Transcript of Censorship in Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Tess of the d'Urbervilles A Pure Woman?
Censorship in Tess of the d'Urbervilles Obscene Publications Act of 1857 banned Tess because of obscenity evidence for Tess being controversial lies in the difficulty that Hardy had in securing a publisher, of preventative censorship
was originally to be published by Tillotson & Son, but due to the controversial nature of the text, they did not proceed with serialization
two other magazines, Murray's Magazine and Macmillian's Magazine rejected Tess as well
Hardy undertook a 'bowdlerization' of his novel at this point
bowdlerization is a term named for Thomas Bowdler, and refers to when a literary work has had sexual and lewd content edited
serialization of Tess began in the Graphic on July 4th, 1891
the American serialization in Harper's Magazine had begun March 7th, 1980
due to censorship from editors who would not publish Tess in it's original form, multiple versions of the text with scenes removed or added by Hardy exist
omitted chapters on Alec's seduction of Tess, and Tess's midnight baptism of her own baby were printed in the National Observer and the Fortnightly Review respectively with changed names and location
1912 Wessex edition version of the text that is reprinted
Hardy was able to rewrite the text from the bawdlerized serial and altered many scenes multiple versions questionable content?
May dance and connections to pagan past
seduction/rape by Alec (in some editions, mock marriage)
midnight baptism of Sorrow Angel carrying the milkmaids across
serious consideration of suicide
becoming Alec's mistress in financial distress
murder of Alec
portrayal of Stonehenge and connection to pagan elements
subtitled "A Pure Woman" and Hardy's characterization of Tess as such, despite her past Alec gives Tess a "well-known cordial"
on the Chase in the Graphic, the Chase scene is omitted and Tess returns home, telling her mother how Alec tricked her into a sham marriage
the sexual relations are implied, though Tess worries about the moral and legal validity of the contract
Sorrow is completely omitted
Angel finds a convenient wheelbarrow to transport the milkmaids
Angel 'jestingly' asks Izz to go to Brazil retracts when he realizes she takes it seriously
in the Graphic, Tess and Alec are residing at the boarding house as companions, or cousins and Tess has a separate room
major edits Hardy's challenging of Victorian morals, especially in regards to the double standard of sexuality was regarded as obscene
reliance on implications and suggestion to the reader in earlier versions which result in a different story
one of the biggest objections was the characterization of Tess as a pure woman, despite her sexual history
Angel and Alec both assign Tess a sexual identity through her innocence her representation as the ideal Victorian realization of femininity is her ultimate downfall conclusions