Introduction

The poor village haggler Durbeyfield learns by chance that he descends from the ancient noble family of the d'Urbervilles, and on a foolish impulse sends his beautiful, innocent eldest daughter Tess to 'claim kin' with a rich family nearby who have taken the d'Urberville name. There she is seduced by the rake Alec and bears a child, who soon dies. Some years later, working as a milkmaid at a dairy farm, she falls in love with Angel Clare, a clergyman's son. On their wedding night she confesses her past to her husband, and Angel, who has just confessed his own past follies to her, cannot forgive her; he abandons her and goes off to Brazil. Tess struggles on in poverty and humiliation and, to help her family, is forced back to Alec. When the repentant Angel returns, the tragedy can no longer be undone. The subtitle, 'A Pure Woman', caused an uproar at the time.