Tess of the d'Urbervilles

By Thomas Hardy

Etched against the background of a dying rural society, Tess of the d'Urbervilles was Thomas Hardy's 'bestseller,' and Tess Durbeyfield remains his most striking and tragic heroine. Of all the characters he created, she meant the most to him. Hopelessly torn between two men—Alec d'Urberville, a wealthy, dissolute young man who seduces her in a lonely wood, and Angel Clare, her provincial, moralistic, and unforgiving husband—Tess escapes from her vise of passion through a horrible, desperate act.

'Like the greatest characters in literature, Tess lives beyond the final pages of the book as a permanent citizen of the imagination,' said Irving Howe. 'In Tess he stakes everything on his sensuous apprehension of a young woman's life, a girl who is at once a simple milkmaid and an archetype of feminine strength. . . . Tess is that rare creature in literature: goodness made interesting.'

Now Tess of the d'Urbervilles has been brought to television in a magnificent new co-production from A&E Network and London Weekend Television. Justine Waddell (Anna Karenina) stars as the tragic heroine, Tess; Oliver Milburn (Chandler & Co.) is Angel Clare; and Jason Flemyng is Alec d'Urberville. The cast also includes John McEnery (Black Beauty) as Jack Durbeyfield and Lesley Dunlop (The Elephant Man) as Joan Durbeyfield. Tess of the d'Urbervilles is directed by Ian Sharp and produced by Sarah Wilson, with a screenplay by Ted Whitehead; it was filmed in Hardy country, the beautiful English countryside in Dorset where Thomas Hardy set his novels.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Nov 1, 2000
• ISBN: 9780679641513

Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) is best known for his novels, Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the D'Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895), which was denounced as morally objectionable. Hardy, disgusted with this reaction, declared he would never write fiction again and devoted the rest of his literary career to poetry.

Reviews for Tess of the d'Urbervilles

[la2bkk · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was my fourth Hardy work, and while enjoyable, was my least favorite. Hardy is a great story teller- he conveys a sense of rural English life that few other can match. In addition, Hardy effectively includes just enough characters and detail to move the plot forward without distracting the reader with unnecessary information.Unfortunately, unlike his other books, I felt Hardy's portrayal of his main characters was far too stereotypical and shallow. Tess, in particular, as the abused, love struck and weak minded maiden was so over the top that I found it difficult to sympathize with her situation.On a good note, Hardy's ending was excellent.Recommended, but if your time is limited I suggest reading The Mayor of Casterbridge, which I consider his finest work.

[sturlington_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this in college. I remember liking it pretty well at the time, but it did not make me a fan of Thomas Hardy, and since then my opinion of him--and especially his depiction of women--has soured considerably.

[branful · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

most poetic and convincing of Hardy's novels

[omrythea_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A classic I can actually get through. :)

[johnny1978_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's almost impossible to rate a novel without taking into account its place in the canon. 'Tess' is an iconic novel about hypocrisy, seduction, betrayal. suffering and the compromises we make for love. It's indisputably a powerful and beautifully structured story - Hardy's descriptive prose is like poetry and his characters are fully (in some cases painfully) realised. As a reader it left me stunned - Hardy wields tragic irony like a cudgel and he's never met a trauma he doesn't love.

[dbjones_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful tragedy, Tess of the D'Urbervilles is one of literatures most abused heroines. This is my favorite book of all time and my desert island read. Tess illustrates the reality of life during Hardy's time and the sometimes brutal relationships between the classes and genders. As with all of Hardy's works, don't be looking for a happy ending, but this is great literature.

[pyobon · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A hugely engaging book. This is the first Hardy I have read since the mid 1970s when I hated the Mayor of Casterbridge as required reading as a school student. Friends persuaded me to try him again and my prejudices have been shattered. Whilst at places there was some of the ponderous and prolix descriptions of pastoral life with which I had no patience when younger, they added charm and depth to a compelling story. The book brilliantly combines important social points with clever plot, engaging characters and well painted descriptions which all draw you in. Glad I read the ebook - so much easier when you don't know a word just to tap on it, rather than ponder whether to look for the dictionary.

