Tess of the d’Urbervilles · Chapter
Phase the Fourth: The Consequence explained
Tess endures the aftermath of her confession to Angel on their wedding night.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Female Purity and Double Standards
The central theme of this phase, as Tess is condemned by Angel for her past while his own indiscretions are overlooked. The societal double standard is laid bare through their marital crisis.
Suffering and Resilience
Tess endures immense emotional and physical suffering after Angel's departure, yet she continues to work and survive, demonstrating a quiet resilience in the face of relentless hardship.
Characters to notice
- Tess Durbeyfield
Tess is the central figure in this phase, grappling with the consequences of her confession. She is heartbroken by Angel's rejection but remains loyal and hopeful for a reconciliation.
- Angel Clare
Angel is tormented by Tess's revelation. His rigid ideals of purity clash with his love for her, leading him to coldly distance himself and ultimately leave for Brazil.
- Joan Durbeyfield
Joan is unsympathetic to Tess's plight after her return home, blaming her for not keeping her past secret and showing little understanding of her daughter's suffering.
- Marian
Marian reappears as a fellow worker at the harsh farm where Tess later finds employment, offering a familiar face and some solidarity in Tess's time of hardship.
- Izz Huett
Izz is briefly involved when Angel, in his confusion, nearly proposes to her as a substitute for Tess, but she refuses out of loyalty to Tess.
Key passages
““I cannot help it,” he said. “I should be dishonest if I said anything else. I cannot help it. I do not blame you. But I cannot help it.””
Angel tells Tess that he cannot overcome his feelings of disgust at her past, even though he knows it is not her fault.
This quote captures Angel's internal conflict and his inability to accept Tess's past, which drives the tragedy of their marriage.
““O mother, my mother!” cried Tess, almost beside herself. “How could I be expected to know? I was a child when I left this house four months ago. Why didn't you tell me there was danger in men-folk? Why didn't you warn me?””
Tess laments to her mother that she was never warned about the dangers men pose, blaming her mother's silence for her ruin.
This quote highlights Tess's sense of betrayal by her mother and the lack of guidance that contributed to her tragic situation.