??? HOW FAR DO YOU FEEL THAT TESS IS A VICTIM OF FATE??™??? Tess Durbeyfield at this time of her life was a mere vessel of emotion untinctured by experience.
??™Fatalism is defined as ??? the doctrine that all things take place by inevitable necessity.??? Fatalism is the idea that all actions are controlled by fate, a primitive force that exists independent of human wills and outside of the controls of power of a supreme being. In Thomas hardy??™s Tess of the D??™Urbervilles, were introduced to Tess, a young women described as being ??? untinctured by experience??? it becomes apparent that she is constantly rendered defenseless against fate. Regardless of where she wanders, the forces of fatalism seem to always be present, her ideals and sense of individuality are continuously tested which leads to the decline of her flourishing innocence due to unpleasant events taking place. There are three coincidences that play the most important roles in the outcome of the novel. The first one is the tragic death of Prince, the Durbeyfield horse.
If this had not happened, Tess would not have had to go to the DUrbervilles and she would not have been raped/abused by Alec and she would not have had any problems with society or in her marriage with Angel Clare. The second important coincidence is that Tess meets Angel again at Talbothays dairy. Without this meeting she would not have fallen in love, she would not have being so honest and told him about his past, she would not have become the silent, depressed girl she became after Angel left her. Third, if she would not have met Alec again while he was preaching, she would have never gone back to him and she would not have killed him, so it would not have cost her life. Once Tess??™s father came back home drunk, the next morning he had to deliver beehives to the market but his condition made it impossible to deliver them to the market. On this account Tess set out with his brother on the journey to deliver the beehives in time.
During the journey, Tess fell asleep, and the horse that was leading their cart collided with a mail-cart, and got fatally injured. Hence, Tess fell victim to fate as she was totally defenseless in all that happened. ??? The pointed shaft of the cart had entered the breast of the unhappy Prince like a sword, and from the wound his life??™s blood was spouting in a stream, and falling with a hiss into the road??? ??? Then she stood helplessly looking on. Prince also stood firm and motionless as long as he could; till he suddenly sank down in a heap.??? Princes death causes circumstances to change especially for Tess; she feels shes responsible because the horse died on her watch and so therefore she feels guilty: ??? No excuse for me??” none.
What will mother and father live on now??? As a consequence of the loss of the family horse and the feeling of guilt that made her think she was responsible for all that happened, Tess decided to set out to earn something in order to obtain money for her family. ??? Well, as I killed the horse, mother,??™ she said mournfully,??™ I suppose I ought to do something??¦??¦??? In her choice to opt to earn for the family she went in search of ancient family connections in the hope of securing a job. There at Tantridge, fate led her to meet Alec DUrberville. Tess is not only a victim of fate but also a victim of Self-deprecation; this is what ultimately leads to her falling into the crouches of fate. In Paula Alida Roy??™s ??? Agent or Victim??™ she states what she believes to be Tess??™s downfall, her naivety. Although she is quite clearly victimized by the men in the novel, does she allow it to happen Could she have saved herself