悲剧的审美特征在哈代的小说中表现得非常突出和集中。正如在小说《德伯家的苔丝》,从苔丝身上我们看到一个纯洁可爱的女孩怀着美丽善良的愿望进行着完全正当的追求,可是却一次又一次地遭受磨难和挫折,她最终失败了,被彻底地毁灭了。我们为她的遭遇不胜悲悯,又从她的不懈的追求中倍受感动与鼓舞。在潸然泪下之时,我们看到的是真与善的闪光,领略到的是一种庄严悲怆的美。 
  一、造成苔丝悲剧命运的外部因素 
  1.社会因素 
  作者哈代生活在19世纪和20世纪之交,即维多利亚后期,正是英国由自由资本主义向帝国主义过渡的时期,资本主义在给英国社会创造了繁荣的经济的同时也加深了下层贫苦人民的苦难,曾经辉煌的维多利亚时代逐步走向衰败,英国的工业垄断地位也在动摇,随之出现了经济萧条。资本主义工业入侵偏远落后的农业地区,破坏了古老的生产秩序,使许多以农耕为主的各阶层人们因受地主的无情剥削而面临生存危机。哈代亲眼目睹了资本主义入侵农村致使农民破产的情况,他在作品中描写了资本主义给农村带来的灾难,并且对农民的悲惨境遇寄予同情。哈代由于自己所处的社会时代的局限,尽管他想出解决这些问题的出路,但是最终没有成功。苔丝的悲剧就是在这样的大背景下上演的。苔丝以其美丽、灵巧、勤劳纯朴、善良刚毅,如果生活在一
个公正合理的社会,建立一个美满的家庭,过上普通百姓的日子是不难的,然而经济的贫困、生活的艰辛把她一步步推向深渊,最终成了这个畸形社会的牺牲品。 
  2.家庭因素。 
  家庭的破败贫穷是导致苔丝悲剧命运的一开始也是最直接的因素。如果不是家庭贫困,苔丝就不必连夜去赶集;如果不是家庭贫困,父母也就不会逼迫她去认亲;如果不是家庭贫困,在克莱尔没回来的期间她也就不会受到那么多屈辱,更不会下嫁给亚历克。由此可见,贫穷确实是导致苔丝悲剧命运的最重要条件之一。尽管苔丝家处于绝望的困境,但她为了不接受亚历克的控制而挣扎着,而如果苔丝答应去爱他,亚历克是有能力去减轻她家的困难的。可是苔丝内心发生着的冲突,是她的道德感和对家庭的忠诚造成的。她的道德感要求她远离亚历克,可她对家庭的职责又驱使她为了帮助母亲和弟妹而和亚历克在一起。我们能体会到苔丝的辛酸与无奈,这是推动苔丝悲剧发生的一个重要因素。 
  3.道德因素 
  苔丝所处的那个年代正是生产生活方式的变革与世袭道德观念发生冲突、社会物质供求与生产关系之间的矛盾冲突急剧深化的年代,维多利亚时期的自由面纱和神圣不可侵犯的社会道德的伪善面具不撕自破。男人主宰着社会,妇女社会地位地下。清教思想统治着人们的灵魂,
禁欲思想盛行。所以,苔丝心目中的婚姻不是建立在男女平等的基础上的,而是把自己的一切托付给克莱尔。她因失身而自卑,即便后来被丈夫抛弃,她还认定是自己罪有应得而默默忍受。在她的心灵深处,还残留着许多封建道德和封建观念,至死都没能摆脱传统伦理观念的束缚。她的不幸不仅得不到社会的同情,而且得不到周围人的同情,她虽然是为了全家人毁了自己的一生,但没有得到应有的安抚。 
  二、造成苔丝悲剧命运的内部因素 
  苔丝是哈代作品中最具悲观彩的女主角,作者形象地描绘了一个既可爱又可悲的角。苔丝是一个单纯的乡村姑娘,对周围这个世界了解太少,对爱情还没来得及有清醒的认识就因轻信而受骗,铸成了爱情悲剧的第一步。后来在流离失所的为难时刻,她又违心地跟了亚历克。当然家庭所迫是主要原因,但她还是轻信了亚历克的谎言,爱情悲剧以为丈夫永远也回不来了,对爱情绝望使她走向亚历克,继而迈出了悲剧的最后一步。苔丝的善良天性没有给她带来好处,却铸成了她的悲剧。下面从苔丝几个典型的性格特征来分析造成其悲剧命运的原因。 
  1.孝顺、有责任心。 
  在哈代心中,苔丝拥有一个劳动者应有的各种优秀品质,更优异于那些所谓的贵族与资产阶级。苔丝是一个孝顺的女孩,她对父母的命令言听计从。在家里极其困窘的时候,她总是挺身
而出,先是去认亲,后来是答应下嫁亚历克。这些都体现了苔丝极大的责任心,但同时也铸成了她悲剧的人生。 
  2.坚毅、反叛。 
  苔丝的性格中最令人震撼的就是坚毅和反叛。在被亚历克强暴以后,她决定不嫁给亚历克。如果当初被亚历克玷污后,无可奈何地嫁给了亚历克,那么苔丝的这一生可能就不是这样的了,但是苔丝没有这样做。她要自己真正爱的人,她不愿被世俗的观念所驱使,她要走自己的路。苔丝的观念是不被当时的社会所接受的,她的坚毅和反叛也注定了不被社会所容,必将成为社会的牺牲品。 
  3.真诚、勇敢。 
  因为真诚,在新婚夜苔丝向自己的丈夫吐露了自己悲惨的过去,但是克莱尔并没有接受她的坦白,而是舍她而去,这是苔丝人生最大痛苦的开端。因为勇敢,她敢于在那个时代当起未婚妈妈,勇于去做时代的叛逆者。也正是由于勇敢,她杀死了亚历克,追求自己真正的爱。但这勇敢的代价是被社会所唾弃,是无法逃离所谓的“法律的制裁”,而献出了自己年轻且宝贵的生命。
  苔丝的悲剧命运是由很多因素造成的,苔丝本人也是社会、道德、宗教的受害者,苔丝的悲剧就是当时社会道德宗教背景下的必然结果。而苔丝自身的性格特征也为她的悲剧命运埋下了
伏笔。尽管在苔丝身上意欲与命运之间的背离是那样残酷,但是,她是这样一个充满质感的人物,她从哈代的威塞克斯乡土小说中走出来,拥有永恒的魅力。 
First, the external factors causing the tragic fate of Tess
1. Social Factors
Meanwhile OF Hardy living in the 19th century, turn of the century, namely late Victorian and precisely by the British liberal capitalism to imperialism transition period, capitalist society in Britain to create a prosperous economy has deepened the poor people of the lower suffering, once glorious Victorian gradually decline, Britain's industrial monopoly are shaken, appears the recession. Capitalist industrial agriculture invasion of remote and backward areas, the destruction of the old order of production, many agrarian people of all walks of life due to the ruthless exploitation of landlords facing a crisis of survival. Hardy witnessed the situation of capitalism led invasion rural farmers bankrupt, he described the rural capitalism to bring disaster in the works, and the plight of farmers sympathy. Hardy due to the limitations of their own age in which society, even though he wanted to find a wa
