Tess of the d'Ubervilles

"Beauty lay not in the thing, but in what the thing symbolized."

Tess of the d'Ubervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented, is a 1891 novel by Thomas Hardy. First appearing in a serialized edition in the British Illustrated Newspaper The Graphic in 1891, the novel was eventually released in three volumes, with a whole, single volume edition released in 1891. The novel received controversy for its challenging against the sexual ethics in late Victorian England, though it is now a classic in English literature, and Hardy's famous work.

A poor young woman finds out she is related to a wealthy, ancient family, but her quest to claim kinship is filled with hardship, tragedy and romance.

Phase the First: The Maiden
An old peddler named John Durbeyfield learns from a parson that he and his family are related to an ancient noble family named the d'Ubervilles. The Durbeyfield's live in Marlott, a farming village in Southwestern England and despite the family being poor, they hope that their relations to the now extinct d'Ubervilles would improve their lifestyle.

The Durbeyfield's 16-year-old daughter, Tess participates in the annual May Day dance, where she had a first glance at a young man and his brothers. Later, Mr. Durbeyfield celebrates his discovery by drinking at the local tavern, and is too drunk to deliver the beehives the next day. Tess decides to do the delivery, but after the family horse Prince was killed in an accident, she blames herself for the horse's death and Mr. and Mrs. Durbeyfield send her to the d'Uberville mansion to claim her kin from the d'Uberville‘s and hopefully make her a fortune.

Tess travels to the homestead of the d'Ubervilles at Trantridge, where she meets her supposed cousin Alec d'Uberville, and his blind, old mother Mrs. d'Uberville. What Tess didn't know is that Alec was never related to the d'Ubervilles and has no relation to her; his father, Simon Stokes was a wealthy man who simply changed his surname to d'Uberville following his retirement. She gets a job tending the fowls at the d'Uberville estate to increase her income. She works at the estate for several months, where Alec made several attempts to seduce her, and she constantly rejects him.

One night, while making her way home from a local town, Alec tricks her into letting him give her a ride back. While looking for a path, Tess falls asleep and when Alec finds her, he rapes her.

Phase the Second: Maiden No More
Tess leaves Trantridge and returns home to Marlott, knowing that she does not love Alec. In the late summer, she gives birth to Alec's child conceived from the rape. When the baby's health fails, Tess baptizes him and names him Sorrow, since her father refuses to have a parson baptize an illegitimate baby. After Sorrow dies, she buries him in the churchyard’s section for unbaptized infants.

Phase the Third: The Rally
Two years pass. Tess, now 20 years old, leaves Marlott and seeks work elsewhere. She is hired as a milkmaid at Talbothays Dairy. While there, she befriends three milkmaids: Izz, Retty and Marian, and is happy with her new life. She also meets Angel Clare, who she had met several years earlier at the May Day dance, and is at the Dairy training to become a farmer.

Tess and Angel spend most of their time together, and they fall in love. She wasn't originally interested in marriage and was afraid about revealing her past to him, after turning down Angel's request to marry her.

Phase the Fourth: The Consequence
Angel leaves the Dairy briefly and visits his family back home. His two brothers have become parsons, while Angel considers them narrow-minded, and he tells them about Tess. He returns to the Dairy where he again proposes to Tess, but she refuses. They continue their courtship, until their affections become so overbearing for her and she finally accepts Angel's marriage proposal. She is still too afraid to tell him about her backstory, and attempts to write it on a confession note and sliding it under Angel's door, but he never reads it.

Angel and Tess were married quietly. On their wedding night, Angel rents out an old house, which once belonged to the d'Ubervilles, and they confess their secrets. Tess thought that Angel would be more understanding and tells her past to him.

Phase the Fifth: The Woman Pays
After listening to her story, Angel is shocked. He rejects Tess and thinks what would his family and society think if they find out. He gives her some money and boards a ship to Brazil, warning her not to follow him until he comes back for her while he tries to accept her past.

