Alphabe Thursday … H is for Thomas Hardy
January 8, 2015
Continuing in my Alphabet of Walking; Thomas Hardy tells us of walking in his novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Tess and her friends celebrate May Day by going ‘club-walking’ a pre-Christian spring ceremony in which they walk 2 by 2 in a procession around the parish and lanes until they reach a meadows, where they begin to dance. This is a fertility rite and when the local young men have finished working they will join the party later.
The other young men in the story who are on a walking tour are enjoying another ritual; with their backpacks and walking sticks they connect with nature. However, while his brothers are keen to continue walking the other decides to leave the road and dance with the peasant women.
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Coat Hanger Doll's House 
Nice write-up, Nel. It induced me to read the Wikipedia version of Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles. For it’s day it was a naughty book.
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Thanks for kind comments … I too will dip in; ‘naughty’ is good
Wonderful review of Hardy for H ~
Happy New Year,
artmusedog and carol
Thank you for your kind good wishes … I send many to you!!!
I think it may be time for me to reread Tess of the D’Urbervilles!
🙂
walking is good for you, no matter when or where! {:-D
Pretty much!!! 😉
I read that years ago, but just remembered how much I loved it. It’s on my list to read again!
Yes I read it at school … 😉