How Is the Theme of Isolation Portrayed

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How is the theme of isolation portrayed in Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Robert frost poetry, with reference to Atonement? Tess of the D’Urbervilles was a novel written by Thomas Hardy, who was a Victorian realist. The novel challenged the ideas and rules of society at its time of release. The theme of isolation runs throughout Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Tess feels that not only has society abandoned her, but god as well. As Victorians viewed pregnancy outside of wedlock, scandalous and the woman’s fault, she was ostracised by society. This belief came from the Christian view that women should be pure and untainted. As the novel transpires from Tess’ point of view, the audience sees her version of events, and in doing so, the rape. Hardy shows us that he disagreed with the biblical view of women, and highlights the fact that society has not taken into account the woman’s view. ‘’Where was Tess’ guardian angel’’ Hardy asks at the scene in the woods, showing that god was not watching over and did not intervene to help Tess. The tone of this is almost sneering, as if Hardy believed Victorian society was narrow minded to think that there was a greater being watching over and looking after them. In this, Tess is lonely as well, because her beliefs are no longer the same as the rest of society. When she comes across the clergyman painting the sign ‘’thy damnation slumbereth not’’, she believes that the words are condemning her. However, although she believes she is guilty, she does not believe that she has sinned. ‘’I don’t believe god said such things’’ she tells the clergyman showing that she has not given up her religion or her god. Robert Frosts ‘Stopping by woods on a snowy evening’, describes a man looking on, into a wood and wondering at it. ‘’He will not see me stopping here’’ connotes that they are gods woods, and he is not watching over everyone, so will not
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