Abstract

Tess of the D’Urbervilles is considered to be one of the great works of Thomas Hardy. It is the novel of character and environment, which describes the short and miserable life of the heroine-Tess. This essay analyzed Biblical Archetypes in Tess of the D’Urbervilles from five aspects- biblical ideas, prototype characters, prototype scene, biblical image and biblical language. The aim of the essay is to enrich the understanding of characters, scenes narrative, and also images in the novel, and provide some help for people to study the novel in the future.

 Key words: Hardy; Bible; crime; fate

Contents

Abstract

摘  要

1.Introduction-1

1.1Hardy and Christianity-1

1.2The General Idea and Theme of the Novel-3

2. Literary Review-4

3. An analysis of Biblical Prototype-4

3.1 Two Main ideas in the Bible- Theory of Original Sin and Redemption-5

3.1.1Theory of Original Sin-5

3.1.2Redemption-5

3.2Analysis of Prototype characters-6

3.2.1Tess-6

3.2.2 Angel-7

3.2.3 Alec-7

3.3 Analysis of Prototype Scene-8

3.3.1 Leah and Rachel-8

3.3.2 The Scene of Eden-8

3.3.3 The River of the Water of Life-9

3.4 Biblical Image-10

3.4.1 The Red and White Color-10

3.4.2 The Harp-11

3.4.3 The Cross-11

3.5 Quotation of Biblical Language-12

4.Conclusion-12

References-14