the tessay
i wrote this essay on tess of the d'urbervilles kind of as a joke
but i got a 100% on it
which is ridiculous
here it is
it has some typos.
Thomas Hardy:
A Sexual Revolutionary in a Time of Self-Denial
The Victorian Era was one of supreme self-restraint, and of the inability to cope with even a suggestion of sexuality. Thomas Hardy, however, wished to discuss it, and to throw the idea that a strong libido is unnatural out of the window forever. In Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy uses rural innuendos to contradict Victorian society’s declaration that sexuality is taboo and unclean. Hardy asserts that libido a natural human expression through his sensual descriptions. To do this, Hardy uses two wholesome images: nature itself, and the dairy farm in Talbothays. Describing such benign settings using innuendos suggests the sexuality is not the sin that Victorian society would have one believe. Hardy sexualizes such wholesome and unremarkable creatures as cows; this shows his belief that sexuality is no more demonic than the docile dairy cow - or maid for that matter. Also, by comparing it to nature, Hardy is stating that not only is a healthy libido harmless, but it is also completely natural.
Hardy very cleverly used bovines to send a sexual message - it is extremely doubtful that anyone would open declare that they felt the cows were too sexual. By using the dairy, Hardy was able to fill his novel with innuendos, nary a reproachful eye. During Tess’ stay at the dairy farm in Talbothays, Hardy startlingly describes the herd as well as the act of milking in an extremely sexual manner. To do this, Hardy exploits the most feminine part of the cow - her udder. As Hardy describes the various cows, he mentions, “the teats of one or two were as hard as carrots,”(Hardy 121). This simile is an innuendo that references a woman’s breast - specifically a breast with firm, aroused nipples. By describing these cows in an aroused manner shows that the most wholesome of beasts can have an air of sexuality around it - and remain just as wholesome, natural and pure.
In another passage filled with innuendos, Hardy notes that:
“[The cows’] large-veined udders hung ponderous as sandbags, the teats sticking out like the legs of a gypsy’s crock; and as each animal lingered for her turn to arrive the milk oozed forth and fell in drops to the ground.”(106)
Firstly, in describing the udder’s as “large-veined”, Hardy brings the udder reference closer to that of a human breast. A picture of a fair-skinned breast with blue veins showing through the translucent skin is conjured into the readers mind, and for a moment one forgets that it is not a human being described, but a dairy cow. By describing the udder as “ponderous”, the udder is given a sense of largeness. A full-bodied and sensuously curvaceous woman in conjured in the mind of the reader, further sexualizing the image of the bovine. By likening the teats to the legs of a gypsy’s crock, a feeling of mystery is added to the udder. Gypsy’s are associated with secrecy, and the unknown. They are also associated with darkness, and the nighttime. This adds a sense of mystique to the udder, which enhances the eroticism surrounding the cow’s udder. The final part of this passage, which describes the waiting of the cow to be milked, is the key point. Hardy’s description of the anticipation of the cow’s gratification heightens the sexual tension, and the oozing of the milk provides a great deal of innuendo. The oozing of the milk can be taken several ways. Literally, the milk represents motherhood, a product of sexuality. However, if taken as a more sexual suggestion, the milk “oozing forth” could be the gathering of moisture as a woman anticipates her own satisfaction. Also, the oozing milk could be construed as a man’s semen, as milk and semen share a few basic physical similarities. By sexualizing such a benign and unsuspecting creature, Hardy sends the message that sexuality is the norm, and a little libido can do society no harm. Also, by using the cow, this Victorian writer is able to fly under the radar, and get his message to his readers.
Thomas Hardy also uses the act of milking to incorporate innuendo into his novel. On page 150, as Tess milks a cow, Hardy notes that “Tess’ pink hands [moved] so gently as to be a rhythmic pulsation only.” Here, the natural and wholesome act of milking a cow is described much like the act of sex. The use of the word “pink” in this passage adds a lot of sensuality to it - pink is the color of the female genitalia, and thus a very erotic hue. By describing the milking process as “a rhythmic pulsation”, Hardy is very much likening it to intercourse. The repetition of the act, as well as the intimacy involved drips with eroticism. Once again, the author is able to fill a novel of the Victorian era with sexual messages and imagery by utilizing the most low profile of creatures and activities. It is also with this inconspicuousness that sends his message about the human libido - that it is as natural and harmless as the activities of a dairy farm.
