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Description
Violated by one man, forsaken by another, Tess Durbeyfield is the magnificent and spirited heroine of Thomas Hardy's immortal work. Of all the great English novelists, no one writes more eloquently of tragic destiny than Hardy. With the innocent and powerless victim, Tess, he creates profound... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis
Summary
Phase the First: The Maiden (1–17)
Tess is the eldest child of John and Joan Durbeyfield, uneducated rural peasants. One day, Parson Tringham informs John that he has noble blood. Tringham, an amateur genealogist, has discovered that "Durbeyfield" is a corruption of... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)
Cast of Characters/Important People
- Tess Durbeyfield: The protagonist, eldest daughter in a poor rural working family; a fresh, pretty country girl.
- Angel Clare: The son of a clergyman
- Joan Durbeyfield: Tess's hardworking mother who has a practical outlook on life. This includes being prepared to use her daughter for her own gains.
- Alec Stoke-d'Urberville: The libertine son of Simon Stoke and Mrs. d'Urberville.
- Jack Durbeyfield (Sir John d'Urberville): Tess's father, a carter in Marlott who is lazy and given to drinking.
- Mrs. Brooks: Landlady of The Herons
- James Clare: A charitable and moral clergyman; Angel Clare's father.
- Mrs. Clare: Angel Clare's mother, a kindly woman
- Felix Clare: Angel's brother, a priest's assistant.
- Cuthbert Clare: Angel's other brother, a classical scholar.
- Mercy Chant: The young lady that Angel's parents had thought to be the perfect wife for him. She later marries Cuthbert.
- Richard Crick: The owner of the Talbothay Farm for whom Angel and Tess work.
- Car Darch (Dark Car): One of Alec's former mistresses, discarded in favour of Tess.
- Eliza Louisa (Liza-Lu) Durbeyfield: Tess's younger sister, who closely resembles her.
- Farmer Groby: Tess's employer at Flintcombe-Ash, a churlish man who knows about her relationship with Alec.
- Jonathan Kail: A Talbothaysa dairymn
- Abraham, Hope & Modesty: The son and daughters of the Durbeyfields
- Mrs. Stoke-D'Urberville: The wealthy mother of Alec, a blind widow.
- Izz Huett, Retty Priddle, and Marian: Dairy maids at the Talbothay Farm. Izz is sensible, Retty sensitive, and Marian stolid, but all are in love with Angel Clare and fare poorly after he marries Tess.
- Parson Tringham: An elderly parson from whom John learns about his noble ancestors.
- Sorrow: tess' child
Memorable Quotes
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“You, and those like you, take your fill of pleasure on earth by making the life of such as me bitter and black with sorrow; and then it is a fine thing, when you have had enough of that, to think of securing your pleasure in heaven by becoming converted!”
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“. . . that shabby corner of God's allotment where He lets the nettles grow, and where all unbaptized infants, notorious drunkards, suicides, and others of the conjecturally damned are laid.”
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“These violent delights have violent ends.”
First Sentence
On an evening in the latter part of May a middle-aged man was walking homeward from Shaston to the village of Marlott, in the adjoining Vale of Blakemore or Blackmoor.
Table of Contents
Phase the First: The Maiden
Phase the Second: Maiden No More
Phase the Third: The Rally
Phase the Fourth: The Consequence
Phase the Fifth: The Woman Pays
Phase the Sixth: The Convert
Phase the Seventh: Fulfilment
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