# LI explained — Tess of the d’Urbervilles

> Chapter companion for Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy.

## What happens

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.

## Themes in this chapter

### Social Class and Inequality

The Durbeyfields are evicted due to their low social standing and Tess's perceived immorality, reflecting class-based hypocrisy.

### Female Purity and Double Standards

Tess is blamed for the family's eviction because she is 'not a proper woman,' highlighting the double standard applied to women.

### Fate and Inevitability

The d'Urberville coach legend and Tess's sense of doom underscore the theme of inescapable fate.

## Character check-ins

### Tess Durbeyfield

Tess reflects on her perceived evil influence on her family's eviction, writes a reproachful letter to Angel, and rejects Alec's offer of a cottage.

### Alec d'Urberville

Alec reappears, tries to persuade Tess to accept his help, and recounts the d'Urberville coach legend.

### Joan Durbeyfield

Joan has gone out to bid friends goodbye; she was scolded for harboring Tess and independently offered to leave.

### Liza-Lu

Liza-Lu goes out with her mother and Abraham to say farewells.

### Abraham Durbeyfield

Abraham goes out with his mother and Liza-Lu to bid friends goodbye.

### Angel Clare

Tess writes a letter to Angel, accusing him of cruelty and injustice.

## Key lines

> enemy, I am your friend, even if you won’t believe it. Come to this cottage of mine.

Alec claims to be Tess's friend despite their past and offers her a cottage.

_Alec's manipulative offer of help._

> O why have you treated me so monstrously, Angel! I do not deserve it. I have thought it all over carefully, and I can never, never forgive you!

Tess writes to Angel, expressing her anger and sense of injustice at his rejection.

_Tess's emotional letter to Angel._

> The Egypt of one family was the Land of Promise to the family who saw it from a distance, till by residence there it became it turn their Egypt also; and so they changed and changed.

Each new farm seems promising to a family until they live there and it becomes oppressive, leading to constant moves.

_Narrator's commentary on the cycle of rural migration._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/li
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters