Tess of the d’Urbervilles · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.
Chapter 1
Explanatory Note to the First Edition
Thomas Hardy explains the publication history of the novel, which appeared in serialized form in The Graphic, Fortnightly Review, and National Observer, and is now presented complete as originally written. He defends the sincerity of his work and its truthful depiction of life, quoting St. Jerome to justify revealing uncomfortable truths.
Chapter 2
Epigraph
The epigraph quotes Shakespeare, suggesting a theme of sheltering a wounded or dishonored name, foreshadowing Tess's plight.
Chapter 3
Tess of the d'Urbervilles
The opening of the novel introduces Tess Durbeyfield, a young woman from a poor rural family, whose father learns of their noble ancestry. This discovery sets in motion a series of events that lead Tess to seek out the wealthy d'Urberville family, where she meets the manipulative Alec d'Urberville, ultimately leading to her seduction and the tragic consequences that follow.
Chapter 4
Phase the First: The Maiden
The Durbeyfield family learns of their noble ancestry, leading Tess to visit the d'Urberville estate where she meets Alec. After a series of events, Alec seduces Tess, and she returns home pregnant. The chapter ends with the death of her baby.
Chapter 5
I
John Durbeyfield, a humble haggler, learns from Parson Tringham that he is the last lineal descendant of the ancient and noble d'Urberville family. Elated by the news, he adopts the title 'Sir John' and sends a boy to order a carriage and inform his wife, while his daughter Tess participates in the women's club-walking in the village.
Chapter 6
Chapter II
The chapter depicts the annual club-walking procession of village women, including Tess Durbeyfield, who is embarrassed when her father John Durbeyfield rides by in a chaise, drunkenly boasting of his noble ancestry. The women gather for dancing on the green, where three brothers, including Angel Clare, stop to watch. Angel decides to join the dance but does not choose Tess as his partner, though he later regrets it and notices her standing apart, hurt by his oversight.
Chapter 7
III
Tess returns home from the dance to find her mother Joan rocking the cradle and singing. Joan reveals that her father John learned from Parson Tringham that they are descendants of the noble d'Urberville family. John, excited by the news, has gone to Rolliver's inn to celebrate, and Joan goes to fetch him. Tess, left in charge, eventually goes to the inn herself when no one returns.
Chapter 8
The Ruin of Prince
Tess falls asleep while driving the family's horse Prince to market, and a mail-cart collides with their wagon, fatally wounding the horse. Prince dies, and Tess is consumed by guilt, blaming herself for the family's ruin. Her parents, however, are more concerned with their noble ancestry and plan to send Tess to claim kinship with the wealthy Mrs. d'Urberville, hoping it will lead to a grand marriage. The chapter ends with the family returning home from Rolliver's inn, with Sir John drunkenly boasting of their lineage.
Chapter 9
V
Tess, burdened by guilt over Prince's death, reluctantly agrees to her mother's plan to visit the wealthy Mrs. d'Urberville to claim kinship and seek help. She travels to Trantridge and arrives at The Slopes, a modern, opulent estate that contrasts with her expectations of an ancestral home. There, she meets Alec d'Urberville, who is immediately taken with her. He offers her a position caring for his mother's poultry, and Tess accepts, unaware of the fateful consequences of this encounter.
Chapter 10
VI
Tess returns home from Trantridge, troubled by omens and her encounter with Alec. Her mother reveals a letter from Mrs. d'Urberville offering Tess a position managing a poultry farm. Despite Tess's reluctance and unease about Alec, family pressure—especially guilt over the horse Prince's death—compels her to accept.
Chapter 11
VII
Tess prepares to leave for Trantridge to work for her wealthy 'relatives.' Her mother Joan dresses her up to attract Alec d'Urberville, while her father jests about selling the family title. Tess's family accompanies her partway, and she is met not by the expected humble cart but by Alec himself in a stylish gig. Despite her misgivings, Tess steps up and they ride off together, leaving her younger siblings in tears.
Chapter 12
VIII
Alec d'Urberville drives Tess recklessly in his gig, using the speed and danger to pressure her into allowing him to kiss her. Tess resists his advances, eventually jumping from the cart and walking, but ultimately continues toward Trantridge after Alec promises to behave.