[kemeki · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An amazing novel! Hardy is a genius, and Tess a fabulous heroine. The ending is moving. It's interesting to see a novel without a heroic male.

[sherton_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this novel many years ago, but I remember that it was very sad and it has stayed with me.

[bcquinnsmom · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

After all of this time, and after all of the books I've read, this is my first Thomas Hardy novel. To be really honest, PBS recently ran the BBC production of Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and I wanted to read the book before I watch it (it's still on TiVo). Now I'm afraid...this book was so incredibly depressing! That's not to say I didn't love it. I won't rehash the plot; there are wonderful examples of critique, criticism and plot summaries all over the internet. I found Tess to be a complex character -- while she is certainly a very tragic figure, she is proud, able to face adversity and determined to do what it takes to survive in the most trying of situations. The male characters of this novel I found to be the least likeable, no matter who they were. But on the other hand, it also struck me that one could argue that men like Angel were also victims of the times -- although he felt himself to be more idealistic than other men of his generation, and although he escaped his father's plans for his future, he was still a product of ingrained proper Victorian society, where scandal could ruin a "good" family. He has to go to a place where societal ideals mean nothing before he turns himself around. As a human being, this doesn't excuse his behavior, but it does help to explain it. I enjoyed reading this book, but it was like watching the proverbial train wreck -- you just know what's going to happen and yet you cannot turn away. I see many more books by Hardy in my future. I'd recommend it for others who might be considering reading this author's works; if you're not into tragic heroines you may consider skipping it. Overall, a fine book, one I'm very happy to have read.

[theokester · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tess is one of the more depressive novels I've read lately. My wife will attest to the fact that I have a strange affinity to depressing stories. With that in mind, let me say that I really enjoyed this book.The writing was at times a bit too much for me for the reason that I get annoyed at many 18th and 19th century novels...namely, that Hardy focuses far too much on minute descriptions and in-depth analysis of setting and location. Don't get me wrong, I love a vivid and lush environment and I much prefer a fleshed out character to a flat one. I just sometimes feel that all of the flowery descriptions slow down the story telling element too much. There were a few paragraphs/pages that I tried to skim through in order to get to the next relevant points of plot. Still, I don't know that I'd want to edit out the descriptive text since it does comment on the narrative itself in a metafictional sort of way.The main characters in this book are wonderfully composed. They are absolutely and completely frustrating but they are superbly crafted nonetheless. I wanted to smack each of the main characters on many occasions. Tess is far too willing to simply be acted upon and then to bemoan her fate. Alec is an absolute pig (although towards the end of our experience with him, it's debatable just how awful he truly is). And Angel is far too inconsistent to be liked at all...at first he seems almost lovable...then he deserves to be hated...then he seems slightly adequate...then he becomes repulsive again...he's just far too wishy-washy in his behavior and ideals to ever be fully redeemable.The story itself falls into the realm of realism taken to its extreme. The plot elements felt almost like the Bible story of Job...whatever could go wrong willgo wrong. And even though Tess was generally found to be almost whining about her circumstances rather than trying to make things better for herself, the story was still rather thought provoking since it makes you wonder just how you would handle horrific circumstances and what can truly be done about them. Is it better to try and solve the problem or better to just let fate and happenstance take its toll.Personally, I try to make the best out of any bad situation...perhaps that's why I like "depressing" stories...they make me realize my life could be worse and they help inspire me to always think of the best possible outcome.I'm sure this book won't be for everyone. Those who want a happy fairy-tale romp through a girl's life would do better to stay away. Those who are easily frustrated by fallen characters, will find themselves hating all of the primary roles in this book. The book isn't terribly lengthy (~300-400?) but some of the longer descriptive passages do crawl by at times.Still, I whole-heartedly recommend this book to those who are willing to look imperfection and awful situations square in the face and come away smiling. It's not a happy book. It's not a terribly fast past book (which can also be frustrating...I wanted to shout Just do it to Tess many times). But it is a wonderfully rich book and definitely worth getting into.*****4.5 stars (out of 5)

