Tess stood still, and turned to look behind her by Joseph Syddall. [unsigned: likely Syddall] Alec and his dog cart to the right: not a direct quotation, but intended to summarize scene described at very bottom of same page.] half-page, horizontal above Book First, Ch. VIII, p. 133. 16.5 cm high by 22.5 cm wide (8 ⅝ inches by 12 inches wide), in the 4th instalment (pp. 133-136). This plate, which is number 4 in the serialisation of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the Durbervilles illustrated by various artists, appeared in the 1 August 1891 issue of the London Graphic. [Click on the image to enlarge it.
Passage Illustrated: Tess rebels against Alec's advances
Tess made no reply to this remark, of which, indeed, she did not quite comprehend the drift, unheeding the snub she had administered by her instinctive rub upon her cheek. She had, in fact, undone the kiss, as far as such a thing was physically possible. With a dim sense that he was vexed she looked steadily ahead as they trotted on near Melbury Down and Wingreen, till she saw, to her consternation, that there was yet another descent to be undergone.
“You shall be made sorry for that!” he resumed, his injured tone still remaining, as he flourished the whip anew. “Unless, that is, you agree willingly to let me do it again, and no handkerchief.”
She sighed. “Very well, sir!” she said. “Oh — let me get my hat!”
At the moment of speaking her hat had blown off into the road, their present speed on the upland being by no means slow. D’Urberville pulled up, and said he would get it for her, but Tess was down on the other side.
She turned back and picked up the article.
“You look prettier with it off, upon my soul, if that’s possible,” he said, contemplating her over the back of the vehicle. “Now then, up again! What’s the matter?”
The hat was in place and tied, but Tess had not stepped forward.
“No, sir,” she said, revealing the red and ivory of her mouth as her eye lit in defiant triumph; “not again, if I know it!”
“What — you won’t get up beside me?”
“No; I shall walk.” [Book First, "The Maiden," Ch. VIII, p. 133; page 68 in the 1897 edition]
Commentary
The first of Syddall's plates is unsigned, but his staccato style is unmistakable. Hardy has already established Alec Stoke-D'Urberville's sexual interest in his supposed "kinswoman," Tess. To escape his unwanted attentions, she has asked that he stop his dog-cart so that she can retrieve her hat, which has blown off and is lying in the road. She has now picked up the hat, but has yet to put it back on; with his hand outstretched, Alec is asking her to resume her seat (so that, of course, he can renew the sexual advances upon the young woman whom his mother has hired to look after her prize chickens). Her body language betoken defiance, although he has not as yet positively refused to take her seat. Whereas Hardy refers to a hedge at the side of the road, "at the summit of another declivity," Syddall has shown a wilder upland, for Tess is standing upon coarse grass in front of brambly bushes. Alec's sporting clothing here is consistent with Hardy's earlier description: "a low hat, drab frock-coat, tightly-buttoned, trousers of the same hue, white neckcloth, stick-up collar, and brown driving-gloves" (VIII: 103). Tess's costume likewise references an earlier passage in which her mother has attired her in her white club-walking frock, and a broad, red ribbon tying back her hair. The remaining details of her figure and clothing, particularly her kerchief and umbrella, Syddall has supplied.
Note: The first three illustrations for Tess of the D'Urbervilles in this serialisation are by different hands. For commentaries on all the illustrations of the serial, including the earlier ones, please consult the complete list.
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham. Formatting by George P. Landow. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
Bibliography
Allingham, Philip V. "The Original Illustrations for Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles Drawn by Daniel A. Wehrschmidt, Ernest Borough-Johnson, and Joseph Sydall for the Graphic (1891)." The Thomas Hardy Year Book, No. 24 (1997): 3-50.
Allingham, Philip V. "Six Original Illustrations for Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles Drawn by Sir Hubert Von Herkomer for the Graphic (1891)." The Thomas Hardy Journal, Vol. X, No. 1 (February 1994): 52-70.
Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the D'Urbervilles in the Graphic, 1891, 4 July-26 December, pp. 11-761.
Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the D'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman. Vol. I. The Wessex Novels.London: Osgood, McIlvaine, 1897.
Jackson, Arlene M. Illustration and the Novels of Thomas Hardy. Totowa, NJ: Rowman and Littlefield, 1981.
Vann, J. Don. "Tess of the D'Urbervilles in the Graphic, 4 July — 26 December 1891." Victorian Novels in Serial. New York: MLA, 1985, pp. 88-89.
Created 21 January 2001
Last modified 1 May 2024