I find it very ironic that Tess encounters Alec on a tombstone when she is with her family. Hardy is foreshadowing Tess' outcome through this. Alec subsequently brings on the death of Tess Durbeyfield--literally and figuratively. Her murder results in her execution. Yet, Tess seemingly died earlier in the novel. She was never "whole" and "pure" after he incident with Alec. Tess simply morphed into a ghost of her former self after being taken advantage of. She became listless, distant, and incapable of true happiness. The meeting in the graveyard is Hardy's message of Tess dying via Alec's actions.
Though Hardy establishes Tess as a strong female protagonist, I feel that he also left her tragically flawed and actually weak. She was not able to forgive herself, and she was not able to recover from Angel's departure. It makes me ponder if Tess was really as strong and as independent as she was perceived. Tess almost walked into her grave due to her lack of mental strength and naturally distraught nature.
--Emily T
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