Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles: A Pure Woman (Not So) Faithfully Presented in Modern Adaptations by Roman Polanski and David Blair

Abstract

This BA thesis aims to describe how modern adaptations maintain Hardy's criticism of Victorian society in his novel Tess of the D'Urbervilles. It focuses on the character of Tess Durbeyfield, with regard to her sexual purity, independence and religious morals. The modern adaptations include the film Tess by Roman Polanski (1979) and the mini-series Tess of the D'Urbervilles by David Blair (2008). They offer different interpretations of the aforementioned traits: Polanski's Tess appears to be less pure than Blair's Tess, more obedient and more pagan, whereas Blair's Tess seems to be rather stubborn and leans more towards Christianity.