Chapter 13
IX
Tess begins her work at the d'Urberville estate, caring for the fowls in an old cottage. She meets the blind Mrs. d'Urberville, who asks her to whistle to the bullfinches. Alec d'Urberville playfully teaches Tess to whistle, and she becomes more familiar with him, though she remains wary.
Chapter 14
The Chaseborough Fair and the Flight with Alec
Tess reluctantly joins the weekly Saturday night revels in Chaseborough, where she becomes entangled with Alec d'Urberville. After a drunken brawl among the Trantridge folk, she accepts Alec's offer to ride home with him, fleeing the chaos and setting the stage for her seduction.
Chapter 15
XI
Alec d'Urberville deliberately rides Tess into the foggy depths of The Chase under the pretense of a short ride, then leaves her alone in the woods while he searches for the way back. Exhausted and vulnerable, Tess falls asleep, and Alec returns to find her sleeping. The narrator reflects on the tragic inevitability of the seduction, linking it to Tess's ancestral past and the social chasm that will now divide her life.
Chapter 16
Phase the Second: Maiden No More
Tess, now living in seclusion after her traumatic encounter with Alec, struggles with the social and emotional consequences of her lost purity. She gives birth to a child who dies in infancy, and she endures the judgment of her community while seeking resilience through labor and isolation.
Chapter 17
XII
Tess leaves Trantridge on a Sunday morning in late October, carrying her belongings back toward Marlott. Alec d'Urberville overtakes her and drives her partway, but she refuses to return to him. Along the road, a sign-painter paints a biblical warning about damnation, which deeply disturbs Tess. She reflects on her changed view of life and her regret over her involvement with Alec. Upon arriving home, her mother Joan expresses disappointment that Tess did not secure a marriage proposal, leading to a painful confrontation where Tess blames her mother for not warning her about men.
Chapter 18
XIII
After returning from Trantridge, Tess becomes the subject of local gossip and curiosity. Former schoolfellows visit, and her mother Joan indulges in the social attention, hoping for a marriage. Tess briefly feels a flicker of pride but is soon overwhelmed by depression and shame. She retreats from society, attending church only once, and thereafter confines herself to her room or ventures out only at night, feeling alienated and guilty, though the narrative suggests her sense of guilt is misplaced.
Chapter 19
XIV
Tess returns to work in the fields, trying to resume normal life after her baby's birth. She struggles with social judgment but finds some solace in labor and companionship. Her baby falls ill and, fearing for its soul without baptism, she performs an improvised baptism herself, naming the child Sorrow. The baby dies shortly after.
Chapter 20
Chapter XV
Tess Durbeyfield, now burdened by her past experiences, remains at her father's house through the winter, reflecting on the dates of her undoing, her baby's birth and death, and her own mortality. She resolves to escape the memories of her past and seeks a new beginning. In early May, she receives a letter offering her a position as a milkmaid at Talbothays Dairy, far to the south. Determined to leave behind her d'Urberville associations, she decides to become simply the dairymaid Tess, though she is drawn to the proximity of her ancestral lands.
Chapter 21
Phase the Third: The Rally
Tess begins working at Talbothays Dairy, where she finds a renewed sense of peace and purpose. She meets Angel Clare, a thoughtful and unconventional young man, and they begin to develop a deep connection amidst the pastoral setting.
Chapter 22
Chapter XVI
Tess Durbeyfield leaves home for the second time, traveling to the Valley of the Great Dairies to work at a dairy. She feels a renewed sense of hope and freedom, contrasting her past experiences. The chapter describes her journey, the landscape, and her emotional uplift as she arrives at the dairy.
Chapter 23
XVII
Tess arrives at Talbothays Dairy and begins her new life as a milkmaid. She meets Dairyman Crick and the other workers, and is struck by the appearance of a young man who turns out to be Angel Clare, the gentleman learning dairy work. Tess recognizes him as the stranger who danced with others but not her at the club-dance in Marlott, but he does not remember her. She settles into her new surroundings, learning about Angel from the other milkmaids, and begins milking, feeling a sense of peace and a new foundation for her future.
Chapter 24
XVIII
Angel Clare, a thoughtful and unconventional young man, arrives at Talbothays Dairy as a pupil farmer. He initially keeps to himself but gradually comes to appreciate the genuine humanity of the farm workers, moving beyond stereotypes. He begins to notice Tess Durbeyfield, who captivates him with her natural, virginal quality and a mysterious familiarity.
