Tess of the d'Urbervilles Chapter 35

Tess's story drastically changes the way that Angel feels about her. He feels that he's not even with the same woman he loved because she does not truly exist. He thinks she is manipulative because she did not tell him of her history before they were married. She offers to do whatever he wants her to do and he says, "You are very good. But it strikes me that there is a want of harmony between your present mood of self-sacrifice and your past mood of self-preservation." Chapter 35, pg. 226 Angel blames her lack of morals on her heritage and upbringing, and although he acknowledges that Alec took advantage of her, he still thinks less of her. Tess, in desperation to please him, offers to drown herself or be his servant, his slave, anything, but nothing works to console him because he was in love with his image of her and not herself.

Topic Tracking: Sacrifice 9