幻灭是哈代作品的重要主题之一。《德伯家的苔丝》是哈代最成功的小说,其主人公苔丝也是一个最能体现哈代幻灭主题的女性人物形象。哈代的幻灭主题主要体现在他对苔丝被人诱奸、遭人抛弃和最后又被人勒死等方面的详细刻画上。在哈代看来,苔丝的毁灭既是她自己的悲剧,同时也是社会和时代的悲剧。 Disillusionment is one of the major themes of Hardy’s work. Tess of the D ’Urbervilles is one of Hardin’s most successful novels, and her hero Tess is also a female figure who best embodies the theme of Hardy’s disillusionment. Hardy’s disillusionment theme is mainly reflected in his detailed description of Tess being seduced, abandoned and finally strangled. In Hardy’s opinion, Tess’s destruction is both her own tragedy and the tragedy of society and the times.