Tess has returned home, but now she has baby with her, leading to one of the most beautiful and famous sciences in English literature in which Tess sorrowfully baptizes the poor little one. So this week, David, Heidi, and Karen dig in that scene and contemplate what Thomas Hardy is saying through it. Plus, discussion touches on the role Tess’s mother plays in her daughter’s misfortunes.
Thank you for a wonderful episode! I remember listening to an audiobook version of Tess a couple of years ago and encountering the scene where her baby passes away as I was driving down a highway, returning from running an errand, with my infant son napping in the backseat. As I cried and listened, I was struck to the core by the tragedy of that scene - and filled with gratitude for my healthy son. This book makes me want to slow to down and notice the pain of others and to be a safe place for the suffering. It also makes me want to slow down and notice my gifts. That alone makes it a worthy read, I think.
Thank you for a wonderful episode! I remember listening to an audiobook version of Tess a couple of years ago and encountering the scene where her baby passes away as I was driving down a highway, returning from running an errand, with my infant son napping in the backseat. As I cried and listened, I was struck to the core by the tragedy of that scene - and filled with gratitude for my healthy son. This book makes me want to slow to down and notice the pain of others and to be a safe place for the suffering. It also makes me want to slow down and notice my gifts. That alone makes it a worthy read, I think.