Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Name
I found that the first few pages created a foreshadowing of Tess' downfall. As the parson and Derbyfield speak, the importance of history and names is discussed. This conversation highlights the great past that was perhaps Derbyfield’s heritage and yet how it has become fairly meaningless in terms of its affects on Derbyfield's life. What can be seen as the foreshadowing in this section is how the importance of a family name and it's history, a history dominated by males. The idea that Derbyfield was also descended from knights is also interesting because knights are associated with rescuing the virgin maiden from some horrible fate. Here however no one rescues Tess.
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Working on what Sofia has said, the opening scene is very significant. What is also interesting about the name, is that it is French. With the longstanding uneasy relationship between England and Britain, it's amusing that Derbyfield so readily takes up the name. It is as if he is in such need of any kind of fortune that he forgoes any sort of national pride and takes on the French name.
What I also noticed was how the smallest detail depicted what sort of financial state Derbyfield is and has put his family in. He is walking with an empty egg basket - this signifies that he has nothing to bring home to his family and as we learn later that as he is a friend to the pint, he probably already spent the money on drinks.
What I also noticed from these opening lines was that the parson is cruelly poking fun at Jack Durbeyfield. It is mentioned that his hat is worn where he holds on to it to take it off. This can only be done if he is paying respect to those of a higher class. The parson realizes only after he departs from a soon-to-be-celebrating Jack Durbeyfield that what he has done may not have been the wisest idea. To tease him like this is mean and the idea that comes from this leads to Tess' downfall.
Jack Durbeyfield is intent on having Tess reunite with the remaining part of the D'Uberville family. What she walks into is not the fairytale image of wealthy and kind higher-class family who will take her and her family in, but a predator - Alec.
All in all what really amazes me is how much can be taken out of such a few short lines.
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