In Thomas Hardy's novel, Tess of D'Urbervilles, the reader is introduced to a character named Tess who is known as "Nature's Child » (Amazon.co.uk). The British author's novel thrives on the use of natural images. Hardy uses natural imagery to mimic Tess's current situation and elicit an emotional response from the reader. Hardy's use of natural imagery is evident in the similarities between Tess Durbeyfield and Marlott, the effects of Tantridge on her personality, the contrast between Talbothays Dairy and Flintcomb-Ash, the use of seasons to affect mood and the conflict between city and country. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essay “The village of Marlott lay amid the northeastern undulations of the beautiful Blakemore Valley... an encircled region and isolated. .that fertile and sheltered stretch of country, in which the fields are never brown and the springs never dry up...(12)." This description of Marlott notes that Marlott is a "sheltered" region, which has not to face the peril of the world. Like Marlott, Tess leads a "sheltered" existence. has no idea what awaits her Due to her simple and sheltered life, Tess has become gullible and easily manipulated "just as the earth can often be a victim of the people who inhabit it (Patel, Tanvi)". her parents to claim her parentage, Tess goes to Tantridge where her personality begins to change with the environment around her. Upon her arrival at Tantridge, Tess is faced with the relentless pursuit of Alec D'Urbervilles. Urberville is an arrogant teenager who repeatedly attempts to take advantage of Tess. Due to Alec's behavior, Tess is forced to become less gullible and more sensitive to her surroundings, just as the law of nature demands that any inhabitant be all things. also decisive regarding its habitat. It is at night, while Tess is walking home through the forest, that Alec persuades her to let him take her home. After a long period of time, Alec leads Tess into a thick foggy area and Tess learns that Alec did not take her towards the house and quickly goes downstairs stating that she will find her own way. Tess finds herself drowsy and makes herself a bed on the floor. This is the place where Alec rapes Tess, leaving her pregnant and changing her life forever. Thomas Hardy also uses the locations where Tess finds work to vividly express his use of natural imagery. Tess, looking for a job and trying to start a new life, heads to Talbothays. In Talbothays, Tess feels a renewed spirit of hope for the life that awaits her. "It was an undeveloped youth, arising again after a temporary failure, and bringing with it hope and the invincible instinct of personal pleasure (100)." Talbothays is a peaceful place where Tess quickly makes friends and does light work. Talbothays' environment is serene, calm and refreshing, just like Tess is feeling right now. Tess's job at the dairy involves milking the cows, stirring the milk to keep it fresh, and doing various other light jobs; this shows that things are starting to improve for her. This lifestyle and jobs are the opposite of those she encounters while working in Flintcomb-Ash. Flintcomb-Ash was a “hungry place,” because Tess’s inner being is just as hard and wounded there (284). “The sky bore, in another color, the same resemblance: an empty and white face whose lineaments had disappeared (285).” HASFlintcomb-Ash, Tess is forced to work “hour after hour, oblivious to the desperate aspect they take on in the landscape (285).” Tess is forced to work in the heat of the day and on machines operated by men, tasks that take a toll on her tired body. This intense work and environment parallels the difficult relationship between Tess and her ex-wife. Flintcomb-Ash is a place where lost souls can go as a last resort and at this point, it's Tess's last resort. She chooses to endure the harsh climate and rugged terrain while choosing to pursue her own difficult and rugged marriage. "Hardy's belief in the constant movement of human feelings between pain and pleasure is also reflected in the seasonal nature of life (Barron's)." In this novel, readers notice how the emotions and fortunes of the characters are reflected in the seasons in which they unfold. Tess of the D'Urbervilles begins in May, "a hopeful time when life is renewed (Brooklyn)." Marlott celebrates spring as everything is blooming and hopes are high for the summer months to come. During the May Day celebration, readers discover a pure and joyful Tess, who seems to have not a care in the world. Tess falls in love with Angel Clare, a minister's son who studies at Talbothays Dairy. Their love begins to blossom in late spring and throughout summer, when the plants are fertile and maturing. Tess is raped and loses her baby in September while “nature slowly dies and degrades (Patel, Tanvi)”. In midwinter, Tess marries Angel, foreshadowing the eventual demise of their marriage. Just as all the leaves have fallen from the trees and seemingly everything with life in them has died, so has Tess's wedding in four days. Also during the winter months, Tess works at Flintcomb-Ash, where not only is her loyalty to her husband tested, but also her physical body is tested in a harsh environment. Tess's life is more than a natural coincidence. Just as the novel has seven phases representing Tess's life, the moon has seven phases in its cycle (McKay, Lucy). Another argument throughout Tess of the D'Urbervilles is the conflict between town and country. Once Tess has been established as a “child of nature,” she is altered by urbanity and “industrial forces have their effect on Tess’s life (Patel, Tanvi).” The first key attribute of Tess's character's urbanization is her own parents. Tess's parents were proud of their agrarian lifestyle and made a living from farming. When the industrial movement hits, Tess's parents are affected financially and mentally. After the death of John Durbeyfield, the family was evicted from the property to make way for the industrial movement (Patel, Tanvi). The second key attribute of Tess's character's urbanization is her introduction to Alec D'Urberville. “The way he manipulates Tess is as wild and unsuspecting as the transformation from rural to urban (Patel, Tanvi).” In the darkness and dense fog of the Chase, Alec rapes Tess and steals her purity and innocence. The third key attribute of Tess's character's urbanization is her relationship with Angel Clare. Angel is seen as a hypocrite by most readers and is heavily criticized for his double dealing. Angel punishes Tess for being impure even though he himself has voluntarily become impure. "Although he tries to integrate into the rural world, his education forces him to side with notions of industry (Patel, Tanvi). "Tess of the D'Urbervilles is a novel full of natural images. From Tess's youth in Marlott to her days in Flintcomb-Ash, the reader can see how.