Women's work as form in the novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy

Abstract

This article discusses how labour relations (specifically female rural labour) in the 19^th century England are manifested in the form of the novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy. By briefly presenting the socio-historical context of this part of society throughout the Victorian Era and taking it as one of the main conditions of the author's production in the creation of Wessex fictional universe, we conclude that the interference of the socio-historical element of the period is evident in the plot composition and in the hero’s characterization. A recurrent external materialization of Tess's feelings and personal anxieties takes place through the establishment of personal relationships and working conditions to which the protagonist is subjected.