Page vs. Screen: Tess of the D'Urbervilles

I'm going to be honest. I don't like Thomas Hardy. His poetry is bland and irredeemably melancholy, he seemed to be something of a tool in real life and the way he victimised himself when it came to his relationships made him seem as likable as Tighten from Megamind. But that doesn't mean I can't respect a piece of work like Tess of the D'Urbervilles, famed for its incredible imagery, overly explanatory context and one of the most beloved female characters in the history of literature. The BBC, a reliable source of well created period dramas, created four hour long episodes committed to giving the famous novel a middle class, tax funded make over. And as it turns out, that doesn't do much harm at all.

One of the only Google Image pictures from Tess that isn't a character staring moodily at the camera.

The novel edition of Tess of the D'Urbervilles jumps often between incredible, immersive literature, and Thomas Hardy drabble. The story itself is pretty hard to fault; if you ever wanted to know how to make a protagonist sympathetic, this should be your inspiration. Tess is happy for about 9 pages of this over 500 page epic, with the rest consisting of terrible things happening to her at every turn. Some of the language Hardy uses is breathtaking, with quotes like "chilled the eyeballs of the twain" sticking in the memory long after you've finished reading. The novel does a good job at sticking with Tess' perspective throughout, veering off only when Angel is looking for her in the city. It's been well documented that Thomas Hardy fell in love with Tess during the writing of her, and you can truly tell, as great detail has been put into every experience she undertakes, and despite the awfulness she goes through, you can sense him wanting to protect her, and you can't help but feel the same. But for every incredible moment, there's half a page of Hardy reciting a history book to you. Tess will visit a church or something, and suddenly you're reading about all the famous people that are buried there.It serves no purpose other than it gives Tommy a chance to brag about how much he knows about dilapidated buildings. It disrupts the pace and frustrates the reader, acting as an infuriating level boss before moving on to the next chapter. You shouldn't need to go through filler to read the bits you really love, and a lot of the time, that's what Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles feels like.

The BBC series adaptation received criticism for its slow pacing and lack of 'oomph' that was found in other adaptations, such as the 1979, which I've yet to see, unfortunately. From where I'm standing, however, the four episode series has the perfect pacing that does justice to the book while still being a standalone success. The performances are exceptional, with Gemma Arterton as Tess in the only role I've ever liked her in ever, Hans Matheson is deliciously slimy as Alec, even down to the more minor roles like Ruth Jones as Joan, Tess' mother. There is not another actor in Britain today who could have done a better job. Not a single plot point that Hardy included is omitted in the series, with the four hours used efficiently to leave no stone un-turned and risk die-hard fans complaining. The pace is slow, there's no denying that. But it's supposed to be, and it works. Nothing is filler, despite the slow pace, and everything feels necessary and beneficial. Which brings us to the clincher. There's one thing the series does leave out. Something that makes it much better off as a result. The Thomas Hardy history lessons.

It's because of this I can't help but prefer the BBC series of Tess of the D'Urbervilles to Thomas Hardy's original. I don't know if it's the best adaptation of Tess that's ever been created, but I'll be damned if there's one that does a better job at sticking to the novels structure, telling its story simplistically and trimming the narrative fat that is Thomas Hardy's ego. Do I prefer the series solely because I don't like Hardy? Maybe. But it's not my fault he was a tosser.

BOOK OR TV: TV