Significance of Journeyʼs In Tess of
DʼUrbervilleʼs and Death of a Salesman
Significance of Journeyʼs In Tess of DʼUrbervilleʼs and Death of a Salesman
Tessʼs journey to Trantridge changing her life – single journey having devastating
consequences (journey into adulthood)
Tessʼs movement in each phase and each setting mirroring her psychological state.
Society not taking the same journey.
Willyʼs lack of journeyʼs being his tragedy.
His psychological journey from past to present representing something fundamental to the
tragedy.
In Aristotleʼs Poetics, Aristotle stated that there should be a ‘unity of placeʼ, so focus is not
taken away from the tragic heroes personal journey from being “highly renowned and
prosperous” to a diminished shell of their previous character. Death of a Salesman and Tess of
DʼUrbervilleʼs subvert this aspect of tragedy by incorporating journeyʼs into the novel as the
tragic heroes are itinerant moving from locale to locale so the setting and atmosphere of the
tragedy changes. In this essay I will therefore discuss the significance of journeyʼs in Tess of
DʼUrbervilles and Death of a Salesman.
In Tess of DʼUrbervilles, journeys are not fulfilling for Tess. Her move from her family home to
Trantridge where Alec DʼUrberville resides, metaphorically represents her transition from
girlhood to womanhood being confirmed through his final assault of her in the Chase. The
journey is rash and aggressive with Alec driving too fast and throwing out violent curses; “you
will regret that” which also appearing to attempt to seduce Tess; “you big beauty”. Tess
attempts to take control of her own journey to the farm by walking however it does not change
her fate from occurring later on in the novel. This journey in Phase the First represents a single
event which causes devastating consequences for the rest of the novel which causes her to
become ‘fallenʼ in terms of the 19th century puritanical purity perspectives. It introduces the
tragic villain, Alec, who appears to be an almost melodramatic moustache twirling character
with his attempts to tame the horse which tries to kill him, being reflected onto Tess later on in
the novel; ,stating to her “you will be my creature again”. This initial journey represents how one
event has widespread and unchangeable consequences resulting in the build-up to the tragedy
later on. As readers we cannot help but wonder how different the tragedy would be if this
journey did not occur.
As Tess undertakes journeyʼs in each phase, each movement seems to reflect a psychological
journey which she experiences within herself. Her move back from Trantridge to her family
home is where her “Sorrow lay”, and later move to Talbothays presents an attempt at an
emotional rejuvenation in the Edenic bliss of the summer as she learnt that “the serpent hisses
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