us the philosophical and theological issues juxtaposed upon the story by Hardy. The analysis of the two worldviews is very clear-eyed. It's very smart. You made me feel the struggle of the author, and as I was considering the quintessential issue of evil in the world, one thought came to my mind: "Come to Me..." as in Matthew 11: 28-30. I am new to Thomas Hardy, but thanks to you, I picked up a beautiful edition of "Far From the Madding Crowd" a couple of days ago, and I couldn't be happier at discovering Hardy's style; it is a large Technicolor screen with surround sound to boot! My eyes were filled with the specialness of Norcombe Hill and its particular features, and I was absolutely taken in my mind to that place that incited me to "stand and listen, and learn how the trees on the right and the trees on the left wailed or chaunted to each other in regular antiphonies of a cathedral choir...the hurrying gusts then plunged into the south, to be heard no more." This reminded me of the best explanation of the wind, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes..." I don't know whether Hardy meant to be so ethereal, or whether in my personal first-time reading it is the resonance of the Book of books. I am so looking forward to reading Tess of the D'Ubervilles. :)

“In this book we find an author in inner turmoil.” YES! thank you for putting into words what i was feeling. I wrote the following in a review on Audible after I finished my inaugural reading of Tess: “Hardy’s writing is superb. He pulls you in with exquisite settings, moving characterizations, and interesting plot lines, yet I’m left a bit confused as to his point. Is this a story about the plight of women? Is it a didactic tale aimed against religion or the aristocracy? It feels a bit all over the place…like he’s mad at the world and can’t decide where to aim his criticism….I’m glad I persevered through this novel for it has left me with more questions than answers and I believe that is the mark of good writing, regardless of whether or not I agree with the worldview.” Your analysis succinctly put into words all the thoughts swirling in my mind while reading this book. I feel like you have held my hand and walked me through the book pointing to specific examples to support your excellent analysis and it was extremely helpful to this first time Tess reader. Cheers from Texas.

Wonderful,I love the way you explain your understanding. Thank you.

Thank you for skillfully but gently opening these important and great thoughts!

Enjoyed this discussion, I just finished the book. Appreciated you highlighting the religion vs humanism thread in the novel. I picked up on it but liked how you filled in the backstory of Hardy's life and how he wrestled with these ideas which were exemplefied by characters. I just downloaded Return of the Native as I really am enjoying Hardy's books so far.

Thank you. I had this saved and immediately watched after I finished. I enjoy your perspective. You brought so much to point for me. Thank you

Wow, that was awesome! Excellent analysis of an excellent book. Alex's treatment of Tess after he convert to the church, even Angel who originally planned on moving to CoE Australia, actually moved to Catholic Brazil; there are so many more examples where I can see your argument. Love analysis like this. Will have to check out some of your other videos when it's not almost midnight. 🙂

25:30 Tess at this point had already found out that Angel has not read the letter as at the breakfast when Angel was still having the breakfast with others (I can't recall exactly where he was but most probably he was down at dining) Tess searched the room and found the letter that has not touched Clare's hands. She takes it with her back.

Thank you for a great lecture. I haven’t read Tess of the D’Ubervilles yet but I’m going to read it soon. You have given me some useful tools to interpret and understand it

This was a fantastic video! So appreciated! I just finished the book and had so many thoughts and really needed to break it down which you’ve done excellently. You gave it so much depth and much more credit than I did so thank you for broadening my mind!

I recently found your channel and I am so glad that I did. I believe this is the best review of Tess I have ever heard. I am about to embark on Return of the Native, hoping to enjoy it as much as I did Tess. Thank you for your fantastic analysis and for your channel!

Thank you for the review it help me a lot.

great video! I honestly hated reading this book, but your perspective certainly made me appreciate it a lot more

Great stuff. Thank you for doing these videos.

I have just finished the book for my novel course in uni, and although I initially did not like this novel, I understand it better with your notes thank you 😀

Well now, I want to read Tess again 😁 Thanks Tristan !

this was an amazing analysis 👏🏾👏🏾

I hope u continue to do more in depth videos on other classics too...thanku for this video it helped me to understand it better.

