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Cover of Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Thomas Hardy

Summary

Tess of the D?Urbervilles was subtitled A Pure Woman and published in 1891. It is one of Hardy?s saddest tales of rural troubles. Tess is the daughter of the poor John Durbeyfield who learn from the village parson that his family is related to ancient nobility, being the last of the family the D?Urbervilles. In trying to make use of this connection, Joan - John?s wife - suggests that Tess pursue the son of the local family of Mrs D?Urberville. As it turns out the Mrs D?Urberville has merely taken the name for convenience but Tess becomes involved with her son Alec nonetheless who gives her employment but takes advantage of her and in unpleasant circumstances seduces her. They have a child together who dies early and cannot be baptised because he is illegitimate. The second stage of the novel concerns the family of the Reverend Mr Clare and his son Angel. Angel and Tess marry but when she admits the incident with Alec their relationship is torn apart leading to Angel?s departure for South America and Alec?s second attempt to ensnare Tess. This leads to murder, escape and superficial impurity on the part of Tess who is finally brought to "Justice". This is an exceptionally bleak novel that offers little relapse from the persistent cruelty of fate (or as the novel would have it the President of the Immortals) against Tess. At the time the novel was considered pessimistic and immoral, and Henry James though it thoroughly poorly conceived which reminds us of a certain conversation between a pot and a black kettle.

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