[debilyn_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

**** "Happiness is but a mere episode in the general drama of pain." ~Thomas HardyA fitting quote to sum up the entire existence of Tess Durbeyfield, the beautifully tragic heroine of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Tess reminded me of that sister or friend in your life that you cannot help but love because of her absolute goodness of character, yet at the same time cannot help but become exasperated by due to her constant poor judgment and lack of common sense. She i...more "Happiness is but a mere episode in the general drama of pain." ~Thomas HardyA fitting quote to sum up the entire existence of Tess Durbeyfield, the beautifully tragic heroine of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Tess reminded me of that sister or friend in your life that you cannot help but love because of her absolute goodness of character, yet at the same time cannot help but become exasperated by due to her constant poor judgment and lack of common sense. She is the embodiment of all that is good and right, but her lack of backbone and ability to think for or stand up for herself is often maddening to the point of distraction. Devotion is an admirable quality in any human being, but at what point does such a trait cross the line to becoming blind obedience? This character trait in Tess had me questioning throughout the entire book whether the pivotal moment of the story...the point at which Tess loses her innocence...was, in fact, a case of rape or just another moment in Tess's life in which she allowed someone to coerce her into her actions.On the whole, I was captivated by Hardy's beautifully tragic story, despite the fact that I found all 3 of the main characters to be unbelievably exasperating and frustrating to me. The writing was beautiful, and in many ways I found the author's use of purposeful ambiguity in regards to the "main event" to be a masterful move in creating his story. His use of character development gives us many clues as to what could have happened, but in the end we're left to decide for ourselves. Regardless, the culmination of events leads to a heartwrenching conclusion that left this reader pondering the age old themes of Forgiveness, Redemption, Judgment, Pride, Devotion, and more...

[ezekiel99 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

How much more melodrama could possibly be wrung from this story? There is no hope at all in the characters in this novel. A downward spiral of depression and misery.

[lanaing · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It broke my heart, but I loved it.

