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How Do Pope and Hardy Explore Responsibility for the Downfall of the Protagonist?

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How Do Pope and Hardy Explore Responsibility for the Downfall of the Protagonist?
How do Pope and Hardy explore responsibility for the downfall of the protagonist? Pope in The Rape of the Lock and Hardy in Tess of the D’Urbervilles both explore the responsibility for the downfall in their female protagonist, one losing her virginity and another only a lock of hair. In Tess of the D'Urbervilles it is mainly shown to be the fault of the male aggressors such as Alec and Angel, whereas Pope doesn't explore the Baron in great detail suggesting he is less at fault for Belinda's fall. Both Pope and Hardy are reluctant to make their protagonist solely responsible, but there are suggestions that they partially contribute, seen particularly in The Rape of the Lock. Although not as emphasised in The Rape of the Lock, Hardy's criticisms of society run through the novel, which contribute to the actions of both the supposed aggressors and victim. This leaves us to sympathise with Tess as she is more of a victim to society than Belinda who is shown to have conformed to her society, allowing her own downfall. Although Beatrice in The Changeling can be seen under stresses of society, she is strongly presented as having a personal bad nature causing her fall. In both the male characters can be seen as violently bringing the protagonists fall upon her. Hardy shows Alec's role as an aggressor ambiguously in his 1912 edition but clearly in his 1891 novel. Pope indicates in the title that Belinda is a victim of rape although his intentions are satirical, as the rape leaves the Baron with her hair as a prize rather than her virginity. Hardy uses Alec's introduction to portray him as a villainous and 'dastardly' womaniser as his 'black moustache with curled points' creates an immediate sinister image of him. Hardy continues this characterisation of Alec as 'his appearance in a gathered smockfrock…had a ghastly comicality that chilled her’, this image of Alec becomes more sinister as he takes it on and say that ‘I am the old other one’. Alec’s physical
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