Chapter 25
XIX
Tess considers revealing her d'Urberville ancestry to Angel Clare but learns from Dairyman Crick that Clare scorns old families. She keeps silent. Clare secretly arranges the cows so Tess can milk her favorites, and she confronts him about it. Later, she is drawn to his harp-playing in the garden, and they share a conversation about life's fears and the ache of modernism.
Chapter 26
Phase the Third: The Rally — Chapter XX
The season matures at Talbothays Dairy, where Tess Durbeyfield and Angel Clare grow increasingly close. They rise early each morning to milk, sharing intimate moments in the twilight that feel like a prelapsarian world. Angel idealizes Tess, calling her by mythological names, while Tess finds unprecedented happiness in her new surroundings. Their relationship deepens under an irresistible law, though neither has yet fully acknowledged their passion.
Chapter 27
XXI
The chapter opens with a crisis at the dairy when the butter refuses to come in the churn. Dairyman Crick and the others discuss local conjurors and superstitions, and Mrs. Crick suggests that someone in the house being in love might be the cause. Crick then tells a story about Jack Dollop, a former milker who seduced a young woman and was forced by her mother to make amends by being turned in the churn. The story deeply distresses Tess, who sees in it a painful parallel to her own experience with Alec. Later that night, Tess overhears Marian, Izz Huett, and Retty Priddle confessing their love for Angel Clare and acknowledging that he prefers Tess. Tess wrestles with the moral dilemma of whether she should allow herself to enjoy Angel's attention, knowing she can never marry him due to her past.
Chapter 28
XXII
Tess, feeling unworthy of Angel Clare's love, deliberately tries to push him towards her fellow dairymaids Izz Huett and Retty Priddle. The chapter also describes a communal search for garlic in a meadow after a customer complains about the butter's taste, during which Angel and Tess work side by side.
Chapter 29
XXIII
On a hot July Sunday, Tess and three other dairymaids—Marian, Izz Huett, and Retty Priddle—attempt to walk to Mellstock Church but find their path flooded. Angel Clare appears, offers to carry each of them across the water, and chooses Tess to go last, prolonging their contact. The girls later confess their hopeless love for him, acknowledging that Tess is his favorite, yet Tess resolves not to stand in their way. The chapter explores the painful, natural passion the women feel, contrasted with social expectations.
Chapter 30
XXIV
In the oppressive heat of July at Talbothays Dairy, Angel Clare's passion for Tess intensifies as he watches her milk. Overcome by desire, he embraces her, and she yields momentarily, but they are interrupted by the cow. Angel confesses his love, though Tess is agitated and uncertain. The chapter marks a pivotal shift in their relationship, as a new horizon opens for both.
Chapter 31
Phase the Fourth: The Consequence
Tess endures the aftermath of her confession to Angel on their wedding night. Angel is deeply shaken and struggles to reconcile his idealized view of Tess with her past. He becomes cold and distant, and they spend a miserable few days together before he decides they must separate. Tess is devastated but accepts his decision, and Angel leaves for Brazil, leaving her with some money and instructions to contact his family if needed. Tess returns to her family home, but her mother is unsympathetic, and she eventually finds work at a harsh farm where she suffers greatly.
Chapter 32
XXV
Angel Clare, restless after his embrace with Tess, reflects on the profound change in his feelings and the significance of her life. He decides to visit his family at Emminster to sound them out about his new love. At home, he finds himself increasingly alienated from his father and brothers, who represent conventional religious and academic life, while he has been transformed by his experiences at Talbothays Dairy.
Chapter 33
Chapter XXVI
Angel Clare visits his parents to inform them of his intention to marry Tess Durbeyfield. Despite their initial concerns about her social standing, they are somewhat reassured by her Christian faith. During a ride with his father, Angel learns of a confrontation between Mr. Clare and a young upstart squire named d'Urberville, who is revealed to be Alec d'Urberville.
Chapter 34
XXVII
Angel Clare returns to Talbothays Dairy after visiting his parents. He finds Tess Durbeyfield and they share an intimate moment, though Tess is troubled by the memory of Alec d'Urberville when Angel mentions his father's encounter with a 'lax young cynic' near Trantridge. Tess avoids answering Angel's marriage proposal, haunted by her past.
