Tess of the d'Urbervilles

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At times where I have a copious amount of tasks to complete, I loathe having to feel accountable for reading six novels in less than ten weeks. But in forcing myself to immerse myself in varied forms of literature in a short span of time, I have found the burden in the lack of time lifted from me because of accurate-to-the-text film adaptations.

Tonight I viewed the 1998 film adaptation of Tess of the d'Urbervilles, and I must admit that the very beginning bored me. I thought that the next three hours of my life would be filled with regret, but little did I know that it would indeed be so not because of the lack of plot, rather the depth and breadth of the plot to the extent where the outcome and the events leading up to it upset me. 

And what is more perplexing in this entire ordeal that is the storyline is the fact that apart from Tess falling victim to rape, she fell victim to other forms of abuse, the most crucial being blame. In fact, the very moment that Tess was raped proved itself the most innocent of ordeals compared to the ones that attacked her thereafter. 

Coming from a traditional family where marriage between man and a 'pure' woman is still valued above all, especially above food which is surprising considering my mother cooks for an army every day, my anger speaks for me, or it would if it could at least. The entire time watching the film, I felt horrible for Tess as the subject of 'purity' was thrown around. And that brings me to the argument that I always put forth for my mother to justify - why is it that brides are to remain pure, and it does not matter whether grooms are or are not? What justification has anyone as to the retaining of a woman's virginity for her wedding night, and not the retaining of the groom's virginity on his?

And I never have received an answer for that. I suppose that I never will. I am content with the fact that what my family believes and what I believe are two very different things because on the case of equality, traditions value anything but.