Agriculture and Industrial Revolution in Tess of the

D’Urbervilles.

By Kaynat, Resna, Hannah and Chloe.

The Historical context of ‘Tess

of the D’Urbervilles’.

Hardy lived during a period of

agricultural change.

England’s economy changed from an agricultural based one to an industry based economy. Tess of the D’Urbervilles was published during the IR – (1750-1900).

And so we can see how Hardy presented his views.

Industry was changing.

From employing labourers.

To using machines.

The social context of Tess

of the D’Urbervilles.

England was rapidly changing from an agricultural society.

To one that produced many goods.

People stopped living in the countryside to large cities.

Since factories had replaced workshops, the people had to move.

Agriculture and industrial

societies during Hardy’s lifetime.

Many AGRICULTURAL societies comprised of FEMALES.

Most jobs available were milking which was mainly done by women.

The few males present would milk and churn butter as it was ‘too hard’ for females at that time.

The INDUSTRIAL societies had more MEN than women.

So women lived agriculturally (like Tess) and males lived more industrially (like Alec).

How agriculture and Industrial

change influenced Hardy to create

certain aspects of the characters Tess

and Alec.

Alec represents modern industry and Tess represents the agricultural way of life.

Tess is also poor comparing to Alec who is rich.

Which implies how living the industrial way of life will mean being wealthier (like Alec) and vice versa.

Tess worked in a farming industry, just like the women of the period lived agriculturally.

Men worked in the towns and in factories, just like Alec went to London for work.

How industrialism is

symbolically presented in Tess

of the D’Urbervilles.

Hardy uses Tess and Alec to illustrate the effects of industry on agriculture.

Alec made Tess impure.

Which symbolises how the industry made the atmosphere dirty and impure too.

Tess was compelled to marry Alec.

Which symbolises the way that farmers were forced to move to the cities.

Thank you for watching!