# XXXVII explained — Tess of the d’Urbervilles

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

## What happens

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.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Marriage

The chapter explores the fragility of marriage under societal and personal pressures, as Angel's conditional love and Tess's submission reveal the institution's power dynamics.

### Suffering and Resilience

Tess endures Angel's rejection and her own despair with quiet resilience, even finding solace in his unconscious tenderness.

### Fate and Inevitability

Tess's passive acceptance of her punishment and Angel's sleepwalking episode suggest an inexorable tragic trajectory, as if their fates are sealed.

## Character check-ins

### Tess Durbeyfield

Tess submits to Angel's conditions, endures his sleepwalking episode, and refrains from revealing his unconscious tenderness to avoid angering him.

### Angel Clare

Angel imposes a separation on Tess, sleepwalks and carries her as if dead, then reaffirms his resolve to leave despite his unconscious affection.

### Dairyman Crick

Angel visits Dairyman Crick to wind up business, and Tess calls on Mrs. Crick to avoid suspicion.

### Mrs. Crick

Tess pays a call on Mrs. Crick during their stop at Talbothays Dairy.

## Key lines

> God’s not in his heaven: All’s wrong with the world!

Angel quotes a modified line from Robert Browning's 'Pippa Passes,' expressing his anguish and sense of cosmic disorder after parting from Tess.

_This paraphrase captures Angel's despair and his feeling that the world is unjust._

> Dead! dead! dead!

Angel murmurs these words while sleepwalking, treating Tess as if she were a corpse, reflecting his subconscious grief over their marriage's death.

_This sleepwalking episode reveals Angel's hidden tenderness and the emotional toll of their separation._

> My poor, poor Tess—my dearest, darling Tess! So sweet, so good, so true!

Angel speaks endearments to Tess in his sleep that he withholds while awake, showing his unconscious love for her.

_This moment contrasts sharply with Angel's waking rejection, highlighting his internal conflict._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xxxvii
- 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