Hi Tristan! I was saving this video for when I have read the novel. Thanks so much for making this video. You explain it very well and made me appreciate it more.

What a wonderful analysis. Thank you.

Bloody good work sir, this has been extremely interesting and informative. Thank you for your efforts

I read this in high school. The first couple chapters were hard to get through - i put it down and came bqck and restarted it at least 3 times before getting through those first couple chapters. Once i got past that initial hump i couldnt put it down!

This video is amazing ! I have an exam on Tess this afternoon I hope this will help me !! Thank you :)

Loved the video!

Thank you for this wonderfully articulated video Tristan! :)

Your vids are so underrated!

Fantastic analysis. Thank you very much

After watching your analysis on “the Mayor of Casterbridge” I had to watch this one too

❤️Thanks Sir

This is the fourth time I've listened to this remarkable lecture

'A good author or a great one at that makes a good argument on both the sides' - what u said is so true that just stamps Dostoevsky as on of the greats in his presentation of reason and faith arguments in Brothers karamazov, especially, in The Grand inquisitor

This is brilliant

Loved this!!!

One of the books for 'O' Level Eng.Lit was Far From The Maddening Crowd , then one of the books for 'A' Level Eng Lot was Tess of the D'Urbervilles....in all honesty I did not like Hardy ! All I remember is one line and not sure from which of the two books it comes from: "....she was more sinned against than sinning" ! Now that doesn't say that Hardy put me off but I became a medic ! Say my Biology, Chemistry and Physics; yes, ended up with 4 A !levels thanks to Hardy 😊 My tbr 2024 will now have to include both these books because I want to know why I didn't like them even though I liked reading his poems (a few years later). Help ! Looking at my tbr list , I am shocked that there isn't a sing book less than 450 pages....well, "brick books" and Thomas might end up giving me eyestrain and probably a nervous breakdown as an extra 😂😂 All the Best and thanks (hem,hem) for reminding me of TH 😊

When you think of a "natural woman" in a "garden" in a "book about God," who do you think about? I think about Eve. And here we have Tess (the natural woman) in an untended garden - a garden where God is not in his world, and all is not right with the garden (world); it is overgrown by grasses and weeds, full of slug slime and snails with cracked shells. Keep in mind that another Angel that Eve meets in the Garden is Lucifer (a fallen angel) who, like Angel Clare, is a bit disgruntled with God's teachings as well (and has 'left the Church [left Heaven for Hell]).

I think Hardy was in love with Tess himself❤

Excellent video 👍🏿

I was turned on at uni as an English and drama student when I dared to say that Alec wasn't 100% evil.

If your eyes are neither blue, nor brown, nor grey, nor lilac, then they are likely to be either Hazel or Green. Since some Hazel eyes appear 'brown', some appear 'grey', some appear 'blueish', and some appear greenish' (and since Hardy has ruled out brown, blue, grey and lilac) it is much more likely that Tess's eyes are Green than any other color. [Per Wikipedia: What are the 5 most common eye colors? Brown eyes: 45% Blue eyes: 27% Hazel eyes: 18% Green eyes: 9% Other eye colors: 1%]. "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." - Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Note: Per Wikipedia: The green-eyed monster is jealousy “Carl has really been bitten by the green-eyed monster; he gets jealous if his wife so much as talks to another man.” This metaphor was coined by William Shakespeare in his play Othello. [N.B. Nastassja Kinski's eyes are green]. Angel is stricken by Jealousy when Tess reveals her past to him.

Thomas Hardy is so much better than Tolstoy. Tess is so much more interesting and human than Anna Karenina. I cried bitterly at the end of the book. One very important theme in Hardy is the failure of masculinity. Angel is a failed male.

30:31 It's Angel.

How would I loved that this poor author had the chance to speak whit Albert Camu and his idea of revelion against the absurd of life