Tess of the D'urbervillesAn intimate portrait of a woman, one of literature's most admirable and tragic heroines... Tess Durbeyfield knows what it is to work hard and expect little. But her life is about to veer from the path trod by her mother and grandmother. When her ne’er-do-well father learns that his family is the last of a long noble line, the d’Urbervilles, he sends Tess on a journey to meet her supposed kin—a journey that will see her victimized by lust, poverty, and hypocrisy. Shaped by an acute sense of social injustice and by a vision of human fate cosmic in scope, her story is a singular blending of harsh realism and poignant beauty. Thomas Hardy created in Tess not a standard Victorian heroine but a woman whose intense vitality shines against the bleak backdrop of a dying way of life. The novel shocked contemporary readers with its honesty and remains a timeless commentary on the human condition. With an Introduction by Marcelle Clements |
Contents
1 | |
PHASE THE SECOND | 74 |
PHASE THE THIRD | 101 |
PHASE THE FOURTH | 153 |
PHASE THE FIFTH | 228 |
PHASE THE SIXTH | 308 |
PHASE THE SEVENTH | 373 |
Selected Bibliography | 406 |
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Common terms and phrases
Angel answer appeared arms asked began believe better brought called changed church Clare close continued cows d'Urberville dairy dark dear direction don't door Durbeyfield entered eyes face father feel felt field followed formed further girl gone hand head hear heard heart hope horse hour husband keep knew late leave less light live looked Marian marry matter mean miles milk mind morning mother moved nature never night once passed perhaps person poor present pretty reached remained rest returned road round seemed seen sense side soon standing stood sure tell Tess Tess's thing thought till told took true turned village voice waited walked whole wife wish woman young