Men are like that but . . .
Posted by Kay on September 10, 1998 at 10:53:29:
In response to No, he's pondscum!, written by Cheryl on September 09, 1998 at 23:55:17
] I can't agree with this, because he was scheming from the very beginning. On the first drive to his home, he scared poor Tess to pieces and wouldn't slow the horses until she let him kiss her. He was always playing little games to get to touch her or kiss her, manipulating her into getting something he wanted. He gives me the willies.
] No, no benefit of the doubt from me. Nice try though. ;-)
Although I would be naturally wary of men in those days, and I think Tess' mother should have warned Tess about what men might try, this doesn't get Alec off the hook. He was morally obligated to treat Tess well as an employee and as a woman. I'm sure he knew his actions would be her ruin, but he didn't care. We see the way he treats his own mother (by leaving her when she becomes tiresome to him) that he's only looking out for his own pleasures. And while he's not quite as bad as the men in Constanza's poem (he doesn't condemn Tess . . . yet), he's up there on the list of all time heels.
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