[wisewoman_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Tess of the d'Urbervilles has a reputation as a fantastically depressing and tragic book, and it's not undeserved. Thomas Hardy uses this story as a platform to express his deep skepticism and agnostic leanings; no wonder the outlook is bleak. The story centers on Tess Durbeyfield, a simple country girl in England during the 1880s. Her family, poor and somewhat lazy, nevertheless becomes proud and ambitious when they learn of their prestigious family history as the noble d'Urbervilles. Tess is packed off to try her fortune with another supposed (and richer) branch of the family, but soon falls prey to an unscrupulous "cousin," Alec d'Urberville. Her entire life is tainted by her d'Urberville descent, the selfishness of those around her, and (more indirectly) the rigid application of Christian morality then prevalent in Britain. This isn't a novel you read for its uplifting sentiments. Either Hardy's views were more strongly developed since the publication of his earlier works or he, emboldened by his literary success, now had fewer qualms about expressing his anger toward the God whom he believes is most likely not there. In any case, the doubt and questioning of God are much more pronounced in this novel than in either The Mayor of Casterbridge or Far From The Madding Crowd. As Tess's greatest advocate, Hardy argues that she would not be so miserable if it weren't for the "accepted social laws" regarding morality that her society forces upon her. He's mad at the Christian conception of God as a harsh taskmaster (as shown by the wandering man who paints biblical texts of judgment and hellfire on barns and fences). And yet at the same time, Hardy is mad at the Christian God for not being there to prevent great evils and make sure that human relations progress toward the best interest of each party. Hardy is a mass of contradictions. God is blamed for not intervening, but God is also blamed for how He has intervened. God is cruel; God should be different from what He is; God, in Hardy's opinion, has failed. And yet Hardy's writing is rich with biblical allusions and metaphors. He can never quite repudiate his early upbringing, but he has to replace God with something — and, like a true materialist, he settles on the deification of nature instead. Humankind is made to worship, and worship we will, even if we remove God from the picture. Hardy emphasizes natural law over moral law; over and over again he reminds us that Tess's troubles are not because she was raped, but because people hold to "arbitrary social customs" that have "no foundation in nature." Nature is freeing; society is restrictive. And Tess—a character clearly loved by her author—is pretty much an extension of the natural world. Hardy writes that country women, when they work in the fields, become a part of the natural landscape in a way that men can't. Hardy loves describing nature, and does so frequently. Rural life is somewhat romanticized (not entirely, though, especially with Flintcombe-Ash farm), while the cities are distant places of misery and evil. The happiest times of Tess's life are spent in isolation from or in very limited contact with society as a whole. The message is clear: nature is god, and society (and the Christian God) shouldn't be. As a Christian of a stamp that Hardy would probably dislike, I can't quite explain my appreciation and enjoyment of his work. He questions, casts doubt on, and sometimes even attacks my beliefs, and yet somehow he does not anger me. On the contrary, I feel a sort of indulgent pity for him. I hope that doesn't sound patronizing, because I certainly appreciate that he was wrestling with very hard things and I don't have pat, easy answers either. Maybe it's our very differences that have created my fascination with his work. I had trouble tearing myself away from this audiobook; I was thoroughly invested in Tess's story (and was, consequently, rather saddened when I reached its unhappy ending). Just last night I was at a library booksale and I swooped down upon a lesser-known Hardy title, The Trumpet-Major, with a sense of having snagged something good. For all that I dislike Hardy's pessimism and distaste for biblical Christianity, the man can write. And his books are works of art. The characters are so complex and realistic. Hardy has to force himself to do justice to Angel's parents, who are portrayed as strict and somewhat narrowminded Calvinist fundamentalists. For all his dislike of their beliefs, Hardy does manage to paint them realistically and even with charity — a gift that he says they possess to the full measure. Tess's parents, shiftless and passive spectators of their own lives, remind me of people I know. Alec d'Urberville is another well-rounded character, even in his role as the pursuing demon of Tess's life. Somehow I never could completely hate him, hateful as he was. I did think that the name "Angel" was rather unfortunate for the male protagonist (I hesitate to say "hero"). But as a character he's very sympathetic, even if his rigidity and double standards frustrate the reader. This audiobook was read by Stephen Thorne, who makes excellent work of it despite his limitations when it comes to voicing female characters. At times I was so eager to learn what happened next that I was tempted to pick up the printed book, but the excellence of Thorne's narration always won out and I patiently listened to all of it. I'm not sure Tess of the d'Urbervilles is a book I will ever revisit, so heartbreaking was its effect, but I feel richer for the experience of reading it. Though Hardy and I would never agree on things spiritual and moral, I've gained a greater appreciation for his attempts to show the problems of misapplied Christianity and to offer a different solution. He offers the wrong solution, but he does try.

[schmerguls · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I finished this book at 10:10 P.M. on Dec 8, 1964, I said: "i am overwhelmed--powerful, stark, overpowering. I have not been so impressed and awed by a novel in years. Most other novels I have read pale into triviality in comparison. In wroking backwards in my list of books read certainly nothing since Roger Martin du Gard's novel can compare, and it is discursive and tedious in comparison. The same can be said of From Here to Eternity, which I read in April of 1961.. It is true the plot is strained at times, unlikely. But the strength of the prose makes up for that. The final paragraph is typical of the harsh Hardy prose: 'Justice was done and the President of the Immortals, in Aesclylean phrase, had ended his sport with Tess. And the D'Urberville knights and dames slept on in their tombs unknowing. The two speechless gazers bent themselves down to the earth, as for prayer, and remained thus for a long time, absolutely motionless: the flag continued to wave silently. As soon as they had strength they arose, joined hands again, and went on.' What a story! What a style! I am impressed.

[mjmbecky · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Never has a story gripped me more and made me fiercely proud to be a woman of our modern era. For a book that Hardy meant to create a conversation about the treatment and view of women, I would say he succeeded...even today. You fall in love with Tess, you feel for her pain, and you cheer her on in the hopes of some happiness. Tess, the book, is horribly tragic, but makes its point about the subjugation of women and the double standard placed on women of the Victorian era.

