Tess of the D'Urbervilles tells the story of Tess Durbeyfield, a poor peasant woman in 19th century England. She is seduced by Alec Stoke D'Urbervilles, who later continues to pursue her relentlessly. Tess works as a dairymaid and falls in love with Angel Clare, but on their wedding night she confesses her past to him and he rejects her. Unable to find work, Tess returns to Alec who claims she is still his wife. In despair, Tess kills Alec and is later hanged for his murder.

1. HAPPY NEW YEARS ENGLISH AND TAMIL 2011 and 2042 GOOD MORNING

2. Tess of the D’Urbervilles A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented Thomas Hardy

3. Summary 2 [ From Companion to Literature in English, Edited by Ian Ousby]

4. The novel expresses Hardy’s rejection of the conventional heroine of Victorian fiction .

5. Unwisely Parson Tringham tells John Durbeyfield , a haggler of Marlott, that he is descended from the ancient Norman family of d’Urbervilles .

6. Fortified by this information, he and his wife Joan encourage their daughter Tess to seek the kinship of the Stoke d’Urbervilles , themselves not entitled to the illustrious name.

7. She is seduced by their son, the vulgar rake Alec , and bears a child that mercifully dies .

8. To make a fresh start Tess goes to work in southern Wessex at the fertile Talbothays farm where she meets Angel Clare , younger son of a parson and, after a struggle within herself, accepts his offer of marriage .

9. On their wedding night Tess confesses her unhappy past to Angel , who recoils in puritanical horror.

10. He goes off to Brazil and Tess seeks employment at the grim upland farm, Flintcomb Ash , belonging to the tyrannical Farmer Groby .

11. There she is again afflicted by the advances of Alec, now an itinerant preacher.

12. He is insistent that Tess is more his wife than Angel’s and relentless in his pursuit of her.

13. Angel returns to England a wiser man and traces Tess to Sandbourne where she is living as Alec’s wife.

14. She considers it too late for reconciliation and sends him away .

15. In her despair and entrapment she kills Alec and, after a brief idyllic period with Angel , is arrested at Stonehenge, tried, and hanged in Wintoncestor goal.

16. LIST OF CHARACTERS

17. BLACKMOOR VALE BLACKMOOR VALE John Durbeyfield Joan Durbeyfield Tess Durbeyfield E liza L o u isa Abraham Hope Modesty Parson Tringham

18. Trantridge Mrs. Stoke-D'Urberville Alec Stoke-d'Urberville

19. Talbothay Farm Richard Crick Izz Retty Marian Tess Angel

20. ANGEL CLARE’S FAMILY JAMES CLARE MRS. CLARE FELIX CLARE CUTHBERT CLARE MERCY CHANT

21. Flintcomb Ash FARMER GROBY

22. The Herons Mrs. Brooks

23. CONTINUED… TO BE