How does Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles explore the use of pathetic fallacy?

It may not be correct to say that Hardy
"explores" pathetic fallacy in Tess of the
d'Urbervilles because "explore" implies a novice experimenting with or
developing usage or usage skill. Since pathetic fallacy--coined by John Ruskin--is a
specialized branch of ancient personification, it is doubtful that Hardy, a seasoned and
excellent writer, "explores" pathetic fallacy in this
way.

Having said this, we can discuss some ways Hardy
utilizes the literary technique of pathetic fallacy. To define it,
pathetic fallacy is a form of personification that attributes human
characteristics to inanimate objects, nature, and to animals. It differs from
personification in that personification can be applied to abstract ideas as well, such
as Love, Truth, and Duty, whereas pathetic fallacy, by Ruskin's definition, is
restricted to inanimate objects, nature, and
animals.

Hardy introduces pathetic
fallacy (also simply called "fallacy") in the early parts of Chapter I.
If legs may be said to be "inanimate objects," animated only by the higher consciousness
possessing them, then the first instance of pathetic fallacy occurs in Hardy's
description of Tess's father, John (Jack) Derbeyfield, whose legs have a contrary nature
to what they ought to have:

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The pair of legs that carried him were rickety,
and there was a bias in his gait which inclined him somewhat to the left of a straight
line.

The
fallacy is shown in the phrases "that carried him" and
"there was a bias." Often, a fallacy will rest in just one word, like "carried" and
"bias." Both of these imply human characteristics as "carry" may be an action and "bias"
may be a "preference or an inclination" (American Heritage Dictionary). These may
decidedly be seen as human characteristics. Perhaps if Hardy may be seen as "exploring"
pathetic fallacy, it may be in its application to individualized and localized body
parts, like legs.

Another early example of
fallacy that introduces Hardy's usage throughout the novel
is in the narrator's description of Blackmoor Valley where the air is "languorous" and
the large hills and dales mantle the smaller ones;

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The atmosphere beneath is languorous, and is so
tinged with azure ... mantling minor hills and dales within the major. Such is the Vale
of Blackmoor.

To be
"languorous" is to have no mental energy or to have a dreamy, lazy mood (American
Heritage). To mantle is to cover up, to shield as with a "mantle" or cape. These too are
decidedly human characteristics especially since only humans are said to have mental
energy and to act to protect or cover another. This example is very standard pathetic
fallacy and not what might be called exploring the form.