In Thomas Hardy's novel, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, the reader is introduced to a character named Tess who becomes known as "Nature's Child" ( Amazon. co.uk). The British author's novel thrives on the use of natural imagery. Hardy uses natural imagery to mimic Tess' current situation and evoke an emotional response in the reader. Hardy's use of natural imagery is evident in the similarities between Tess Durbeyfield and Marlott, in the effects Tantridge has on his person, in the contrast between Talbothays Dairy and Flintcomb-Ash, in the use of the seasons to influence mood and in the conflict between the city and the world. the country. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay "The village of Marlott lies among the north-eastern rolling hills of the beautiful Vale of Blakemore... a region surrounded and secluded... this fertile and sheltered stretch of countryside, where the fields are never brown and the springs are never dry...(12)." This description of Marlott notes that Marlott is a "protected" region, facing no danger from the world. Just like Marlott, Tess lived a "sheltered" existence. Tess is a "simple... fresh... quaint country girl... (15-16 years old)" who has no idea what awaits her. Because of her simple and sheltered life, Tess has become gullible and easily manipulated "just as the earth can often fall victim to the people who inhabit it (Patel, Tanvi)". Manipulated by her parents into claiming kinship, Tess travels to Tantridge where her personality begins to change with her surroundings. Upon arriving in Tantridge, Tess is faced with the relentless pursuit of Alec D'Urbervilles. Alec D'Urberville is an arrogant teenager who tries to take advantage of Tess on more than one occasion. Because of Alec's behavior, Tess is forced to become less gullible and more discerning about her environment, just as the law of nature requires every inhabitant to be equally assertive in their own habitat. It is at night, when Tess is walking home through the forest, that Alec convinces her to let him take him home. After a long time, Alec leads Tess into a thick area of ​​fog and Tess discovers that Alec did not take her home and quickly dismounts declaring that she will find her own way. Tess finds herself sleepy and makes a bed for herself on the floor. This is where Alec rapes Tess, leaving her pregnant and changing her life forever. Thomas Hardy also uses the locations where Tess finds work to vividly express his use of natural imagery. Tess, looking for work and to start a new life, travels to Talbothays. In Talbothays Tess feels a rejuvenated spirit of hope for her future life. “It was an unexpanded youth, reborn after its temporary control, and brought with it hope and the invincible instinct towards self-pleasure (100).” Talbothays is a quiet place where Tess quickly makes friends and does light work. The environment of Talbothays is serene, calm and refreshing, just how Tess currently feels. Tess's job at the dairy is milking the cows, mixing the milk to keep it fresh, and various other light jobs; this shows that things are starting to get better for her. This lifestyle and these jobs are the exact opposite of those he encounters working at Flintcomb-Ash. Flintcomb-Ash was a “starving place,” as Tess’s inner being is just as hard and wounded there (284). "The sky wore, in another color, the same likeness; a white blankness of face without features (285)." In Flintcomb-Ash Tess is forced to work "hour after hour, unaware of the desolate appearance they had in thelandscape (285)". Tess is forced to work in the heat of the day and on human-driven machines, jobs that take a toll on her tired body. This ferocious work and environment parallels the harsh relationship between Tess and her estranged husband. Flintcomb-Ash is a place where lost souls go as a last resort and at this point it is Tess's last resort. She chooses to endure the harsh climate and rugged terrain as she chooses to continue her harsh and rugged marriage Hardy's belief in the constant movement of human feelings between pain and pleasure is also reflected in the seasonal nature of life (Barron's)." In this novel readers notice how the characters' emotions and fortunes are reflected in the seasons in which they take place . Tess of D'Urberville begins in May, "a time of hope when life is renewed (Brooklyn)". Marlott celebrates spring as everything is blooming and hopes are high for the summer months to come. At the May Day celebration readers are introduced to a pure and carefree Tess, who seems to have not a care in the world. Tess falls in love with Angel Clare, the son of a minister who studies at Talbothays Dairy. Their love begins to bloom in late spring and throughout the summer just as the plants are fertile and maturing. Tess is raped and loses her baby in September, when "nature is slowly dying and decaying (Patel, Tanvi)". In the middle of winter Tess marries Angel, thus foreshadowing the eventual death of their marriage. Just as all the leaves have fallen from the trees and seemingly everything that has life is dead, so does Tess's wedding in four short days. Even during the winter months, Tess works in Flintcomb-Ash, where not only is her loyalty to her husband tested, but her physical body is also tested in a harsh environment. Tess's life is more than casually linked to nature. Just as the novel has seven phases representing Tess's life, the moon has seven phases in its cycle (McKay, Lucy). Another topic throughout Tess of the D'Urbervilles is the conflict between the city and the countryside. Once Tess is established as a "child of nature," she is altered by urbanity and "industrial forces take their effect on Tess's life (Patel, Tanvi)." The first key attribute of Tess's character's urbanization is her own parents. Tess's parents took pride in their agricultural lifestyle and earned their living by farming. Once the industrial movement hits, Tess's parents are affected financially and mentally. After John Durbeyfield's death the family was evicted from the property to make room for the industrial movement (Patel, Tanvi). The second key attribute to the urbanization of Tess's character is her introduction to Alec D'Urberville. “The way he manipulates Tess is as unsuspecting and wild as the transformation from rural to urban (Patel, Tanvi).” In the darkness and thick fog of the Hunt, Alec rapes Tess and steals her purity and innocence. The third key urbanizing attribute of Tess's character is her relationship with Angel Clare. Angel is considered a hypocrite by most readers and is heavily criticized for being so double-dealing. Angel punishes Tess for being impure when he himself has voluntarily become impure. “Although he tries to become part of the rural world, his upbringing forces him to side with notions of industry (Patel, Tanvi).” Tess of the D'Urbervilles is a novel full of natural images. From Tess's younger days in Marlott to her days in Flintcomb-Ash, the reader can see how her personality relates to nature and her surroundings. Tess demonstrated to the reader that she would never be anything other than a "child of nature" other than that.