[sweetbriarpoet · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hardy is one of my favorite writers, and he did not disappoint with this, his most well-known novel. My favorite characteristic of his books are his flawed characters: not one person goes unpunished by Providence or Fate or their own actions. In the way of his characters, he is much like Shakespeare: no one has to have a singular purpose, yet, somehow, by the end of the novel, everyone has fitted into their place. Hardy does not find solace in the lighter side of things. Especially in this novel, he satirizes the idea of a just religion, or the idea that love appropriates certain actions. The ending result with Tess might be a tad more morbid than his other works; which is why I give this four stats out of five, considering I will never like anything better than The Return of the Native. He is an amazing writer, with a knack for complicated themes that makes his work just as poignant as it would have been in the 19th century. I recommend this book to those out there who are looking for a writer who personifies the transition into modernity.

[mthelibrarian_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Spellbinding, suspenseful, and a must-read. Cannot believe I have not read this before, but glad I read all of Jane Austen first. Hardy was absolutely brilliant! It's been awhile since I spent days raging to family about a character or cried on walks while listening to audio (I also read portions from my hard copy which has been on my shelf for years).

[jerhogan · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It's a pretty uplifting book with the title character being the kind that needs a good shake up! Of course Tess was let down by Angel deserting her although she was raped by Alec, or at least was not desiring a relationship with Alec. I suppose it is a tragedy brought on by the morals of the times

[theboylatham_1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Four out of ten. eBook.

Tess is a young peasant girl whose father discovers is descended from nobility. She sets off to meet the family from which she is descended and runs into a rather cruel Alex D'Urberbville. She puts this meeting behind her but this once-in-a-lifetime meeting keeps coming back to haunt her.

Another old book that has little relevance with modern life. The attitudes towards love and marriage displayed are so antiquated that they seem ridiculous which dilutes the obvious message of the book. Another slow-moving and predictable 'classic'.

[vrchristensen · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of my favourite books. It is so beautifully written that even through the frustrations and hardships the heroine faces, you are drawn on by the power of the language and the force of the story. Hardy was trying to make an important point in the writing of this story, and while such a tale seems unimaginable in today's world, it nevertheless resonates, particularly with women. Shocking in it's day, Hardy's efforts were felt. Tess is a provocative look at the plight of the 19th century woman, unnaturally naive to a world run by world-wise men. I'm not sure I've ever recovered from this book, and it has been a powerful influence in my own work.

[milti_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Supposedly Hardy's best book. Certainly the most touching and heart-wrenching.

[joririchardson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a beautifully written, tragic romance. Hardy's writing style is poetic and romantic. The characters are well written and well developed, especially the ethereal, sad main character of Tess.The writing style is truly beautiful, and the plot is as dramatic and sad as Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet." This is a classic love story, my favorite romance ever.

[nellista_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If Thomas Hardy was alive now, I am sure he would have been an Academy Award winning director, as his scenes are so beautifully described. I loved the details of the agricultural life. I can also recommend the TV series starring Gemma Atherton and Eddie Redmayne.

[poetontheone · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hardy poses a complete rejection of Victorian ideals through the cultivation of utterly futile and tragic characters, his heroine most of all. The story devolves into complete oblivion, and then the bottom drops out. Hardy, unlike Dickens for example, has a verbose prose style that often works against him. Despite this, the sheer power and absurdity of the thematic elements of the story redeem it from wordiness for the most part. A heavy antidote to the sickly romantic victories of Jane Austen, though the characters may be equally unlikable. That is probably Hardy's intent, however. We are to pity Tess Durbeyfield and Angel Clare, swallowed up by fate rather than embraced by it. Unlike Austen and some others, Hardy sees the sometimes present maelstrom which they reject outright.

