Tess's Victimization
...other are forced to travel to the market in Casterbridge to deliver their family's beehives. The beehives are the family's only source of income and their father is ill after drinking all night. On the way, their wagon is involved in an accident and their horse, Prince, is killed. Tess blames herself for the entire accident and feels forced to get a job to support her family, while her father does very little work. As a result of fate delivering Prince's accident, Tess' life is changed and every following moment and disappointment is associated. Tess is sent to the only existing D'Urberville estate in Trantridge to claim kin and gain financial assistance. Tess is reluctant to leave her home but eventually does as her mother asks out of guilt. After working at Trantridge for several months, Tess is sexually victimized by Alec D'Urberville. Alec uses her guilt and responsibility to her family to seduce her and finally rape her while she is only semiconscious. She blames herself for allowing Alec to take advantage of her and is left greatly wounded. Tess also feels guilty for bringing her son, Sorrow, into the world under such conditions and does not want him to share in her blighted fate. The sexual encounter with Alec is the beginning of Tess' destruction. Soon after Sorrow dies, Tess decides to leave home to work as a dairymaid at Talbothays Dairy. She meets Angel Clare at the dairy and he becomes her one true love, though he is also the reason for her misery throughout much of the novel. Angel fell in love with an idealized version of Tess based on purity and beauty. Because of his more traditional ideals he is representative of Victorian society. On their wedding night, Angel confesses to Tess that he had an affair with an older woman. Confident that Angel will not be angry with her, Tess confesses that she was raped by Alec and had a child. He is unable to forgive Tess, even though she forgives him. Angel leaves for Brazil several days after their wedding without Tess. Angel appears to be a kind, Christian man, yet he is unwilling to accept Tess' past and makes her feel guilty for her fate. He is concerned with traditional m...