Chapter 35
XXVIII
Angel Clare persists in his pursuit of Tess despite her repeated refusals, which she justifies by claiming she is not good enough for him. Tess struggles internally between her love for Angel and her conscience, which tells her she must not marry him because of her past. She eventually agrees to give him a complete answer on Sunday, though she is drifting toward acquiescence.
Chapter 36
XXIX
Angel Clare persists in his courtship of Tess, who struggles with her secret past. The dairy workers discuss Jack Dollop's marriage to a widow who concealed her history, a story that deeply affects Tess. Despite her repeated refusals, Tess's love for Angel weakens her resolve, and she eventually agrees to marry him.
Chapter 37
The Milkmaid's Journey
Tess and Angel drive through the rain to deliver milk to the railway station, discussing their relationship and Tess's ancestry. Tess reveals she is a d'Urberville, but Angel reassures her of his love. They become engaged, and Tess agrees to write to her mother.
Chapter 38
XXXI
Tess and Angel Clare enjoy a blissful autumn romance, wandering the meads together. Tess writes to her mother about whether to confess her past, but Joan Durbeyfield advises her to keep silent. Tess decides to follow her mother's counsel, and she experiences a period of ecstatic love, idealizing Angel as a perfect being. Meanwhile, the other dairy maids—Marian, Izz Huett, and Retty Priddle—express their lingering love for Angel but accept Tess as his choice, causing Tess to feel guilt and resolve to tell Angel her history despite her mother's command.
Chapter 39
XXXII
Tess and Angel Clare agree to marry, with Tess setting the date despite her lingering fears and a sense of fatalism. Angel's practical reasons for hastening the wedding are intertwined with his idealistic love, while Tess struggles with the weight of her past and the fear of being unwanted. The chapter explores their deepening relationship against the backdrop of the changing seasons and dairy work.
Chapter 40
XXXIII
On the eve of their wedding, Tess wrestles with the decision to confess her past to Angel. She writes a letter detailing her history with Alec and slips it under his door, but he does not mention it, leading her to believe he has forgiven her or not seen it. The chapter culminates in their wedding day at the dairy, with Angel's family disapproving and a brief altercation with a stranger who insults Tess.
Chapter 41
XXXIV
Angel and Tess arrive at their lodgings, a former d'Urberville manor, where they confront unsettling ancestral portraits. Angel confesses a past indiscretion, and Tess prepares to confess her own secret. They receive news that Retty Priddle has attempted suicide.
Chapter 42
Phase the Fifth: The Woman Pays
After their wedding, Angel Clare confesses to Tess his past indiscretions, and Tess, feeling compelled, confesses her own history with Alec d'Urberville. Angel is unable to forgive her, and they separate. Tess returns to her family, and Angel leaves for Brazil. Tess faces hardship and eventually encounters Alec again, who has become a preacher but still pursues her.
Chapter 43
XXXV
Tess confesses her past to Angel on their wedding night. Angel is horrified and cannot reconcile the woman he thought he married with the woman who now stands before him. He rejects her plea for forgiveness, stating that she is not the same person he loved. Tess is devastated, and Angel leaves the room, sleeping separately on a couch. The chapter ends with Angel reflecting on the change in his perception of Tess and the portrait of a d'Urberville ancestor that seems to mirror her.
Chapter 44
Chapter XXXVI
Angel and Tess, newly married, face the devastating aftermath of her confession. Angel, unable to reconcile Tess's past with his idealized vision of her, decides they must separate. Tess, in her despair, considers suicide but is dissuaded by Angel. They agree to part, with Tess returning home and Angel leaving for the miller's. The chapter explores the painful negotiation of their estrangement, Tess's self-blame, and Angel's rigid idealism.
Chapter 45
XXXVII
After their marriage, Angel Clare separates from Tess, imposing harsh conditions on their relationship and giving her money before departing. That night, Angel sleepwalks and carries Tess, treating her as if she were dead, murmuring endearments he withholds while awake. Tess, recognizing his unconscious tenderness, does not resist. The next morning, Angel resolves to leave, and they travel together briefly to settle affairs at Talbothays Dairy before parting.
