In Tess of the d'Urbervilles, heredity governs life. Through the character's narrative voice and responses, Thomas Hardy explains how Tess's “slight recklessness of character inherited from her race” (71) defines her life. More specifically, his parents' traits and family heritage carry over throughout his life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Tess's mental and physical predisposition comes from her parents. First, Tess conveys the physical beauty of Joan Durbeyfield, her mother. Hardy describes Joan as having "the freshness, and even the prettiness of her youth," which is passed on to Tess as her "mother's gift, and therefore inequitable, unhistorical" (12). This passage introduces a dichotomy between Tess's appearance and her social status. In many ways, her beauty implies her own nobility, attracting respectable men. However, despite her outward elegance, she never overcame her status as a servant during her lifetime, remaining like her mother. Hardy calls her beauty "wicked", emphasizing Tess's normality in society. Overall, Tess is ordinary and unimportant, mainly due to her class. The voice in this passage implies that Joan is behaving like a lower-class woman, describing her as "unhistorical." Her simplicity shines through in this passage, making Joan's character unforgettable and unimportant to the world. Tess's beauty affects many people. Hardy focuses a lot on the impact of his eyes. For example, Tess’s “flash of reproach in [her] dark eyes” (18) prompts her parents to leave the bar. His gaze makes them feel certain emotions, keeping them away from the bar, in the same way that a look at the d'Urberville portraits will keep Angel away from the wedding. Throughout the novel, the reader finds similar instances where Tess speaks through physical expressions rather than words. These eyes also trigger a dramatic response from Alec d'Urberville when they meet again after his moral conversion. Tess, who was quite unconscious of his action and his appearance, instantly withdrew the gaze from his eyes... he revived in her the miserable feeling which had often come to her before, that by inhabiting the carnal tabernacle whose nature had endowed her, she was somehow doing harm. (243) The narrative voice of this passage reaffirms the impact of Tess's heredity on her life. She carries a burden with her appearance, manipulating them with shame as she unwittingly tempts Alec. It is his appearance that controls rather than his reason. His unconscious gaze transforms Alec into an obsessive man who follows Tess across the country. The power of his appearance drives Alec until his death. Tess's "charms and manners" (244) extend beyond her appearance, integrating into her supernatural outlook on life. Joan and Tess share a mystical view of the world. A fantastical force rules Joan's spiritual life, as she relies on a book of divination for insight. Tess continues this superstitious and visionary nature. She is concerned with the deterministic implications of bad omens. For example, after leaving Trantridge for the first time, she finds a rose thorn in her chest. “Tess was steeped in prefigurative imaginings and superstitions: she thought it was a bad omen – the first she had noticed that day” (32). She develops a negative inclination towards Alec after their first meeting, and her intuition proves true, as their meeting ultimately leads to her downfall. It also draws attention to one's mental connection with the future. She feels strange around Alec, but she doesn't understandexactly how to interpret his feelings. She develops her self-awareness over the course of the novel, and she foresees her own death at the end. She prepares for this by wishing that Angel would marry her sister and thus preserve her legacy in their minds. Tess also exhibits characteristics found in her father, Jack.Durbeyfield. Jack's reputation as the town drunk colors others' opinions and overshadows his positive qualities. However, Hardy goes into detail about Jack's compassion for the living. For example, he decides to give Prince, his old horse who died suddenly, an honorable burial for his devoted services: “He served me well during his lifetime, and I will not part with him now” (23). He treats the animal as a partner, enjoying the years of useful work. This sober interaction with the horse helps the reader infer his intentions with those he loves. The narrative voice doesn't give much detail about Jack's temperate state, but his love for Prince supports the idea that he wants what's best for his family, especially Tess. This scene of natural respect occurs in the same way in Tess. While visiting Angel's parents, Tess encounters a group of injured pheasants. His reaction is born from his inner compassion. “With the impulse of a soul who could feel as much for those close to her as for herself…with her own hands she broke the necks of everyone she could find” (219). Rather than leaving injured birds indifferent, she extinguishes their pain. Hardy's simplistic style makes this scene both gruesome and redemptive. He eliminates the violent descriptions to add tenderness to their deaths. Heredity acts like destiny in Tess's life; however, in this scene she forgets her misfortune and shows compassion as she controls the fate of the birds by mercifully relieving their suffering. Tess speaks deeply in the novel, setting her apart from the other handmaids. She demonstrates a brilliant and innate education of thought but clearly lacks common sense in relation to humanity. This aspect mainly concerns his young age and not his learning abilities. Hardy describes his father, Jack, as "unemotional", but he demonstrates a thoughtful thought process. In one scene, Joan encourages Tess to pursue a job with Alec d'Urberville. Jack comments sardonically on Alec's character when he dreamily mutters "maybe to show off his diamond ring" (33). Her father notices Alec's artificiality, foreshadowing how he lures Tess with his material power. Also, his “attitude of neutrality” (34) shows readers that Joan is in control of every situation, because he gives in to her ideas, just like Tess. He loves his daughter and knows the danger that Alec represents, but the decision for him to leave is entirely Joan's. The final aspect of heredity that has a major impact on Tess is the inheritance of her d'Urberville name. Early in the novel, Jack Durbeyfield discovers information that traces his family back to a great lineage. This prospect gives the Durbeyfields hope for social advancement, putting pressure on Tess to take advantage of their lineage. Tess, however, naturally acts nobly. Even before the discovery of her name, Tess stands out from other rural women by her presence and her thoughts. She pretends that she is just a peasant on the outside, when she is naturally an intellectual and virtuous woman. Two dramatic life-changing events occur because of Tess's noble lineage: the affair with Alec d'Urberville and the separation from Angel Clare. The incident with Alec d'Urberville takes place when Tess goes to his estate to ask for relatives and help her family. . Tess's interaction with Alec during the first part of her., 1991