y to solve these problems, but ultimately it did not succeed. Tess's tragedy is in this context staged. Tess its beautiful, smart, industrious and simple, kind-hearted fortitude, if you live in a fair and equitable society, to build a happy family, and lived a life of ordinary people is not difficult, however, economic poverty, the hardships of life her step by step into the abyss, eventually became a victim of this deformity society.
2. Family factors.
Dilapidated poor households are beginning the most direct factor leading to the tragic fate of Tess. If the family is not poor, Tess does not have to go to the fair the night; if not family poverty, parents will not force her to recognize the pro; if not a poor family, during Claire did not come back, she will not suffer so much humiliation, not to marry Alec. Thus, poverty is indeed one of the most important conditions cause Tess tragic fate. Despite the desperate plight of Tess home, but she does not accept the order and Alec struggled to control, and if Tess promised to love him, Alec is able to alleviate the difficulties of her home. But Tess inner conflicts happening, her sense of morality and loyalty to the family caused. She aske
d her sense of morality away from Alec, but she responsibilities to the family and drove her to help her mother and younger siblings and Alec together. We can understand the bitterness and frustration of Tess, which is an important factor driving Tess tragedy.
3. Moral Factors
Tess that time which is the production and lifestyle changes and hereditary moral conflict, social and moral conflicts social material production relations between supply and demand and a sharp deepening era Victorian veil and sanctity of freedom do not tear the mask of hypocrisy since the break. Men dominated society, women's social status underground. Puritanism dominated the soul of the people, abstinence ideology prevailed. So, Tess minds of marriage is not built on the basis of equality of men, but his own a Cheto paid Claire. She was sexually abused and self-esteem, even if later abandoned by her husband, she also identified himself deserved and suffer in silence. In her heart, still remained a number of feudal and feudal moral concepts, death failed to shake off the shackles of traditional ethics. Unfortunately, her lack of sympathy not only of society, but not the people
around sympathy to the family although she ruined his life, but did not receive due to appease.
Second, internal factors causing the tragic fate of Tess
Tess is Hardy's work the most pessimistic actress, author vividly depicts a lovely and sad role. Tess is a simple country girl, around the world know very little about love not had time to have a clear understanding on account of gullible and deceived, cast the first step of love tragedy. Later in the displaced difficult time, she followed Alec against their will. Of course, the main reason families are forced, but she still believe Alec lie, that her husband never come back, desperate for love Alec toward her, then took the final step in the tragedy. Tess's good nature did not give her the benefit, but cast her tragedy. Here Tess several typical character traits to analyze the causes of their tragic fate.
1. filial piety, a sense of responsibility.