A Study in Tess of the D’Urbervilles as A Call for Liberal Education for Women

Abstract

Amongst the literary writers who used their art to direct the attention towards the issue of woman and her rights in a proper life is the English poet and novelist Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), who has been praised for his “openness to the feminine principle” 1 as Irving Howe put it. Hardy’s wide readings have changed his way of dealing with and thinking about so many critical issues which started to float on the surface of the English society during the mid and late of the 19th century. His readings for a number of writers, who seem of huge impact on his writings as he later admits that – “[his] pages show harmony of view with Charles Darwin, T. H. Huxley, Herbert Spencer, David Hume, John Stuart Mill and others ...” 2, have opened his mind towards certain problems that were prevailing at that time.

More importantly Hardy brought up under an affectionate and educated mother, Jemima Hand Hardy (1814-1904) who seemed lucky enough to bear a sort of education the matter that has helped Hardy and illuminated him about the importance of education for women. In his article “Thomas Hardy. A Biographical Sketch” Dr. Andrzej Diniejko (Senior Lecturer in English Literature and Culture, Warsaw University, Poland) sheds light on Jemima’s role in the life of her son. He states that Jemima,