Pedigree in thomas hardy's tess of the d'urbervilles (1891)‎ and theodore dreiser's jennie gerhardt (1911)‎ : a comparative study

Abstract EN

This article analyses the notion of pedigree in Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles (1891) and Theodore Dreiser's Jennie Gerhardt (1911).

It compares between the two authors' consideration of the importance of family belonging, revealing thus the English and American societies' perception of lineage at the turn of the twentieth century.

Being influenced differently by the theories of heredity that developed at that time, the two authors developed different perspectives toward the importance of family belonging in the individual's life.

Hardy, who recognizes his interest in Darwin's and Weismann's theories of heredity, exposes in his novel his obsession by family lineage.

As any Victorian, he shows the importance of the noble pedigree of his main character in her life, linking thus the concept to nobility and prestige.

Dreiser, who is rather influenced by the philosophy of Naturalism, adopts heredity within the context of Determinism.

He demonstrates in his novel how his main protagonist's fate is determined by her heredity as well as the social environment in which she is living.