An Interpretation Of The Inevitability Of Tess’ Tragic Fate From The Perspective Of Ecofeminism

Thomas Hardy is the most outstanding British realistic novelist and poet, and he has made great contribution to the further development of literary history. In his life, most of the works are connected with his hometown Dorset; as a result, Hardy’s novels can be named as "character and environment" and he deeply expresses his concern for nature. Thomas Hardy creates many famous works in his life, including the novels and poems; for example, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Return of the Native, Jude of the Obscure and The Mayor of Casterbridge and so on. Woman and nature are two inspirations of creation in Hardy’s writings; he thinks that woman and nature are close to each other. In his works, Hardy combines the sympathy for the woman with the attention to nature closely. In this thesis, based on Hardy’s famous novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, it’ll interpret the text from the new type of literary theory ecofeminism; this thesis mainly explores some factors that cause the inevitability of Tess’ tragic fate. It’ll interpret the tragedy of woman and nature from the perspective of ecofeminism, and fight against the patriarchal oppression and exploitation.This thesis will introduce the contents from the following chapters. In the first chapter, it mainly can be divided into three parts; firstly, it’ll introduce Thomas Hardy and his work Tess of the D’Urbervilles, including the background of the novel; secondly, it’ll introduce the features and innovations of this thesis; thirdly, the thesis makes the literature review which involves in the study of Hardy, the researches of Tess of the D’Urbervilles and the interpretation of Tess of the D’Urbervilles from the aspect of ecofeminism. In the second chapter, the thesis will introduce the theory of ecofeminism, including the concept, the development and the main point of view of it. In the third chapter, it’ll reflect Hardy’s awakening of the female and the ecological consciousness through interpreting the concept of his view of women and nature. In the fourth chapter, it’ll use the theory of ecofeminism to interpret some factors that make the inevitability of Tess’ tragic fate to some extent. It can be divided into three factors, the tragedy of woman and nature, the human factor and social environment factor.In the fifth chapter, the thesis uses the theory of ecofeminism to interpret the inevitability of Tess’ tragic fate, and it has the significance to the society to some extent. As a consequence, we need to build a harmonious society, women are equal with men in that society, and human beings are in harmony with nature.