Cliffnotes on Tess of the dUrbervilles.docx

Cliffnotes on Tess of the dUrbervilles.docx

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CliffnotesonTessofthedUrbervilles

CliffnotesonTessofthed'Urbervilles

BookSummary

TessDurbeyfieldisa16-year-oldsimplecountrygirl,theeldestdaughterofJohnandJoanDurbeyfield.InachancemeetingwithParsonTringhamalongtheroadonenight,JohnDurbeyfielddiscoversthatheisthedescendentofthed'Urbervilles,anancient,moniedfamilywhohadlandholdingsasfarbackasWilliamtheConquerorin1066.Uponthisdiscovery,thefinanciallystrappedDurbeyfieldfamilylearnsofanearby"relative,"andJohnandhiswifeJoansendTessto"claimkin"inordertoalleviatetheirimpoverishedcondition.Whilevisitingthed'UrbervillesatTheSlopes,TessmeetsAlecd'Urberville,whofindshimselfattractedtoTess.AlecarrangesforTesstobecomethecaretakerforhisblindmother'spoultry,andTessmovestoTheSlopestotakeuptheposition.Whileinresidenceatthed'Urbervilles,AlecseducesandrapesTess.

Tessreturnshome,givesbirthtoason,Sorrow,theproductoftherape,andworksasafieldworkeronnearbyfarms.Sorrowbecomesillanddiesininfancy,leavingTessdevastatedatherloss.TessmakesanotherjourneyawayfromhometonearbyTalbothaysDairytobecomeamilkmaidtoagood-natureddairyman,Mr.Crick.Thereshemeetsandfallsinlovewithatravellingfarmer'sapprentice,AngelClare.ShetriestoresistAngel'spleasforherhandinmarriagebuteventuallymarriesAngel.HedoesnotknowTess'past,althoughshehastriedonseveraloccasionstotellhim.Afterthewedding,TessandAngelconfesstheirpaststoeachother.TessforgivesAngelforhispastindiscretions,butAngelcannotforgiveTessforhavingachildwithanotherman.

Angelsuggeststhatthetwosplitup,withAngelgoingtoBrazilforayearandTessgoingbackhome.Tessagreesandreturnstoherparent'shouse.TesseventuallyleaveshomeagainforworkinanothertownatFlintcomb-Ashfarm,wheretheworkingconditionsareveryharsh.TessisreunitedwithsomeofherfriendsfromTalbothays,andtheyallsettleinatFlintcombtothehardworkroutine.TessisdeterminedtoseeAngel'sfamilyinnearbyEmminsterbutloseshernerveatthelastminute.OnherreturntoFlintcomb,TessseesAlecagain,nowapracticingevangelicalminister,preachingtothefolksinthecountryside.WhenAlecseesTess,heisstruckdumbandleaveshispositiontopursueher.AlecfollowshertoFlintcomb,askinghertomarryhim.Tessrefusesinthestrongestterms,butAlecispersistent.

Tessreturnshometofindhermotherrecoveringfromherillness,butherfather,John,diessuddenlyfromanunknownailment.Theburdenofherfamily'swelfarefallsonTess'shoulders.Destitutenowandhomeless（theyhavebeenevictedfromtheircottage）,theDurbeyfieldshavenowheretogo.TessknowsthatshecannotresistAlec'smoneyandthecomfortsherfamilycanuse.Furthermore,AlecinsiststhatAngelwillneverreturnandhasabandonedher—anideathatTesshasalreadycometobelieveherself.

Inthemeantime,AngelreturnsfromBraziltolookforTessandtobeginhisownfarminEngland.WhenAngelfindsTess'family,JoaninformshimthatTesshasgonetoSandbourne,afashionableseasideresortinthesouthofEngland.AngelfindsTessthere,livingasanupper-classladywithAlecd'Urberville.InthemeetingwithAngel,Tessaskshimtoleaveandnotreturnforher.Angeldoesleave,resignedthathehadjudgedTesstooharshlyandreturnedtoolate.

AfterhermeetingwithAngel,TessconfrontsAlecandaccuseshimoflyingtoheraboutAngel.Inafitofangerandfury,TessstabsAlecthroughtheheartwithacarvingknife,killinghim.TessfindsAngeltotellhimofthedeed.AngelhastroublebelievingTess'storybutwelcomesherback.

Thetwotravelthecountrysideviabackroadstoavoiddetection.Theirplanistomakeforaportandleavethecountryassoonaspossible.Theyspendaweekinavacanthouse,reunitedinblissforashorttime.Theyarediscovered,however,andthetrailendsatStonehenge,theancientpaganmonument,whenthepolicearrestTessandtakeheraway.

Beforesheisexecutedforhercrime,TesshasAngelpromisetomarryhersisterLizaLuoncesheisgone.Angelagreesandhe,alongwithLizaLu,witnessesablackflagraisedinthecityofWintoncester,signifyingthatTess'deathsentencehasbeencarriedout.Thetwo,AngelandLizaLu,leavetogether,andthetragictaleofTessends.

CharacterList

Tess（Teresa）Durbeyfield

Themaincharacterandheroineofthenovel.Sheisbeautifulandirresistibletomen.Sheisalsoyoung,innocent,anduneducated—unawarethattheworldisrifewithlust,cruelty,andvanity.

Alecd'Urberville

Heirtod'UrbervillefortunewhohasTessbroughttoTheSlopeswiththehopeofseducingher.Heistheconsummateplayboy,whoknowsnoboundstodebauchwomen.HeruinsTessanddoesnotknowthatshehashadhischilduntilmuchlater.HeconvincesTessthatAngel,herhusband,willnotreturnfromBrazil,andhefinallypaysforhisdeceitwithhislife.

