Tess of the D Urbervilles

     Tess of the d' Urbervilles

                                Thomas Hardy

The novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy was published in the year 1891 and is considered to be a tragic novel because of the presence of the tragic flaw in the personality of the protagonist of the story and various other elements. The most pervasive theme in the novel is fate which is determined by the power that is beyond the control of an individual. The other things covered up in the story points towards social criticism, nature and modernity.

The protagonist of the novel is a 16 year old girl named Tess who is the oldest girl of John and Joan Durbeyfield. The family did not have a well off living in terms of money. On one night John by chance meets Parson Tringham, and discovers the fact that he is actually the descendent of the d'Urbervilles, who is perceived to be the most affluent and acquainted family of that time.

After this revelation, Durbeyfield family learns of a close relative, and John send Tess to claim their part of inheritance which might lessen their devastated condition. While visiting, Tess was on her way where she meets Alec d'Urberville, who gets attracted towards Tess. Alec appoints her to take care of his blind mother's poultry, and Tess accepts the position. 

While Tess was at the residence, Alec tries to lure Tess and rapes her. Tess returns home and becomes pregnant. She gives birth to a son named, Sorrow, but he dies in infancy due to illness, leaving Tess totally devastated. Tess leaves home once again to take a job at Talbothays Dairy as a milkmaid to a good natured dairyman named, Mr. Cramp. There she sees a travelling farmer’s disciple, Angel Clare and falls in love with him.

Angel proposes her for marriage; she attempts to oppose Angel's requests but ultimately weds him. Tess tries to tell him about her past but she could not due to one or the other reason. After getting married, Tess and Angel admit their pasts to one another. Tess pardons Angel for his previous indiscretions; however Angel could not accept the fact that Tess had a child with another man.

Angel decides to break the marriage and goes to Brazil for sometime whereas Tess returns home. After a while Tess again leaves home to work at Flintcomb-Ash ranch, there she also meets some of her old companions. On her way to Flintcomb, Tess encounters Alec, who has become a preacher. At the point when Alec sees Tess, he becomes numb and abandons his position to seek after her. Alec reaches Flintcomb and asks Tess to marry him but she strongly rebukes the proposal. 

Tess gets back home and finds out her mother to be recovering from her illness while her father suddenly dies due to an unknown disease. The family become penniless, destitute and has nowhere to go. Tess feels that she has to take care of welfare of the family and dwells upon the possibility where they could utilize Alec’s money for their welfare. Moreover, Alec demands that Angel should never return and have him abandoned Tess.

Meanwhile, Angel gets back from Brazil to search for Tess and meets her family where Joan tells him that Tess has moved to south of England. Angel reaches there and discovers Tess living with Alec d'Urberville. Tess asks him to leave right away and never return again. Angel leaves with a heavy heart and realizes that he has made a mistake in harshly judging and leaving her.

After Angel leaves Tess confronts Alec and blames him for deceiving her about Angel. Furiously Tess stabs Alec in the heart with a knife, leading to his murder. Tess looks for Angel to let him know about the mishappening. Angel welcomes her back although he has a little trouble believing her story.

In order to avoid detection both of them travel to countryside where they plan to make to the part and leave the country at soonest. They live together for a short period of time in a vacant house. Soon they are found by the police. Police capture Tess and take her away.

Before Tess is being executed, she had Angel promised her that after her arrest he would marry her sister Liza Lu. Angel promises her and alongside Liza Lu, witnesses a flag being raised in the part of Wintoncester, implying that Tess' capital punishment has been completed. Angel and Liza Lu, leave the place together, and this is how that tragic story of Tess comes to an end.