“The Disappearing Creation”: Architectural Conservation and the Natural Landscape in Tess of the d’Urbervilles
Thomas Hardy’s work as an architect prior to his becoming an author led him to develop the preservationist view that a major aspect of ancient buildings’ value lies in their human associations. In Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Hardy explores the inextricable links among man-made structures, humanity an...
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2023
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openedition-oai:revues.org:fathom_2012 |
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openedition |
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OpenEdition Journal |
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Anglais |
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Article ou chapitre numérique |
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0/Bibliothèque numérique/ 1/Bibliothèque numérique/OpenEdition Journals/ |
| topic |
memory architecture ecocriticism green studies ecology preservation human association nature history fellowship architecture écologie éco-critique environnement études environnementales conservation nature mémoire histoire |
| spellingShingle |
memory architecture ecocriticism green studies ecology preservation human association nature history fellowship architecture écologie éco-critique environnement études environnementales conservation nature mémoire histoire Elices, Carolina “The Disappearing Creation”: Architectural Conservation and the Natural Landscape in Tess of the d’Urbervilles |
| description |
Thomas Hardy’s work as an architect prior to his becoming an author led him to develop the preservationist view that a major aspect of ancient buildings’ value lies in their human associations. In Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Hardy explores the inextricable links among man-made structures, humanity and the natural world, while also demonstrating instances where nature and the built environment – particularly decaying constructions that have not been conserved – can merge to form a unified landscape. The five sites the article uses to examine this notion are: the d’Urberville home of The Slopes; the fowl-house where Mrs d’Urberville’s birds live; the Cross-in-Hand monument; the d’Urberville tombs at Kingsbere; and Stonehenge. While The Slopes provides a prime example of how jarringly architecture can contrast with its natural environment, the fowl-house exemplifies the decaying structure that, because it has not been conserved, has been reclaimed by nature. Cross-in-Hand, the Kingsbere tombs and Stonehenge are all described with plant- and animal-related terminology, emphasizing their integration with and reclamation by their natural environs. Ultimately, the man-made structures in Tess highlight the notion that architectural spaces must be considered in the context of the natural landscape around them. As the humans who occupy these spaces will eventually fade into oblivion, nature must be a fundamental consideration in the architectural process, since nature will ultimately reclaim man-made spaces that are not conserved. In Tess, Hardy’s “green”-ness centres on his emphasis that the natural environment should be just as valued in the architectural conservation process as the built environment. |
| author |
Elices, Carolina |
| author_facet |
Elices, Carolina |
| author_sort |
Elices, Carolina |
| title |
“The Disappearing Creation”: Architectural Conservation and the Natural Landscape in Tess of the d’Urbervilles |
| title_short |
“The Disappearing Creation”: Architectural Conservation and the Natural Landscape in Tess of the d’Urbervilles |
| title_full |
“The Disappearing Creation”: Architectural Conservation and the Natural Landscape in Tess of the d’Urbervilles |
| title_fullStr |
“The Disappearing Creation”: Architectural Conservation and the Natural Landscape in Tess of the d’Urbervilles |
| title_full_unstemmed |
“The Disappearing Creation”: Architectural Conservation and the Natural Landscape in Tess of the d’Urbervilles |
| title_sort |
“the disappearing creation”: architectural conservation and the natural landscape in tess of the d’urbervilles |
| publisher |
FATHOM |
| publishDate |
2023 |
| container_title |
URI:https://journals.openedition.org/fathom |
| url |
https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://doi.org/10.4000/fathom.2012 https://ezproxy.univ-orleans.fr/login?url=https://journals.openedition.org/fathom/2012 |
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1877292803176792064 |
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openedition-oai:revues.org:fathom_2012 https://doi.org/10.4000/fathom.2012 urn:doi:10.4000/fathom.2012 en https://journals.openedition.org/fathom/2012 2023-05-18T02:00:00Z info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess article info:eu-repo/semantics/article urn:handle:20.500.13089/gaju All rights reserved “The Disappearing Creation”: Architectural Conservation and the Natural Landscape in Tess of the d’Urbervilles FATHOM Association française sur les études sur Thomas Hardy info:eu-repo/semantics/reference/issn/2270-6798 URI:https://journals.openedition.org/fathom Elices, Carolina memory architecture ecocriticism green studies ecology preservation human association nature history fellowship architecture écologie éco-critique environnement études environnementales conservation nature mémoire histoire Thomas Hardy’s work as an architect prior to his becoming an author led him to develop the preservationist view that a major aspect of ancient buildings’ value lies in their human associations. In Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Hardy explores the inextricable links among man-made structures, humanity and the natural world, while also demonstrating instances where nature and the built environment – particularly decaying constructions that have not been conserved – can merge to form a unified landscape. The five sites the article uses to examine this notion are: the d’Urberville home of The Slopes; the fowl-house where Mrs d’Urberville’s birds live; the Cross-in-Hand monument; the d’Urberville tombs at Kingsbere; and Stonehenge. While The Slopes provides a prime example of how jarringly architecture can contrast with its natural environment, the fowl-house exemplifies the decaying structure that, because it has not been conserved, has been reclaimed by nature. Cross-in-Hand, the Kingsbere tombs and Stonehenge are all described with plant- and animal-related terminology, emphasizing their integration with and reclamation by their natural environs. Ultimately, the man-made structures in Tess highlight the notion that architectural spaces must be considered in the context of the natural landscape around them. As the humans who occupy these spaces will eventually fade into oblivion, nature must be a fundamental consideration in the architectural process, since nature will ultimately reclaim man-made spaces that are not conserved. In Tess, Hardy’s “green”-ness centres on his emphasis that the natural environment should be just as valued in the architectural conservation process as the built environment. Le travail de Thomas Hardy comme architecte avant qu’il ne devienne écrivain l’a conduit à développer l’approche préservationniste qui voit dans les associations humaines un aspect essentiel de la valeur des bâtiments anciens. Dans Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Hardy explore les liens inextricables entre les structures créées par l’homme, l’humanité et le monde naturel, tout en montrant des exemples où la nature et l’environnement bâti – en particulier des constructions en ruines qui n’ont pas été préservées – peuvent se fondre en un paysage unifié. Les cinq sites que cet article utilise pour examiner cette notion sont : The Slopes, résidence des d’Urberville ; le poulailler où vivent les oiseaux de Mrs D’Urberville ; le monument Cross-in-Hand ; le tombeau des d’Urberville à Kingsbere; et Stonehenge. Si le site de The Slopes offre un excellent exemple de l’effet de discordance produit par le contraste entre l’architecture et son cadre naturel, le poulailler est un exemple d’une structure en état de délabrement qui, parce qu’elle n’a pas été conservée, retourne à la nature. Le monument Cross-in-Hand, le tombeau de Kingsbere et Stonehenge sont tous décrits avec une terminologie associée au règne végétal et animal, ce qui souligne leur intégration dans leur environnement, et leur retour à la nature. En fin de compte, les structures construites par l’homme dans Tess mettent en avant l’idée que les espaces architecturaux doivent être considérés dans le paysage naturel qui les entoure. Comme les humains qui occupent ces espaces finiront un jour par disparaître et tomber dans l’oubli, la nature doit être une considération primordiale dans le processus architectural, puisqu’elle finira par regagner les espaces construits par l’homme qui n’ont pas été conservés. Dans Tess, l’engagement environnemental de Hardy se mesure à l’accent mis sur le fait que l’environnement naturel devrait tenir autant de place dans le processus de conservation architecturale que l’environnement construit. |