... drastic human loss."(23) It seems that if Hardy was to have been true to his art, he had no choice but to kill Tess. In an interview with Hardy, Raymond Blathwayt asked, "Why does Tess have such a sad ending?" Hardy replied by saying, "I hate the optimistic grin which ends a story happily, merely to suit conventional ideas . . . When I got to the ... ...

• Word Count: 3297
• Approx Pages: 13
• Grade Level: High School

... rural and urban life are best exemplified. It could be argued that this reflects a greater confidence on Dickens" part in handling urban scenes. However, it is more likely that, as Raymond Williams has pointed out: " in the experience of the city, so much that was important could not simply be known or communicated, but had to be revealed, to be forced ... ...

• Word Count: 4617
• Approx Pages: 18
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate