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Original poster

To wish Tess had just gone with Angel

229 replies

WallaceinAnderland · 21/05/2025 23:50

This is probably a popular and well discussed opinion but it just makes me so sad every time. She didn't have to kill Alec, she was legally married to Angel. She could have just walked away.

OP posts:
NewGoldFox · 22/05/2025 10:27

Missey85 · 22/05/2025 05:26

So post it in the book/reading forum 🙁

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But then how will they sneer at people mistaking it for television?

PlutoCat · 22/05/2025 10:27

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Oh stop it.

Amelie2025 · 22/05/2025 10:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

ThatCyanCat · 22/05/2025 10:25

Amelie2025 · 22/05/2025 10:23

because it's often discussed after the TV adaptation has been aired.

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More digging than Gabriel Oak.

Amelie2025 · 22/05/2025 10:24

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 22/05/2025 08:34

Same question to @Amelie2025 as well.

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Well you know, threads about real people not book/TV/show characters.

🙄🙇🏻‍♀️

MissMarplesNiece · 22/05/2025 10:24

ThatCyanCat · 22/05/2025 09:55

Anyway, she couldn’t go with Angel and live happily ever after - that’s just not an ending Hardy would write 😆

He sort of did in Far From the Madding Crowd. That pissed me off. Bathsheba was such a cow, my consolation throughout was "well this is Hardy, she's not going to be happy" and then...!

I hold Bathsheba responsible for a lot of the tragedy that happens in Far From The Madding Crowd. She started off capricious, vain and easily led and I don't think she'd changed by the end of the book.

Amelie2025 · 22/05/2025 10:23

crumblingschools · 22/05/2025 08:31

@Amelie2025 if you are so particular about where something is posted why would you suggest a question about a classic novel is posted in the tv section?

because it's often discussed after the TV adaptation has been aired.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 22/05/2025 10:12

Fyreheart · 22/05/2025 09:46

No its not - this isn't vaguebook

Its rude to start a conversation and assume that people know who or what you are talking about.

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Get a grip. Dozens of us got the reference immediately. People post all the time about 'influencers' and the like and I just scroll past because it's of no interest. I don't post repeatedly telling them they're rude for talking about something I know nothing about. What would be the point of that?

JuliaLivilla · 22/05/2025 10:08

It was the set novel in my state in Australia when I was in 5th Form, now Year 11, so I would have been 16. It was a horrible experience, poorly taught in a Catholic school, so we were all puzzling about how "the angels weren't looking after Tess" (or whatever it was) and then she had the baby. It was many, many decades ago and we were pretty dim. I don't know who thought that was a good idea as a set novel, but it was probably irrelevant as the specific teacher had a gift for sucking the pleasure out of anything. She managed to make Evelyn Waugh's "The Loved One" as dull as ditchwater.

However, I vaguely remember that the ending, as awful as it was, seemed inevitable with the characters of the people involved.

BIossomtoes · 22/05/2025 10:03

I’ve just discovered the Kindle version is free if anyone’s planning to read or reread.

ThatCyanCat · 22/05/2025 10:01

DragonRunor · 22/05/2025 09:59

Yes, I think I’d misunderstood - I didn’t know the subtitle “A Pure Woman” - which I think puts the ending in a different context

Another one for me to reread - although I remember enjoying Far from the Madding Crowd, it was obviously not as powerful as Tess, I don’t really remember the story. Thankyou!

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I found it probably the most readable Hardy novel I've read (I've not read all of them). For once I wanted disaster to befall the female lead!

andtheworldrollson · 22/05/2025 10:01

@BIossomtoesi was forced to read them at school unfortunately

DragonRunor · 22/05/2025 09:59

ThatCyanCat · 22/05/2025 09:55

Anyway, she couldn’t go with Angel and live happily ever after - that’s just not an ending Hardy would write 😆

He sort of did in Far From the Madding Crowd. That pissed me off. Bathsheba was such a cow, my consolation throughout was "well this is Hardy, she's not going to be happy" and then...!

Yes, I think I’d misunderstood - I didn’t know the subtitle “A Pure Woman” - which I think puts the ending in a different context

Another one for me to reread - although I remember enjoying Far from the Madding Crowd, it was obviously not as powerful as Tess, I don’t really remember the story. Thankyou!

ThatCyanCat · 22/05/2025 09:57

Fyreheart · 22/05/2025 09:46

No its not - this isn't vaguebook

Its rude to start a conversation and assume that people know who or what you are talking about.

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If you don't recognise the names in the OP, you can just assume it's about something you haven't read or seen, and click on something else. It's not an obscure, little-known story and enough people recognised it for us to have a conversation.

WhereAreTheWildThingsNow · 22/05/2025 09:56

@Fyreheartthere are frequently topics on AIBU that I don’t understand. I just jog on or follow them till I have picked it up.

Complaining that a discussion isn't accessible and therefore rude smacks of someone with a chip on their shoulder. Should everything be lowered to the lowest common denominator?

ThatCyanCat · 22/05/2025 09:55

Anyway, she couldn’t go with Angel and live happily ever after - that’s just not an ending Hardy would write 😆

He sort of did in Far From the Madding Crowd. That pissed me off. Bathsheba was such a cow, my consolation throughout was "well this is Hardy, she's not going to be happy" and then...!

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 22/05/2025 09:55

Fyreheart · 22/05/2025 09:46

No its not - this isn't vaguebook

Its rude to start a conversation and assume that people know who or what you are talking about.

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It's a classic novel, it's reasonable to assume that lots of people will have at least a passing acquaintance with the story. And those that don't can just scroll on to find another thread.

There are quite a lot of threads on here talking about TV programmes etc. Half the time, I have no idea what they're talking about, but I don't find it rude at all. I just move on to the next thread.

DragonRunor · 22/05/2025 09:54

Fyreheart · 22/05/2025 09:46

No its not - this isn't vaguebook

Its rude to start a conversation and assume that people know who or what you are talking about.

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And yet lots of poster are enjoying it - as you can see given your post is on page 5

BIossomtoes · 22/05/2025 09:52

andtheworldrollson · 22/05/2025 09:51

I do agree that it would be polite and nice to put some context to the thread

havibg had it explained - I just wish Thomas hardy had not written anything.

Nobody’s making you read Hardy’s work.

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 22/05/2025 09:51

BIossomtoes · 22/05/2025 09:41

It’s made me want to reread it too. Thank you @WallaceinAnderland.

And me!

andtheworldrollson · 22/05/2025 09:51

I do agree that it would be polite and nice to put some context to the thread

havibg had it explained - I just wish Thomas hardy had not written anything.

Redpeach · 22/05/2025 09:49

Fyreheart · 22/05/2025 09:46

No its not - this isn't vaguebook

Its rude to start a conversation and assume that people know who or what you are talking about.

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Not rude in the least

PlutoCat · 22/05/2025 09:47

Same here @WallaceinAnderland 💐

Fyreheart · 22/05/2025 09:46

RockyRogue1001 · 22/05/2025 00:05

I don't know if I'm sad you don't get it or happy for you to discover it.

That's on you

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No its not - this isn't vaguebook

Its rude to start a conversation and assume that people know who or what you are talking about.

BIossomtoes · 22/05/2025 09:41

It’s made me want to reread it too. Thank you @WallaceinAnderland.

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