Tess d’Urberville
Thomas Hardy
-book review-
In Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy tells a story of a young woman in late nineteenth century Britain. The novel's central theme is one of unforgiving morality and abandonment. It departed from conventional Victorian fiction in its focus on the rural lower class and in its open treatment of sexuality and religion.
“Considered one of the major classic novels of nineteenth-century literature, Tess is the compelling story of an extraordinary woman and her tragic destiny -- a brilliant, transcendent work of compassion and courage by one of the finest English novelists, Thomas Hardy.” (Mass Market Paperback edition)
Novel by Thomas Hardy, first published serially in July-December 1891 and in its entirety in book form (three volumes) the same year. It was subtitled A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented because Hardy felt that its heroine was a virtuous victim of a rigid Victorian moral code. “At the time of its publication in 1891, Tess of the d'Urbervilles was scorned by readers for what was then considered its indictment of Victorian society and its unconventional heroine, Tess Durbeyfield.
Tess Durbyfield is a young woman whose family lives in a poor village. One day, a local parson tells Tess's father that his family is descended from an ancient wealthy family, the D'Urbervilles. After her impoverished family learns of its noble traits, naive Tess Durbeyfield, a sixteen year old, is sent to travel to the home of some D'Urbervilles and claim kinship. The hope being that Tess will marry one of these rich D'Urbervilles and bring wealth to the family. Tess agrees, and meets Alec D'Urberville. Alec fancies Tess, and allows her to come work on his mother's farm. One night when Tess is returning from a nearby town, she is attacked. Alec rescues her, but in the night, he rapes her. Tess leave