Hardy also uses nature imagery in order to impart upon his reader that sexuality is a natural part of the human life, and not something to be shunned, but rather, celebrated. As the happiest sexuality in Tess of the D’Urbervilles occurs in the Var Vale, Hardy describes the valley as a “green trough of sappiness and humidity.”(168) This trough (a long depression) is an innuendo for a woman’s nether parts. Hardy description that it is sappy and humid gives the impression of sexual arousal. The Victorian wordsmith also uses bodies of water in the Vale to convey a sense of sexuality; Hardy describes “the water was not high in the streams, squirting through the weirs, and tinkling into culverts.” The key phrase in this passage is “squirting through the weirs”. The water is pressing against the weirs, or dams, and building up pressure, finally to break through. This forceful action gives the reader a very strong image of sexual release. The word “squirting” in particular reminds one of the moistures associated with the act of sex. The use of water in this passage was an extremely smart choice on Hardy’s part; there is nothing cleaner, or more nourishing than water. It is refreshing, and, religiously, provides spiritual cleansing. By creating an innuendo using water, Hardy is suggesting that sexual release/gratification is comparable to a spiritual cleansing. Hardy also uses moistness in this passage about the Var Vale:
“Amid the oozing fatness and warm ferments of the Var Vale, at a season where the rush of juices could almost be heard below the hiss of fertilization, it was impossible that the most fanciful love should not grow passionate.”(149)
Once again, Hardy uses the word “oozing”, as he did to describe the milk on page 106. This word suggests slowness in movement, and as he uses it, the reader slows down, and begins to savor each word. This slowness suggests the savoring of every sensuous detail. Fatness, once again gives the reader the impression of sensuous curves. In today’s society, these curves are looked over for more slender forms, however in the past women’s rounder shapes were celebrated. The “rush of juices” is similar to the reference of “sappiness”. However, these juices are “rushing”, which suggests quickness, or perhaps the force of release. This “rushing” is therefore an innuendo for the release of sexual pressure, or an orgasm. By suggesting, “it was impossible that the most fanciful love should not grow passionate”, Hardy is saying that is completely natural and acceptable for a person to give in to their libido - in fact, it is unnatural to ignore ones’ desires and deny oneself the natural pleasures of sex.
Hardy, the sexual revolutionary of the Victorian era, uses flora as well as the landscapes to send his message of eroticism to the reader. On page 128, the sunlight “drew forth the buds and stretched them into long stalks, lifted up sap in noiseless streams, opened petals, and sucked out scents in invisible jets and breathings.” Here, the buds elongating into “long stalks” is an innuendo for an erection, while the opening petals are a euphemism for the female genitals. The “jets”, are very similar to the “rushing juices” of the previous passage; they, too, represent a release of sexual energy. Finally, the “breathings” of this passage remind the reader of heavy breath in a sensual moment. All of these innuendos combine to create an extremely sexual and natural setting. Hardy also uses plant life to create his message on page 184, where he notes that “the hazelnuts had remained on the boughs till they slipped from their shells, and the blackberries hung in heavy clusters.” This passage’s eroticism is much more subtle than the last, however its message is just as strong. The hazelnuts are in a way personified by the verb “slipped”. They seem to be like little women slipping from their clothes. The way the blackberries are hanging so heavily makes them seem like breasts, or male genitals. Hardy’s use of plants and nature to create innuendos sends the message to the reader that a healthy sexuality is perfectly natural and acceptable.
In conclusion, Hardy was able to flawlessly able to incorporate his ideas of sexual liberation into Tess of the D’Urbervilles during a time of extreme sexual repression. By using dairy and nature innuendos, society was unsuspecting of the sex underlying his words. His descriptions of nature and life at a dairy farm send the message that sexuality is a completely normal and healthy part of a person’s life, and can be almost a spiritual release. Through his novel, Thomas Hardy said what doubtless many during the Victorian Era thought: how could something bad feel this good?
but i got a 100% on it
which is ridiculous
here it is
it has some typos.