[eglinton_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

If you haven't tested Hardy's stature for a while by actually reading his work, you might have forgotten how gloomy the world he depicts is. The undeniable richness of description and tone ought to be some compensation, perhaps, but the pessimism and fatalism still hangs heavy. And especially with Tess; she's not as spirited or insightful as you would want from a female lead, and is brought down low, oh so low, by, by what? Oh yes, her youthful innocence being taken advantage of by a plausible cad. (He's a baddie, but at least has clear-sighted motives, hers are rarely unwrapped). So she's raped, and thus tainted and lost, and that's pretty much the core of the entire narrative, as it develops, and the seeming moral rationale of her fate. Whilst one ought to be willing to think into the mindset of the day, this unbending and imbalanced sense of propriety seems so outrageous, not to say indeed absurd to this reader, that it's hard to engage too deeply with a story and characters, so emotionally pitched to it. Just as with Hardy's fussing over details of ecclesiatical doctrine, impenetrably trivial from this sight. And although Hardy's motive in writing Tess seems to have been to distance himself from those prevaling dogmas that punished fallen women for their misfortune, that apparent opposition, at this remove, has but a fraction of the impact of the poweful codes so starkly portrayed here.

[jwhenderson_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tess starts out as an emblem of innocence, a pretty country girl who delights in dancing on the village green. Yet the world conspires against her. Her travails begin when her family is in need and decides to seek help from relatives by the name of d’Urberville. They send Tess to ask them for help. Seduced by a duplicitous older man, her virtue is destroyed when she bears his child and her future life is shaped by a continual suffering for crimes that are not her own.Cast out by a morally hypocritical society, Tess identifies most strongly with the natural world and it is here that Hardy's textual lyricism comes into its own. His heroine's physical attributes are described with organic metaphors - her arm, covered in curds from the milking, is 'as cold and damp ... as a new-gathered mushroom'. At the height of Tess's love affair with the parson's son, Angel Clare, Hardy describes a summer of 'oozing fatness and warm ferments'. When she is separated from him, Tess is depicted digging out swedes in a rain-drenched, colourless field, working until 'the leaden light diminishes'. Tess’ baby symbolizes Tess’ bad circumstances and innocence in the sense since this baby was innocent having done nothing wrong, but it was punished by society for coming from such an evil act. Having been raped, Tess was also innocent of the crime, but she was still punished and pushed aside by society. This book deals with the oppression of an innocent girl. Most of the consequences she faced were not consequences of her own actions which makes this story somewhat of a tragedy in that sense giving the book a mood that you can try to make for yourself a good life, but you do not determine your own outcome. Hardy uses a lot of imagery and describes the scenery in great detail. While each individual sentence may not be difficult to understand, it is the way the various sentences fit together to form a whole picture which separates him from other authors. His evocative descriptions are underpinned by a gripping story of love, loss and tragedy. According to Hardy's biographer, Claire Tomalin, the book 'glows with the intensity of his imagination'. It is this that remains the key to its lasting power.

[artikaur · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I could barely make it halfway through this book before I had to toss it aside. I hate it when the author tries to write a sentence phonetically, instead of just typing it out in standard English, and then saying (spoken in a _____ accent). It makes it very difficult to read. That bit aside, the little that I did read seemed to be following a very tragic route. Firstly, her parents are extremely foolish, and very poor, and have a string of children to feed. She accidentally kills the family horse, and then tries to restore honor by going to work for what she thinks is her rich relation (they aren't even related). Her mother hopes she will marry the rich relation. Instead, he rapes her. The child that she has (aptly named Sorrow), dies in infancy. That is about the point where I started to just lose interest. It's a bit depressing to be reading about rape and infant death. The book does have some redeeming qualities. For instance, Hardy was a bit of a rebel for his time- he wrote things that seriously wounded Victorian sensibilities. He wrote of poverty, death, and rape, at a time when that was not considered to be part of "polite" conversation. What today might be considered mild, was certainly at the time the book was written, considered outrageous. This is probably the reason why this book would be included on a school's reading list.

[hollysing · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful novel full of mysterious, luminous landscapes and portraits, painted with care by Hardy, as an artist on a canvas. My favorite quote: "Many...have learnt that the magnitude of lives is not as to their external displacements, but as to their subjective experience."