역기능 가정의 비극: 『더버빌가의 테스』

Thomas Hardy’s novel, Tess of the d’Urbervilles deals with Tess’s tragic life. The causes of her tragedy are originated from social structure including class and individual situation. This paper focuses on the latter. Tess’s family is dysfunctional. As a result of it, she plays a role of substitute mother for her brothers and sisters as well as a breadwinner. In this situation her character, as an adult-child, is made. This research regards her personality as a main element which leads her life into a tragedy. Besides, she has a weakb oundary between others and herself. Thus she is not an independent individual but an undifferentiated ego mass with her original family, even with Alec, her rapist. As a result, she is manipulated by his intention. Eventually, she kills him and is hanged. The friends in a ranch play a part of a substitute family for Tess, though it doesn’t have so strong effect. Finally, Tess designates her younger sister, Liza-Lu, as her alter ego. This point can lead to another tragedy.