AngelClare

YoungestsonofParsonClareofEmminster,whobecomesTess'husband.Afterthewedding,whenhefinallylearnsofTess'pastwithAlecandhersonSorrow,heleavesherandspendsthenextyearinBrazil.AngeleventuallyreturnstoEnglandtoreclaimTessbutfindsherwithAlec.AfterAlec'smurder,AngelremainswithTessuntilherarrestandagreestotakeLizaLuashiswifeafterTessmeetsherfateonthegallows.

JohnDurbeyfield

Tess'father.Heisahaggler/higgler,amiddlemanwhobuysvegetablesandpoultryfromwholesalerstoselltoretailers.Uneducatedandpoor,heisshiftless,drinkstoexcess,andisnotagoodproviderforhisfamily,leavingthemdestitutewhenhedies.

JoanDurbeyfield

Tess'motherwhodoesherbesttoraisehersevenchildren.ItisJoan'splantosentTessto"claimkin"withthed'Urbervilles.JoanfailstowarnTessofthedesiresofmenandthemeaningoflove.

Eliza-Louise（LizaLu）

LizaLuisthesecondDurbeyfieldchild;sheistwelveyearsoldwhenthenovelbeginsandappearsinonlyafewchapters.Intheend,LizaLuandAngelareunited,asTesshadasked,whenTessdies.

Abraham,Hope,andModestyDurbeyfield

TheotherDurbeyfieldchildren;Tess'youngersiblings.

SorrowDurbeyfield/d'Urberville

Tess'childwithAlecd'Urberville,whodiesininfancy.

ParsonandMrs.ClareAngel'sparents.

CuthbertandFelixClareAngel'sbrothers.

ParsonTringhamTheministerwhotellsJohnDurbeyfieldofhislineage.

Mrs.d'UrbervilleAlec'smother,asixty-year-oldwidowwhoownsTheSlopes.

MercyChantThewomanAngel'sfamilywantedhimtomarry;sheeventuallymarriesCuthbertClare.

Mr.RichardCrickDairyfarmerwhoownsTalbothaysDairy.HeiskindtoTessandAngel.

IzzHuett,Marian,andRettyPriddleTess'friendsatTalbothaysandFlintcomb-Ash.AllarealsoinlovewithAngel.

FarmerGrobyFarmerinchargeofFlintcomb-Ash,thesecondfarmwhereTessworks.Heisveryhardanddemanding.

Mrs.BrooksInnkeeperatSandbourneforTheHerons,whereAlecismurdered.

SummaryandAnalysis

PhasetheSeventh:

Fulfilment:

Chapters57–59

Summary

AngelhearsfromhisparentsviatelegramthathisbrotherCuthbertisengagedtoMercyChant.Heleaveshishoteltogotothetrainstationforareturntriphome.

Atthestation,TessfindshimandconfessestomurderingAlec.Immediately,AngelformulatesaplantowalktothenorthofEngland,avoidingthemoretraveledroads,untiltheycanreachaportcityaftertheeventssurroundingthemurderareforgotten.Thetwowalkformiles,finallyhappytobeineachother'scompany.Alongtheway,theydiscoveravacanthouse,withonlyacaretakeroccasionallystoppingby.Thegreathouse,calledBramshurstCourt,isemptyofarenter,sothecoupletakesupresidence.Theyspendfivedaysinthehouseuntilthelocalcaretakerseesthemsleepinginthelargebedrooms.

Oncediscovered,AngelandTessmovedirectlynorthuntiltheyreachtheancientmonolithsofStonehenge.Tessfeelsthatherfreedomislimitedandherendisnear,soshehasAngelpromisetomarryLizaLuafterherdeath.Nowthatitisnightandthetwoaretired,Tesssleepsononeofthe"altars"ofstone.Neardaybreak,thetwoaresurroundedbypolicewhotakeTessintocustody.Forherpart,Tessisgladthattheendhascome,andshegoeswiththepolicewillingly.

Inthefinalchapter,AngelandLizaLujourneytogethertoWintoncestertoseethatTess'sentence,deathbyhanging,iscarriedout.Theydonotactuallywitnessthedeed,butknowtheenterpriseisdonewhenablackflagishoistedoverthetown'stower.Thetwothenreturnthewaytheycame,"Assoonastheyarose,joinedhandsagain,andwenton."

Analysis

Hardyhasbroughtthestoryfullcircle.FouryearshavepassedsincethedayinMay,inthebeginningofthenovel,whenTessandAngelmet.Atthestory'senditisMayagain.

AngelisintheprocessofleavingSandbournewhenhereceivesnewsthathisbrother,Cuthbert,hasbecomeengagedtoMercyChant.Asheisleavingtownawaitingthenexttrain,TessappearswiththetalethatshehadkilledAlec.Angelisunsureaboutherstory,butnowthatsheisfinallyhis,hetakesnochancesofherbeingdiscovered.Oneoftheirstopstakesthemtoavacanthouse,calledBramshurstCourt.TheirweektogetherisuneventfulinthatTessandAngelfinallybecomeamarriedcouple.SheseemstoknowthathertimewithAngelislimited,becauseshewillsoonbewantedforAlec'smurder;"Mylifecanonlybeaquestionofafewweeks,"shesays.HerlastwishesareforAngeltomarryhersister,LizaLufor"'Shehadallthebestofmewithoutthebadofme."InChapter59,whenAngelandLizaLujoinhandsafterTess'execution,w