Thomas Hardy:
A Sexual Revolutionary in a Time of Self-Denial
The Victorian Era was one of supreme self-restraint, and of the inability to cope with even a suggestion of sexuality. Thomas Hardy, however, wished to discuss it, and to throw the idea that a strong libido is unnatural out of the window forever. In Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy uses rural innuendos to contradict Victorian society’s declaration that sexuality is taboo and unclean. Hardy asserts that libido a natural human expression through his sensual descriptions. To do this, Hardy uses two wholesome images: nature itself, and the dairy farm in Talbothays. Describing such benign settings using innuendos suggests the sexuality is not the sin that Victorian society would have one believe. Hardy sexualizes such wholesome and unremarkable creatures as cows; this shows his belief that sexuality is no more demonic than the docile dairy cow - or maid for that matter. Also, by comparing it to nature, Hardy is stating that not only is a healthy libido harmless, but it is also completely natural.
Hardy very cleverly used bovines to send a sexual message - it is extremely doubtful that anyone would open declare that they felt the cows were too sexual. By using the dairy, Hardy was able to fill his novel with innuendos, nary a reproachful eye. During Tess’ stay at the dairy farm in Talbothays, Hardy startlingly describes the herd as well as the act of milking in an extremely sexual manner. To do this, Hardy exploits the most feminine part of the cow - her udder. As Hardy describes the various cows, he mentions, “the teats of one or two were as hard as carrots,”(Hardy 121). This simile is an innuendo that references a woman’s breast - specifically a breast with firm, aroused nipples. By describing these cows in an aroused manner shows that the most wholesome of beasts can have an air of sexuality around it - and remain just as wholesome, natural and pure.
In another passage filled with innuendos, Hardy notes that:
“[The cows’] large-veined udders hung ponderous as sandbags, the teats sticking out like the legs of a gypsy’s crock; and as each animal lingered for her turn to arrive the milk oozed forth and fell in drops to the ground.”(106)
Firstly, in describing the udder’s as “large-veined”, Hardy brings the udder reference closer to that of a human breast. A picture of a fair-skinned breast with blue veins showing through the translucent skin is conjured into the readers mind, and for a moment one forgets that it is not a human being described, but a dairy cow. By describing the udder as “ponderous”, the udder is given a sense of largeness. A full-bodied and sensuously curvaceous woman in conjured in the mind of the reader, further sexualizing the image of the bovine. By likening the teats to the legs of a gypsy’s crock, a feeling of mystery is added to the udder. Gypsy’s are associated with secrecy, and the unknown. They are also associated with darkness, and the nighttime. This adds a sense of mystique to the udder, which enhances the eroticism surrounding the cow’s udder. The final part of this passage, which describes the waiting of the cow to be milked, is the key point. Hardy’s description of the anticipation of the cow’s gratification heightens the sexual tension, and the oozing of the milk provides a great deal of innuendo. The oozing of the milk can be taken several ways. Literally, the milk represents motherhood, a product of sexuality. However, if taken as a more sexual suggestion, the milk “oozing forth” could be the gathering of moisture as a woman anticipates her own satisfaction. Also, the oozing milk could be construed as a man’s semen, as milk and semen share a few basic physical similarities. By sexualizing such a benign and unsuspecting creature, Hardy sends the message that sexuality is the norm, and a little libido can do society no harm. Also, by using the cow, this Victorian writer is able to fly under the radar, and get his message to his readers.
Thomas Hardy also uses the act of milking to incorporate innuendo into his novel. On page 150, as Tess milks a cow, Hardy notes that “Tess’ pink hands [moved] so gently as to be a rhythmic pulsation only.” Here, the natural and wholesome act of milking a cow is described much like the act of sex. The use of the word “pink” in this passage adds a lot of sensuality to it - pink is the color of the female genitalia, and thus a very erotic hue. By describing the milking process as “a rhythmic pulsation”, Hardy is very much likening it to intercourse. The repetition of the act, as well as the intimacy involved drips with eroticism. Once again, the author is able to fill a novel of the Victorian era with sexual messages and imagery by utilizing the most low profile of creatures and activities. It is also with this inconspicuousness that sends his message about the human libido - that it is as natural and harmless as the activities of a dairy farm.
