Passage 140 · 1891
"Tess of the d'Urbervilles"
Main effectThrough ironic scare quotes, passive completion, classical allusion as authorization, past perfect finality, and genitive making Tess object of divine sport, Hardy creates syntax of cosmic injustice—grammar that indicts both human law ("Justice") and divine order (President's "sport") through bitter irony and classical elevation.
Device index
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Tropes
Meaning opposite to surface.
Reference to other work.
Mild expression for harsh reality.
Human qualities to abstractions.
Syntax
"Justice"—quotation marks around abstract noun. Syntax signals narrator's ironic distance.
"was done"—passive voice without agent. Syntax presents outcome as inevitable, completed.
"the President of the Immortals"—definite article with genitive. Syntax gives formal, official title to deity.
"in Aeschylean phrase"—prepositional phrase crediting classical source. Syntax makes cosmic view authorized by tradition.
"had ended his sport"—past perfect emphasizes finality. Syntax marks game's conclusion.
"his sport with Tess"—genitive construction makes Tess object of divine amusement. Syntax performs objectification.
"with Tess"—preposition showing Tess as plaything. Syntax reduces protagonist to toy.
Close reading
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Scare Quotes
"Justice"—quotation marks around abstract noun. Syntax signals narrator's ironic distance.
Passive Construction
"was done"—passive voice without agent. Syntax presents outcome as inevitable, completed.
Copulative Title
"the President of the Immortals"—definite article with genitive. Syntax gives formal, official title to deity.
Parenthetical Attribution
"in Aeschylean phrase"—prepositional phrase crediting classical source. Syntax makes cosmic view authorized by tradition.
Past Perfect Completion
"had ended his sport"—past perfect emphasizes finality. Syntax marks game's conclusion.
Possessive Genitive
"his sport with Tess"—genitive construction makes Tess object of divine amusement. Syntax performs objectification.
Prepositional Victimization
"with Tess"—preposition showing Tess as plaything. Syntax reduces protagonist to toy.
Stylistic Effect
Through ironic scare quotes, passive completion, classical allusion as authorization, past perfect finality, and genitive making Tess object of divine sport, Hardy creates syntax of cosmic injustice—grammar that indicts both human law ("Justice") and divine order (President's "sport") through bitter irony and classical elevation.