With her husband gone, Tess loses her money and becomes depressed. Now out of a job, she was forced to find work at an unpleasant farm, where her Talbothays co-workers Marian and Retty join her. After finding out that Izz tried to travel to Brazil with Angel, Tess blames herself for the way he behaved to her, and decides to write to him frequently.

She approaches a wandering preacher and was shocked to see that it's Alec d'Uberville.

Phase the Sixth: The Convert
Both Alec and Tess are shaken by their encounter. He has been converted into Christianity after being influenced by Mr. Clare. Tess tells him about their illegitimate child and Alec tells her not to tempt him again. She asks him to leave her alone in peace.

Tess receives word from her sister Liza-Lu that her mother is ill. She goes back home to look after her. Mrs. Durbeyfield recovers but her husband suddenly dies afterwards. The Durbeyfield's are evicted from their home and spent the night at the d'Uberville family crypt after they couldn't find rented rooms.

Phase the Seventh: The Fulfillment
Angel falls ill in Brazil, and decides to return home to England and forgive his wife. He finds Mrs. Durbeyfield, who tells him that Tess is staying in the village of Sandbourne. He goes there and sees Tess staying at a fancy boarding house, where she tells him that he had arrived too late to forgive her and wants to stay with Alec.

Angel leaves in shock, and after retreating to her room, Tess argues with Alec and kills him by stabbing him. She flees the house to go find her husband, while the landlady discovers Alec's body and alerts the authorities. Tess reunites with Angel and confesses her crime, saying that she had done it in order to accept Angel's forgiveness. He is unbelieved about her killing Alec, but agrees to help her escape the country.

The two hide out in an empty house for a few days, and travel across the country. They arrive at Stonehenge, where Tess asks Angel to marry Liza-Lu if she dies. The couple fall asleep there, but are awakened by a search party the next day. Tess is arrested and sent to jail.

Angel and Liza-Lu stand outside the prison where Tess is kept. A black flag is raised over the building, signalling her execution.

Characters
Tess Durbeyfield- The main protagonist. She is a beautiful young woman who lived as a poor peasant with her family in the village of Marlott. She is obedient and responsible, and would do anything to protect her family. After discovering she is a member of the d'Uberville family, her life spirals out of control, resulting in her being pregnant with an illegitimate child and keeping her past a secret. She is also an alluring victim of the two men in her life, both who made her vulnerable and miserable.

Angel Clare- The son of a parson and Tess' love interest. His father and brothers are respected clergymen, but he rather be part of the farming industry than joining the ministry, since he is not interested in religion. He meets and falls in love with Tess while he was spending time at the Talthobays Dairy where she worked, but made the hard choice to temporarily leave her after discovering her backstory.

Alec d'Uberville- The main antagonist. A rich and arrogant young man, he takes an intense infatuation with Tess after he arrives at his family estate and constantly seduces her, but fails to make her love him, and had been responsible for impregnating her. In fact, Alec is not a d'Uberville at all; his merchant father allegedly took the name after retiring and building the estate.

Joan Durbeyfield- Tess' mother. She is hardworking and caring towards her children, especially her eldest, Tess. She's hopeful for improvements in Tess' life and making the suitable matches for her, such as sending her off to the d'Uberville estate to claim her kin. While she was hurt from Tess' unfortunate moments, such as having an illegitimate child and her failed marriage, Joan is still forgiving to her daughter.

John Durbeyfield- Tess' father. He is a lazy, drunk farmer who hates doing his job. When he finds out he is a descendant of the d'Ubervilles, he becomes overjoyed and hopes to make a profit from the connection. He hardly provides for his family, such as Tess' issues with her misfortunes.

Prince
The Durbeyfield’s family horse, who was accidentally killed and letting Tess express her guilt by working for the d’Ubervilles. Prince symbolizes the d’Uberville’s noble name but is cursed to a life of physical labour. The horse’s death also symbolizes the sacrifices made in Tess’ life, such as bringing devastation to her family and even the sacrifice of her honour.