Next time you feel really overwhelmed and sorry for yourself, read "Jane Eyre". It totally feeds the virtuous pity party need in your soul. "Villette" does it even better.

And I loathe almost all Hardy, so I share your Tess hate. I wrote a portion of my Master's Thesis on "Jude the Obscure" because it fit the theme. It is a very painful read as well. You just want to give everyone a good kicking for utter stupidity. When infinitemonkeys and I drove by his house on our way to Maiden Castle, we flipped it off to great glee.