MovieChat Forums > Tess (1980) Discussion > did i read the book wrong?

did i read the book wrong?

posted 15 years ago by fuchsiasattic
7 replies | jump to latest

I read the rape/seduction scene as her being more repelled by him, not liking him at all and having really bad vibes about him, in the movie she seemed to be a bit more conflicted and after the "chase" scene, she hangs out with him a bit more. I have to read the book again, I just didn't get that impression when I read it the first time. I know Thomas Hardy didn't actually write the "chase" scene, he left it as a before and after thing, so did anybody else get different interpretations?

[–] MetalgearSldSnk 15 years ago

Well I mean there is no wrong way to read that crappy book. If it wasn't for the movie or for my English IV teacher telling me she got raped I never would've guessed. I hate reading these crappy old books we just need to burn them and leave them.

[–] fuchsiasattic 15 years ago

gah! Oh no!!! lol. I'm a book nerd....it's terrible....
I loved this book, but I can understand where you're coming from, i hated it when my english teachers shoved stuff down our throats and totally took any kind of enjoyment out of anything.
I knew that something happened to her, (because of what was on the back of the book so maybe that was a bit of cheating :-p)
even though I definitely don't think it's crappy, :-) I do agree with you that there isn't really a wrong way of reading this book

[–] zeiko 15 years ago

My impression from the book itself is that what happened between Tess and Alec, the first time at least, wasn't exactly rape, but not exactly consensual at the same time. I took it as more something that was happening to her that she did not understand the meaning of at all. The book says that she hangs out for a while after that, and I think she's so shell-shocked by what occurred that she is in a bit of a fog, that it takes her head a while to clear. When she has some time to consider everything, process it, she is so repelled by it all, that's when she leaves.
The Polanski version seems to strongly indicate that she is raped, and I think did a good job with the mental fog that results for Tess. The recent (or semi-recent) BBC version is a bit more direct in its depiction of the seduction as rape, and Tess leaves the next morning, rather than waiting to figure out what happened (then again, I think the makers of that version gave Tess the benefit of slightly more brain power than Hardy bestowed upon her).

Guard your carnal treasure!

[–] feelinggravityspull 15 years ago

Wow. Burning classic literature. Brilliant idea! Hopefully "Metal Gear Solid" will teach you critical thinking, reading subtext, and artistic appreciation.

[–] nxgn_not_not 13 years ago

well
lotto peeps wanna burn lotto stuff
they
have like strong feelings about
so so like I can so c like who ever where ever snapping up like hun=dreds of copy
or Hardy
works in general
& so so like burning burning burning
they could keep the presses running 4 years
so that these small minded peeps could like have a lot of fun
burning & burning
but long like after these peeps r like gone gone gone
tess
& like
what have u
will stand
K?
O & now that whee gots digital
it so so dawn messer what cha burn
digits
K?
peeps walkin' down the street
reading like
Amis
or what ever on the phone
walk rite into traffic
they don't care
burn what ever u want
Holla Halla
holla 4 Kaballa
K?
Wow

Nappin' & takin' out the trash

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] WayneWayneWayneJr 11 years ago

I think this film interpreted the scene quite well in my opinion.

In the book, what happened between Tess and Alec in the Chase was rather ambiguous, but, in fact, Tess stayed with him for a while, for about at least a month or two, as his mistress after the incident, receiving some fineries, as she did in the movie. I think Their initial relationship at Trantridge is subtle but clearly written between the lines. If people don't pay attention, they might completely miss it, ( as many people miss stuff like "intercourse" in Victorian novels, for it takes place outside the novel), and they get totally different impression on their relationship. I think the part of it is Hardy's self bowdlerization, but mostly, manipulation of Tess's culpability.

I don't think Tess ever repulsed by him. She was scared of him at first, for she was protective for her virginity. She only said that she never sincerely loved him. She said she despised him later and desided to leave, when she finally understood his meaning, which is making her a mistress, not a wife.