Love and Social Power in the Novel “Tess of the D’Urbervilles”

Abstract

Th is paper analyses the relations of love and social power in the novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles. Through the stories of the main characters we point out the most important aspects of social power and its victory over the principle of love. This victory destroys all attempts of the characters to try to find existence in the external world. Love is defeated by a false Victorian society moral code, thus causing uncertainty on a spiritual level, which creates a rich psychological layer within this novel.