Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Tess of the D'Urbervilles
By: Thomas Hardy
Considered a great classic of English literature and Hardy’s best novel by many, it is the story of Tess Durbeyfield, whose father is told he is descended from the ancient Norman D’Urbervilles. Described by Hardy as “a pure woman,” she finds herself caught between two men, a libertine whose father had purchased the baronial D’Urberville title, and the son of a minister. Each man finds himself obsessed with Tess, and even after they separately leave her, they find themselves drawn back to her, until tragedy finally resolves the conflict.
Title information
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928), son of a stonemason and builder, was trained as an architect, but he gave up his profession to write first serialized novels and then poetry. His two masterworks, Tess of the D’Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure, both set in the imaginary county of Wessex, were controversial when published because of their depiction of women’s issues and sex.
