Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles: A Derby of Fate and Destiny

Thomas Hardy’s approach towards life is marked with a fervent tone of destiny. He gave destiny as the lead role in this novel where he projected man as a powerless creature, a mere puppet with its strings in the hands of destiny. Man in Hardy’s novels is not allowed to have his own will. Hardy believed that there is a wicked power, which rules the world, conquering every effort of man to improve his fortune and to find joy. The present novel shows that destiny is hostile to human pleasure and plays with man in order to bring his ultimate fall. As a result of this a tone of melancholy runs through the novel. The main character of the novel, Tess who has moved the readers with her charm, purity and beauty will be seen fighting against her misfortunes which will ultimately lead to her tragic death. There are many factors that will contribute to Tess’s tragic end where destiny is the prime one. She is not permitted to choose the path of her life as obstructions and weaknesses prevent all her hopes and ambitions.