History YMMV / TessOfTheDUrbervilles

* ValuesResonance: But despite the aforementioned ValuesDissonance, the premise of the novel is still fairly relevant to the modern day as victims of rape are still sometimes persecuted due to UsefulNotes/VictimBlaming and UsefulNotes/SlutShaming.

* FandomBerserkButton: Fans of the book were NOT pleased by the... er, unusual [[RomanticisedAbuse interpretation]] it got in ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey''.

* FandomBerserkButton: Fans of the book were NOT pleased by the... er, [[ComicallyMissingThePoint unusual]] [[RomanticisedAbuse interpretation]] it got in ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey''.

* DracoInLeatherPants: Alec in the 2008 BBC version. He's way more sympathetic than in the book or the other films, complete with a clear FreudianExcuse (and lacking a creepy moustache, too). Creator/HansMatheson EvilIsSexy portrayal doesn't help either.

* DracoInLeatherPants: Alec in the 2008 BBC version. He's way more sympathetic than in the book or the other films, complete with a clear FreudianExcuse (and lacking a creepy moustache, too).

** The Alec of the 2008 version seems to have shades of this.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Some scholars argue that Tess ''acquiesced'' to Alec, rather than being raped by him, in what is arguably a NotIfTheyEnjoyedItRationalisation on the part of those scholars. Of course YMMV, but this is not the most commonly accepted reading of the text by any means.

* ItsAllAboutMe: Particurly at Tess's confession, Angel spends time feeling sorry for himself for accidently choosing [[DefiledForever an impure woman]] as his wife rather than actually giving Tess the comfort she deserves.
* FandomBerserkButton: Fans of the book were NOT pleased by the... er, [[CompletelyMissingThePoint unusual]] [[RomanticisedAbuse interpretation]] it got in ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey''.

* PuritySue: Simultaneously played straight and subverted. On one hand, by Victorian sensibilities, presenting a female rape victim as unfailingly pure was shocking - common thought would have been to view her as a slut who must have been 'asking for it'. On the other, Tess is deeply a victim of Victorian tragic literary convention, and considering that her only real character 'flaw' is her early naivete (which is presented as a part of her innocent charm), she definitely rings more than a little of this. Hell, even the title of the novel is ''Tess of the d'Urbervilles: a '''Pure Woman''' Faithfully Presented''.
** Considering that this was against Victorian convention, the title is probably intentionally chosen to underline the fact that Tess is an innocent victim and make it impossible to misunderstand the text of the book.
** Tess is by no means perfect. She put off even trying to tell Angel what had happened to her until they were almost married. Also, she stabbed a guy to death.

* ValuesDissonance: Even if the work is FairForItsDay, it sticks in the teeth of many readers.

* ValuesDissonance: Even if the work is FairForItsDay, it sticks in the teeth of most readers.

* FandomBerserkButton: The fans of the book were NOT pleased by the... er, [[CompletelyMissingThePoint unusual]] [[RomanticisedAbuse interpretation]] it got in ''Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey''.

* FandomBerserkButton: The fans of the book were NOT pleased by the... er, [[CompletelyMissingThePoint unusual]] [[RomanticisedAbuse interpretation]] it got in Literature/FiftyShadesOfGrey.

** Considering that this was against Victorian convention, the title is probably intentionally chosen to underline the fact that Tess is an innocent victim and make it impossible to misunderstand the text of the book.

** Considering that this was against Victorian convention, the title is probably intentionally choosen to underline the fact that Tess is an innocent victim and make it impossible to misunderstand the text of the book.

* PuritySue: Simultaneously played straight and subverted. On one hand, by Victorian sensibilities, presenting a female rape victim as unfailingly pure was shocking - common thought would have been to view her as a slut who must have been 'asking for it'. On the other, Tess is deeply a victim of Victorian tragic literary convention, and considering that her only real character 'flaw' is her early naivete (which is presented as a part of her innocent charm), she definitely rings more than a little of this. Hell, even the title of the novel is ''Tess of the d'Urbervilles: a '''Pure Woman''' Faithfully Presented''.

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Angel does eventually realize his cruel treatment of Tess.

* DracoInLeatherPants: Alec in the 2008 BBC version. He's way more sympathetic than in the book or the other films, complete with a clear FreudianExcuse (and lacking a creepy moustache, too). at

* DracoInLeatherPants: Alec in the 2008 BBC version. He's way more sympathetic than in the book or the other films, complete with a clear FreudianExcuse (and lacking a creepy moustache, too).
** Some give Alec this treatment in the 1979 film version. Yes he is portrayed with some humanity, but ultimately possessive and disregarding of Tess's emotions.
** Some girls go as far as wanting Tess to be with the handsome rapist who feign repentence.

* [[Narm]]: Modern readers often find the DeusAngstMachina plotline just a little bit too much to handle seriously.

* Narm: Modern readers often find the DeusAngstMachina plotline just a little bit too much to handle seriously.

** Some girls go as far as wanting Tess to be with the handsome rapist who feign repentence.

** Some girls go as far as wanting Tess to be with the handsome rapist who feign repentance then the emotionally abusive man who does genuinely repent and love Tess for who she is.