Tess of the d’Urbervilles
What is Tess of the d’Urbervilles about?
Tess of the d’Urbervilles is said to be Thomas Hardy’s fictional masterpiece and is considered to be an important nineteenth century novel. It explores themes of love, sex, class and morality in an aching love story. It initially appeared in a censored, serialised version in The Graphic in 1891 and was published in a single volume the following year. Early reviews were mixed, partly because of its challenge to Victorian sexual morals—it is now looked upon much more favorably. Tess Durbeyfield is the oldest child of uneducated peasants who are given the impression that they may have noble blood, as their surname is a corruption of that of an extinct Norman family. When Tess participates in the village May Dance, she meets Angel, who stops to join the dance but notices Tess too late to dance with her. That night, Tess’s father gets too drunk to drive to the market, so she undertakes the journey herself. However, she falls asleep at the reins, and the family’s only horse encounters a speeding wagon and is fatally wounded. Tess feels so guilty over the consequences for the family that she agrees to try to claim kin with a rich widow who lives in a neighbouring town. The story traces Tess’s life through the following years. The novel has been adapted for the stage, theatre, opera, cinema and television numerous times since its publication.
Main themes in Tess of the d’Urbervilles
Sexual double standards
Tess of the d’Urbervilles thoughtfully explores sexual double standards through its central conflicts.
Purity and morality
The presence of purity and morality in Tess of the d’Urbervilles connects readers to its enduring relevance.
Social class
Tess of the d’Urbervilles thoughtfully explores social class through its central conflicts.
Fate and injustice
Tess of the d’Urbervilles thoughtfully explores fate and injustice through its central conflicts.
Why Tess of the d’Urbervilles is still relevant today
Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891) is Hardy's most beloved and controversial novel—subtitled "A Pure Woman" to challenge Victorian morality. The tragic story of Tess Durbeyfield, seduced and abandoned, explores the injustice of sexual double standards with unflinching honesty. Its publication caused moral outrage, but the novel is now recognized as a masterpiece of English literature and a profound protest against social hypocrisy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tess of the d'Urbervilles about?
Tess, a poor country girl, is seduced by Alec d'Urberville and bears a child who dies. She later marries Angel Clare, who abandons her upon learning her past. The novel traces her tragic fate in a society that punishes women while excusing men.
Why did Hardy subtitle it A Pure Woman?
Hardy's subtitle was deliberately provocative, arguing that Tess remained morally pure despite being a victim of seduction. This challenged Victorian conventions that considered such women permanently fallen.
Was the novel controversial when published?
Extremely. It was rejected by multiple publishers and attacked as immoral and blasphemous. Hardy had to bowdlerize sections for serial publication before restoring them in book form.
What makes Tess a feminist novel?
The novel systematically exposes how society punishes women for sexual transgressions while excusing men. Tess is victimized by Alec, judged by Angel, and destroyed by society's double standards—all portrayed with deep sympathy.