At the time the novel is set in, horses such as Prince, were very important to keep up the livelihood of the poor working families such as the Durbeyfields. Prince’s death is a significant turning point in the novel as it triggers a change in Tess’s behaviour and therefore her future from then on with a series of unfortunate events.
Prince was vital to the Durbeyfield family as the only form of transport and manual labour they had, and without it John Durbeyfield can no longer make a living from buying and selling goods at the market. His death brings devastation to the family, and means that they need to find another source of income. Tess sees that she is now the only source of money for the family and feels duty-bound to help.
Tess is driven by intense guilt to make amends “Tis all my doing” which prompts the acceptance of her parents wish for her to go to the D’Urbervilles to seek a portion of the family fortune. This shows the true significance of the death of Prince as it forces Tess to help her parents as she feels she killed prince and ‘ought to do something’.
Moments before the death of Prince, Tess tells Abraham that they live on a ‘blighted star’ and that there is little chance of happiness for them. As if almost to reinforce the point, Princes death proves the fragility of life as poor working families (and therefore the lack of stability they need to have a successful living) and shows them as a victim of fate and the ‘blighted’ world they live on.
The fact that Tess is dreaming of her ‘shrouded knightly ancestry’ before Prince is killed by a large shard of metal could relate back to medieval times where jousters would receive similar injuries. It is almost like the features of Tess’s ‘extravagant’ dreams become a parallel reality as a ‘Prince’ suffered a twisted yet heroic death. This almost serves as a punishment for Tess’s grandiose subconscious thoughts about a better world.
Prince’s death also highlights the consequences of Tess’s parent’s irresponsible actions by sending out a 15 year old out with only her younger brother for company in the early hours of the morning. The fact that Tess feels she ‘could go if Abraham could’ go with her only highlights her young age and the fact that she feels incapable to have her own responsibility. In contrast to today, youths of the time were expected to work or do all they can to bring in an income for the family; which often ended with illnesses, and injuries. In this sense Hardy could be showing his distaste for the injustices of poverty stricken people during the 19th and early 20th centuries and the lack of responsibility Tess’s parents had which increases sympathy in the reader for Tess and the plight of the working class. Also it can be said that her mother’s lack of responsibility is replicated when she sends Tess off to the D’Urbervilles without warning her of any dangers she could encounter. The fact that Tess is asleep before the death of Prince also highlights her innocence and helplessness to the situation and is somewhat prophetic of her future being defenceless to Alec D’Urberville.

The descriptions of blood also mark the introduction of darker themes, which is juxtaposed greatly with Tess’s white dress and descriptions her having childlike features which highlights her innocence and purity. Additionally the permanence of the event is clear as she is ‘splashed from face to skirt with crimson drops’ which further involves her in the accident and forebodes her actions later in the novel. It can also be said that the driving of the stake into Princes body prophesises the rape of Tess in the forest. This seems almost paradoxical as in the novel both Tess and Prince are presented as innocent creatures that are victims to man and the modern world; as Prince (described as rickety as the old cart he pulled) is impaled by a modern mail cart and Tess is plagued by the presence of Alec D’Urberville. Additionally the brutal death of Prince foreshadows danger for the future, the helplessness of the horse is reflected in Tess later on, as she feels an obligation to help her parents and is therefore trapped by what she feels she must do.
Also, the death of Prince so early on in the novel evokes emotion and sympathy in the readers, and shows him as a victim to the poor conditions in which the working class had to live and work in. By doing this Hardy not only further shows his dislike for the treatment of the poor but also increases excitement in the novel and marks the beginning of Tess’s encounters with danger.
Overall the death of Prince becomes significant in the novel as it marks the beginning of darker themes in the novels and foreshadows the danger that Tess will encounter. The death also serves as a punishment for Tess dreaming of better things- as if the world will not allow her to even dream of a life without her every day struggles.