Hardy also uses nature imagery in order to impart upon his reader that sexuality is a natural part of the human life, and not something to be shunned, but rather, celebrated. As the happiest sexuality in Tess of the D’Urbervilles occurs in the Var Vale, Hardy describes the valley as a “green trough of sappiness and humidity.”(168) This trough (a long depression) is an innuendo for a woman’s nether parts. Hardy description that it is sappy and humid gives the impression of sexual arousal. The Victorian wordsmith also uses bodies of water in the Vale to convey a sense of sexuality; Hardy describes “the water was not high in the streams, squirting through the weirs, and tinkling into culverts.” The key phrase in this passage is “squirting through the weirs”. The water is pressing against the weirs, or dams, and building up pressure, finally to break through. This forceful action gives the reader a very strong image of sexual release. The word “squirting” in particular reminds one of the moistures associated with the act of sex. The use of water in this passage was an extremely smart choice on Hardy’s part; there is nothing cleaner, or more nourishing than water. It is refreshing, and, religiously, provides spiritual cleansing. By creating an innuendo using water, Hardy is suggesting that sexual release/gratification is comparable to a spiritual cleansing. Hardy also uses moistness in this passage about the Var Vale:
“Amid the oozing fatness and warm ferments of the Var Vale, at a season where the rush of juices could almost be heard below the hiss of fertilization, it was impossible that the most fanciful love should not grow passionate.”(149)
Once again, Hardy uses the word “oozing”, as he did to describe the milk on page 106. This word suggests slowness in movement, and as he uses it, the reader slows down, and begins to savor each word. This slowness suggests the savoring of every sensuous detail. Fatness, once again gives the reader the impression of sensuous curves. In today’s society, these curves are looked over for more slender forms, however in the past women’s rounder shapes were celebrated. The “rush of juices” is similar to the reference of “sappiness”. However, these juices are “rushing”, which suggests quickness, or perhaps the force of release. This “rushing” is therefore an innuendo for the release of sexual pressure, or an orgasm. By suggesting, “it was impossible that the most fanciful love should not grow passionate”, Hardy is saying that is completely natural and acceptable for a person to give in to their libido - in fact, it is unnatural to ignore ones’ desires and deny oneself the natural pleasures of sex.
Hardy, the sexual revolutionary of the Victorian era, uses flora as well as the landscapes to send his message of eroticism to the reader. On page 128, the sunlight “drew forth the buds and stretched them into long stalks, lifted up sap in noiseless streams, opened petals, and sucked out scents in invisible jets and breathings.” Here, the buds elongating into “long stalks” is an innuendo for an erection, while the opening petals are a euphemism for the female genitals. The “jets”, are very similar to the “rushing juices” of the previous passage; they, too, represent a release of sexual energy. Finally, the “breathings” of this passage remind the reader of heavy breath in a sensual moment. All of these innuendos combine to create an extremely sexual and natural setting. Hardy also uses plant life to create his message on page 184, where he notes that “the hazelnuts had remained on the boughs till they slipped from their shells, and the blackberries hung in heavy clusters.” This passage’s eroticism is much more subtle than the last, however its message is just as strong. The hazelnuts are in a way personified by the verb “slipped”. They seem to be like little women slipping from their clothes. The way the blackberries are hanging so heavily makes them seem like breasts, or male genitals. Hardy’s use of plants and nature to create innuendos sends the message to the reader that a healthy sexuality is perfectly natural and acceptable.
In conclusion, Hardy was able to flawlessly able to incorporate his ideas of sexual liberation into Tess of the D’Urbervilles during a time of extreme sexual repression. By using dairy and nature innuendos, society was unsuspecting of the sex underlying his words. His descriptions of nature and life at a dairy farm send the message that sexuality is a completely normal and healthy part of a person’s life, and can be almost a spiritual release. Through his novel, Thomas Hardy said what doubtless many during the Victorian Era thought: how could something bad feel this good?