THE TRAGIC LOVE STORY OF TESS: A SUMMARY
This classic by Thomas Hardy centers on Teresa (Tess) Durbeyfield, a simple country girl descended from a noble
family of knights—the d’Urbervilles. Yet although noble is her lineage, the former wealth of her distant family is no more for the original d’Urbervilles have all gone to the next life. Now, her family is poor and they live in a small house in the vale of Marlott.
During the May-Day celebration, where each woman wears a white frock and waits for a male partner for the
dance, Tess first encounters Angel Clare, an upright man who is the son of a parson (holy man). At this first encounter, their attraction for each other is already evident although they are strangers to one another. But Angel does not dance with Tess for he is in a hurry. He later looks back and regrets not being able to dance with Tess whom he found very pretty. Tess also seems disappointed that Angel did not dance with her, so she does not stay long for the celebration.
The next day, Tess’ father is too drunk to
work. Since, her mother has to stay behind take care of him and the little ones, Tess has to go to the market at Casterbridge to deliver the beehives herself. If she doesn’t do this, they will miss the demand of the retailers for the hives. Riding an old cart pulled by an equally old horse called Prince, she takes Abraham (her younger brother) with her. This is when Tess
finds out from Abraham the talk about her family’s connection with the wealthy d’Urbervilles. The boy had overheard that there are actually still some of their distant relatives who are alive, and they now reside in Tantridge. But by some stroke of bad luck, Prince is accidentally killed while on the way to the market. Because of this, one of the Durbeyfields’ important sources of income is lost as they have no way to transport the beehives. Thus, it falls upon Tess’ shoulders to go to Tantridge to get financial help from their d’Urberville relatives.
Tess meets a young Mr. d’Urberville upon her arrival at her supposed relatives’ mansion. The young man says his name is Alec, and it is obvious that he has instantly become attracted to Tess’ beauty. Being naïve, though, Tess does not realize this. After a brief ‘date,’ Tess goes back home and receives the news that old Mrs. D’Urberville, mother of Alec d’Urberville, has invited her to work as a caretaker for her poultry-farm. But Tess experiences feelings of foreboding danger and decides to just search for a job in the country. Then, a week afterward, Alec himself goes to Marlott. He invites Tess to work for his mother, and since she hasn’t found any other job, accepts his offer at last. They ride a carriage back to Tantridge. From the time they rode that carriage, Alec already shows aggressive behavior, and he does not stop even as Tess continuously shows her disapproval. He pursues Tess repeatedly during her stay at Tantridge, until he finally manages to have her for himself alone, and he brings her to a forested area—the Chase. This is where Alec takes away Tess’ maidenhood. Tess is filled with so much remorse for what had happened at the Chase, so even though she is pregnant, she returns home. But her baby dies shortly after birth.
After a few years, Tess finds work as a milkmaid at Talbothay’s. There she meets Angel Clare once again. They truly fall in love this time, but Tess cannot bring herself to tell him her secret just yet. Time passes, and Angel asks Tess to marry him. Tess accepts this, and thus they get married. Tess now believes that Angel loves her very much so he would surely forgive her for what happened between her and Alec d’Urberville. But she is mistaken, for Angel does not accept her confession. On the very day they were married, he decides to divorce her. Once more, Tess returns to her parents.
Meanwhile, d’Urberville becomes a Christian convert, and believes himself a changed man. He finds Tess and asks her to marry him as this is the proper and godly thing to do. Tess refuses for she is already married to the absent Angel Clare. Alec reasons with her, explaining that Angel is not her husband at all, for although Angel sends her money, he has abandoned her for years now. He says that Angel will never return. Alec manages to convince Tess, and they get married. On the other hand, Angel Clare realizes the grave mistake he made in not forgiving Tess. He truly loves her, but when he tries to return to her, finds that she has been wedded to Alec d’Urberville. Tess is filled with mad loathing toward Alec for having deceived her twice. Now she can’t even return to Angel. Out of rage, Tess murders Alec d’Urberville, plunging a knife into his heart. Tess runs back to Angel, and they are reunited, but only for a short time. The story thus ends tragically, for Tess gives herself up to the authorities, and she is sentenced to death for murdering Alec d’Urberville.
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