Contrary to Roland Barthes' post-structuralist theory of The Death of the Author, the context of Hardy's background is extremely relevant when critical evaluation of one of his novels. . D'Urberville's Tess is saturated with examinations of the class issues of her contemporary society. It is clear that he possesses a strong sense of moral worth towards the rural classes and Tess's own class issues ultimately determine his downfall. Most of Hardy's novels are very typical in their depiction of the people, lifestyles, moral constructs, and personal dilemmas of his contemporary society, especially regarding class conflicts. This essay aims to discuss Hardy's thematic representation of class in the novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles. Hardy's views on the subject of the peasant classes and the depiction of class conflict within an early Victorian society are examined throughout the text. working family. The son of a master mason, Hardy was slightly above his agricultural peers. Hardy's analysis of the transition between classes is generally similar to DH Lawrence's, that if you step out of your circle, you die. The ambitious lives of characters in Hardy's novels, such as Jude and Tess, usually end fatally; as they attempt to break away from the constraints of their class, thus depicting Hardy's view of transitioning between classes. Hardy valued the morals and traditions of the lower classes. It is clear from reading Tess that her struggles are obviously infused with the social sufferings of the working class. A central theme running through Hardy's novels is the decline of old families. It is said that Hardy himself traced the lineage of the Dorset Hardys and discovered that once they were of great importance...... middle of paper ...... edge of destruction , a new era begins in which Tess and her friends are replaced by machines. Hardy's novels are ultimately infused with his own examination of the contemporary world around him, the struggles of Tess's life are ultimately foreshadowed by the condemnation of her working-class background, which is uniquely explored throughout the text. The class struggles of his time are explored throughout his life in Marlott and preconceptions of middle-class ideals are challenged throughout Hardy's exploration of the rural class. Tess of the D'Urbervilles revolves around Hardy's views on Victorian social taboos and continues to be a highly influential play by a novelist who did not conform to Victorian bourgeois literary norms. Works Cited Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Penguin Putnam Inc.: New York, NY. 2003. Print.