Tess of the d’Urbervilles · Chapter
XXXIV explained
Angel and Tess arrive at their lodgings, a former d'Urberville manor, where they confront unsettling ancestral portraits.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Female Purity and Double Standards
Angel confesses his own sexual indiscretion, expecting forgiveness, while Tess dreads revealing her own past, highlighting the double standard.
The Past and Ancestry
The d'Urberville portraits and ancestral home haunt Tess, symbolizing the inescapable weight of her lineage.
Love and Marriage
The chapter explores the fragility of marital trust and the idealization of purity in Angel's love for Tess.
Characters to notice
- Tess Durbeyfield
Tess is anxious and conflicted, struggling with her secret as Angel confesses his own past.
- Angel Clare
Angel confesses to a past dissipation with a stranger, seeking Tess's forgiveness.
- Retty Priddle
Retty attempts suicide after Tess's marriage, as reported by Jonathan Kail.
- Marian
Marian accompanies Retty on the night of her suicide attempt.
- Jonathan Kail
Jonathan arrives late with the luggage and delivers the news of Retty's suicide attempt.
Key passages
“I want to make a confession to you, Love.”
Angel tells Tess he needs to confess something to her.
Angel initiates a confession of his past, setting the stage for Tess's own confession.
“She jumped up joyfully at the hope. 'No, it cannot be more serious, certainly,' she cried, 'because 'tis just the same!'”
Tess feels relieved, thinking her confession is similar to Angel's.
Tess mistakenly believes Angel's confession makes hers easier to share.
“Welcome to one of your ancestral mansions!”
Angel welcomes Tess to a house that once belonged to her ancestors.
Angel's remark about the d'Urberville mansion is ironic and unsettling for Tess.
“We've all been gallied at the dairy at what might ha' been a most terrible affliction... poor little Retty Priddle hev tried to drown herself.”
Jonathan Kail reports that Retty Priddle attempted suicide after Tess's wedding.
The news of Retty's suicide attempt casts a shadow over the newlyweds' celebration.