to fall victim to. Alec’s first words to Tess, “Well, my Beauty, what can I do for you?” indicate that his first impression of Tess is only one of sexual magnetism. Alec then proceeds to charm Tess by pushing strawberries into her mouth and pressing roses into her bosom. These fruits of love are an indication of Alec’s lust and sexual desire for Tess as he preys upon her purity and rural innocence. Tess unwillingly becomes a victim to Alec’s inhumane, violent and aggressive sexual advances as Alec, always the master of opportunities, takes advantage of her whilst alone in the woods and rapes her. Tess has fallen subject to the crueler side of human nature as Alec seizes upon her vulnerability. After this sexual violation and corruption of innocence, Tess flees home and although she has escaped the trap of the sexually rapacious Alec for the time being, her circumstance is similar to that of a wounded animal - her blood of innocence has been released. At this time, Hardy gives reference to Shakespeare’s ‘The Rape of Lucrece’ -’where the serpent hisses the sweet birds sing’ suggesting that Alec was equivalent to Satan tempting Eve. Tess is undoubtedly a victim and her lack of understanding over such matters only increases the guilt that already embodies her. To add further to her shame she chances upon a holy man who paints exerts from the bible around the countryside. In red accusatory letters she reads “THY, DAMNATION, SLUMBERETH, NOT” and is horrified to think how relevant it is to her recent misfortunes. Tess at this stage is a victim to her own self - conscience and she becomes a recluse trapped within her home - away from the society that has unjustly condemned her whilst in reality she has broken no law of nature. Returning to work in the field, Tess witnesses the rabbits forced further to shelter as the cornrows in which they dwell are reaped and the...