Chapter 46
XXXVIII
Tess returns to her parents' home after Angel Clare abandons her, confessing to her mother that she told him about her past. Her parents react with disappointment and shame, more concerned with social appearances than her suffering. Tess gives them money from Angel to maintain the illusion of a successful marriage, then leaves again, feeling unwelcome and isolated.
Chapter 47
XXXIX
Three weeks after his marriage, Angel Clare returns alone to his parents' parsonage in Emminster, deeply troubled by the revelation of Tess's past. He struggles with his own conventionality and hypocrisy, feeling enslaved by the very customs he thought he had transcended. He announces his plan to emigrate to Brazil, hoping that in a new country the conventions that make life with Tess seem impossible will be less operative. During family prayers, his father reads the chapter of Proverbs praising a virtuous wife, and his mother innocently praises Tess's purity, forcing Angel to lie and call her 'spotless.' He is tormented by guilt, anger, and the realization that he has wrecked his career and deceived his loving parents.
Chapter 48
XL
Angel Clare, preparing to leave for Brazil, settles his affairs and encounters Izz Huett, who confesses her love for him. He briefly considers taking her with him but ultimately rejects the idea. He also meets Mercy Chant, deposits money for Tess, and visits the Wellbridge farmhouse where he and Tess spent their first days of marriage, experiencing regret and sorrow.
Chapter 49
XLI
More than eight months after parting from Angel, Tess is now a lonely, impoverished woman working as a supernumerary milkmaid near Port-Bredy. She has spent most of the allowance Angel left her, sending twenty pounds to her parents for roof repairs, and now faces winter with almost no money. Too proud to ask Angel's father for help, she decides to go to an upland farm recommended by Marian. On the way, she is accosted by the man Angel once knocked down at the inn. Frightened, she flees into a plantation, sleeps in a heap of leaves, and reflects bitterly on her wasted life, feeling that all is worse than vanity—injustice, punishment, exaction, death.
Chapter 50
XLII
Tess, now traveling alone and in disguise, makes her way to Flintcomb-Ash to find work. She disfigures her appearance to avoid male attention, reflecting on her sorrow and her enduring love for Angel. She reunites with Marian, who helps her secure a job at a desolate farm, and Tess resolves to live humbly and keep her marriage a secret.
Chapter 51
XLIII
Tess works at Flintcomb-Ash farm with Marian and later Izz Huett. The harsh winter and grueling labor test her endurance. Marian's drinking and the women's reminiscences about Talbothays Dairy and Angel Clare lead to a painful revelation: Angel had asked Izz to go to Brazil with him. Tess, deeply hurt, resolves to write to him but struggles with doubt.
Chapter 52
XLIV
Tess, spurred by Izz Huett's tale of Angel's near-infidelity, decides to walk fifteen miles to the Emminster Vicarage to seek news of her absent husband. She sets out on a Sunday morning, dressed in her finest remaining clothes, but upon arriving finds no one home. While resting on a hill, she overhears Angel's brothers and Mercy Chant mock a pair of old boots they find—her own walking boots—and, humiliated, she abandons her plan and returns to Flintcomb-Ash, feeling hopeless and rejected.
Chapter 53
Phase the Sixth: The Convert
Tess encounters Alec d'Urberville, who has become a preacher, but his conversion proves shallow as he resumes his pursuit of her. Tess struggles with her past and her feelings for Angel Clare, while Alec's persistence forces her to confront her situation.
Chapter 54
XLV
Tess encounters Alec d'Urberville, now a converted Methodist preacher, on her way home from Emminster. His sudden appearance and religious fervor unsettle her, intensifying her despair over her past. She later meets Izz Huett, who is involved with a new suitor, Amby Seedling.
Chapter 55
XLVI
Alec d'Urberville, having abandoned his preaching, confronts Tess again, professing his revived passion and proposing marriage with a license. Tess reveals she is already married to Angel Clare, which shocks Alec. He tears up the license but offers to help her and her husband. Later, Tess writes a letter to Angel but does not send it. Alec visits her again, and they debate religion and belief, with Tess defending Angel's views.
