Stonehenge

I like it. That's a very good interpretation.

I thought Stonehenge was significant for another reason. In line with the natural law vs. human law theme that also moves through the novel lacking subtlety, I thought it was significant that Tess and Angel were ready to submit to human law while lying on an alter built to worship the laws of nature.

I don't know that much about Celtic religion, but I'm under the impression that they were a pagan religion that celebrated natural phenomena, such as earth, sky, fire, etc. Whether or not Stonehenge was in fact built by the Celtic people for religious reasons, is irrelevant (I'm under the impression Stonehenge is much older than the Druids), but (and Amanda you'd know more about it) isn't it accepted that at some point it was used by the Druids for religious purposes? Whether or not this is accepted today, is really unimportant, because was this the accepted theory in the mid-nineteenth century? (According to Wikipedia, during the 1700 and 1800's it was accepted theory that Stonehenge was a Druid religious monument).

Back to the point. In her last action, the ultimate natural action, of "kill or be killed" she murders Alec and runs away with Angel. Presumably while on the run, camping out in an abandoned mansion they have sex. This runs rather closely to how animals act. They survive, meet a mate, find a temporary lair or nesting place, mate and move on.

She falls asleep on an alter, which as believed by Hardy was used to worship nature, either like an offering/sacrifice to nature or like an embodiment of nature to be worshiped? Angel acts almost like a worshiper, as do the constables who have come to arrest her, but I think this is more her final offering, especially because she is so calm and resigned about succumbing to human law and handing herself over to the law.

What do you think?