The character of Angel Clare is portrayed by Hardy as an ideal character with even more idealistic views. Although he's the expected hero of the novel, his activities say otherwise as he's shown to have similar characteristics to the "villain" of the book, Alec D'Urberville. He's the hero yet the reason behind "tragedy" with high morals which appears to be damaged by his and Tess' relationship later in the novel. Angel's identity contributes the most to Tess's downfall yet he is still portrayed to be the saviour. Hardy illustrates Angel to be a man with many good attributes and just as flawed.
Angel Clare is first introduced in section two where he's described as an "uncribbed, uncabined aspect". This allusion advises to the readers about Angel's openness of head and soul, but also foreshadows a time when he will be beset by doubts and fears. The idea is further emphasised when Angel is used by "bevy of ladies" while his brothers reluctantly leave the scene. As Angel is devote context with his brothers, Hardy uses the comparison between the characters to create Angel to the visitors; this gives an understanding to identity of Angel and makes the visitors feel more acquainted with him. Angel selects to truly have a "fling" with the "country hoydens" over joining his brothers to keep with their excursion, which insinuates that Angel is slightly more rebellious and less obnoxious than his brothers who are inclined to their superior category. He is been shown to be a charismatic man, when Angel dances along with his first partner, the girl is instantly "envied" by the others. This suggests Angel to be always a man in ownership of natural attraction and of significant existence as it is instantly acknowledged by the girls and want a dance with him.
Later in the section, when Angel makes his appearance again, it is in the dairy-yard where Dairyman Crick identifies him as "sir" which implies that he does not quite belong among the working course farmers. He could almost be regarded as an outcast if it wasn't for his cultural background. Considering he is from a "contrasting population" makes the viewers feel that Angel is desired to be superior to others in the farm. Hardy illustrates Angel as being "surprised" to be enjoying their companionship. The actual fact that he previously preconceived ideas about those from lower classes suggests that Angel isn't as open-minded and thoughtful as prone to be.
Although Angel disobliges to refer to the farm people as "Hodge" and his dislike for "old state individuals" may suggest normally, Hardy is constantly on the portray Angel to be self-contradictory to his society beliefs and his so called "beliefs". This is truly examined when Angel expects acceptance and forgiveness for his "dissipation with a stranger" which Tess willingly grants to. However, when Tess desires the same reception, Angel blames Tess's impurity towards her insufficient morals and her family backdrop which ironically enough possessed deemed her suitable to a middle class society. In this particular scene, Hardy shows the traditional Victorian double specifications, where it was considered appropriate and common for teenagers to have erotic escapades in their previous however, shameful and controversial for women to possess committed the same errors. This pieces Angel's prior rejection towards contemporary society values to encounter shallow and superficial. The actual fact that Tess was the "victim" of the wrong-doings is not taken into consideration; and instead Angel dismisses her as "forgiveness doesn't apply to the truth" suggests that underneath Angel's screen as a liberated man of "untraditional newness" and thoughtfulness, he still thinks in conventional values and communal code.
Moreover, contrary to popular belief as Angel being the intended "hero", his actions aren't much desirable from the true villain of the book, Alec D'Urberville. It appears Angel and Alec are really just two factors of the same gold coin of patriarchy. Angel promises Alec to be harmful to "doin' it with a female he didn't love" but he definitely seems to consider himself as forgivable, loveable and cannot think of Tess as a person by doing so, any more than Alec thinks of her as a person whose pain or consent is significant. Angel thought of Tess as natural and Alec as a conquest, but determining a woman by her erotic availability is very demeaning.
It is not just that Angel was pharisaical; Hardy uses Angel's persona to show a certain frame of mind towards women gets you coming and heading. Angel's significant sense of idealism and purity causes Tess's ultimate damage. She is put on a continuous idealistic point of view by Angel, regarding her as "fresh and virginal little princess of nature", so when she slips from his idealistic perspective, it ruins Tess's life more thoroughly than even the ruthless take action of raping Tess in the first place by Alec. Angel says the girl he has "been adoring is indeed an other woman in Tess's form". Hardy reveals the imaginative sensibility of Angel, but it also emphasises the actual fact that his idealistic views are based on little knowledge of her as a person.
In the end of the book, Angel finally learns to simply accept Tess for whom she is and almost reverses back again to the type he was in the very beginning of the novel. It seems Angel has learned to accept Tess without judging her, even where she commits murder. Before Tess's execution, she asks Angel if he could marry Liza-Lu and refers to her as being "simple" and "pure". This is quite ironic as Tess used to be thought to be "virginal" and "pure" before it was robbed from her. Moreover, it seems Angel's figment of thoughts of an ideal wife with purity intact has obtained fulfilment, but at an awful price which is the damage of the ill-fated Tess. Hardy's use of irony makes the viewers feel sympathetic towards Angel as what he wished for has become a reality but with better consequences. Hardy's last sentence in the novel implies that while Tess is sympathetically spared, it is Angel and Liza-Lu who "went on" will have to withstand the continuing judgement of life.
In final result, Hardy's portrayal of Angel Clare's character changes throughout the book, Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Hardy explores Angel's identity by portraying him to be a nameless personality that appeared to be not influenced by traditional society worth in Victorian times to being one of the major character types that retreats in to the cruellest conventional perspective. Through narrative point of view and dialogues, Hardy built more depth to Angel's personality that appeared to have abandoned all his starting characteristics with only a view of computer towards the finish. Hardy's genuine writing style implies that even the "hero" of the book has defects that almost resemble the villain's and therefore the readers understanding the reversal of characteristics of Angel and Alec D'Urberville as their conflicting interactions go on with Tess throughout the novel.