Chapter 56
XLVII
Tess works at Flintcomb-Ash farm during the threshing of the last wheat-rick. Alec d'Urberville reappears, having abandoned his preaching, and confronts Tess on the rick. He claims she has caused him to lose his faith and attempts to reassert his power over her. Tess strikes him with a glove, drawing blood, but Alec remains determined to possess her again. The chapter ends with Tess resuming her work in a daze.
Chapter 57
XLVIII
Tess works exhaustingly at the threshing machine while Alec d'Urberville hovers nearby. She is physically and emotionally drained, having written a desperate letter to Angel Clare pleading for his return and fearing Alec's advances. Farmer Groby offers to let her leave with Alec, but Tess remains trapped in her labor and her anguish.
Chapter 58
XLIX
Angel Clare, now in Brazil, is consumed by remorse over his harsh treatment of Tess, recalling Izz Huett's words and Tess's devotion. He reconsiders her d'Urberville ancestry and feels love rekindled. Meanwhile, Tess's letter to him is forwarded via his parents, who discuss their son's marriage with regret. In England, Tess, still at Flintcomb-Ash, practices old ballads in hopes of pleasing Angel. Her sister Liza-Lu arrives with news that their mother is dying, prompting Tess to leave immediately for home.
Chapter 59
L
Tess works on the family allotment, struggling with poverty and her father's illness. Alec d'Urberville appears disguised as a laborer, attempting to win her back by offering help for her family. Tess rejects him, but later returns home to find her father has died, leaving the family homeless due to the expiration of their lease.
Chapter 60
LI
On the eve of Old Lady-Day, the Durbeyfield family is forced to leave their ancestral home in Marlott due to social pressures and Tess's tainted reputation. Alec d'Urberville reappears, offering Tess and her family a cottage at Trantridge, but she refuses. Tess writes a bitter letter to Angel Clare, expressing her sense of injustice. The chapter explores the displacement of rural families and the moral hypocrisy of the village.
Chapter 61
LII
The Durbeyfield family moves from Marlott to Kingsbere, the ancestral home of the d'Urbervilles, only to find no lodging available. They are forced to camp in the churchyard, where Tess encounters Alec d'Urberville again. The chapter highlights the family's poverty and the decay of their noble lineage.
Chapter 62
LIII
Angel Clare returns to his parents' home at Emminster Vicarage, physically weakened from his travels. He reads Tess's angry letter accusing him of injustice and learns from his mother that she has not been sending money. He resolves to find Tess, despite her mother's evasive reply about her whereabouts.
Chapter 63
LIV
Angel Clare journeys to find Tess, first visiting Flintcomb-Ash where she had worked, then Marlott where he learns of John Durbeyfield's death and pays for his headstone. He finally reaches Joan Durbeyfield, who reluctantly tells him Tess is at Sandbourne.
Chapter 64
LV
Angel Clare arrives in Sandbourne, a fashionable seaside town, searching for Tess. He finds her living at The Herons under the name Mrs. d'Urberville, but their reunion is tragic: Tess reveals that Alec has won her back, believing Angel would never return. She begs Angel to leave, and he departs in despair.
Chapter 65
LVI
Mrs. Brooks, the landlady of The Herons, overhears a harrowing conversation between Tess and Alec, revealing Tess's despair over Angel's return and Alec's manipulation. After Tess leaves, Mrs. Brooks discovers a bloodstain spreading on the ceiling, leading to the discovery of Alec's dead body, stabbed through the heart.
Chapter 66
LVII
Tess, having killed Alec, runs after Angel and confesses her crime. Angel, initially horrified, is moved by her devotion and promises to protect her. They flee together, wandering aimlessly through the countryside, and eventually break into an empty mansion called Bramshurst Court to rest.
Chapter 67
LVIII
Tess and Angel hide in an abandoned mansion for five days, then flee at dawn after being discovered by the caretaker. They travel north through Melchester and eventually reach Stonehenge, where Tess, exhausted, lies on an altar-like stone. She asks Angel to marry her sister Liza-Lu after her death, and they wait for dawn as the police approach.
Chapter 68
LIX
On a bright July morning, Angel Clare and Liza-Lu walk away from Wintoncester, their heads bowed in grief. They stop at a milestone overlooking the city, where they watch a black flag rise from the prison tower, signaling Tess's execution. The chapter ends with them joining hands and moving on.
