Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Thomas Hardy (Author), Tim Dolin (Editor)

Book Description

Age Level: 1 and up

This critical edition of Thomas Hardy's 1891 British Victorian novel reprints the authoritative second impression of the 1920 Wessex edition together with five critical essays - newly commissioned or revised - that read Tess of the d'Urbervilles from five contemporary critical perspectives. Each critical essay is accompanied by a succinct introduction to the history, principles, and practice of the critical perspective and by a bibliography that promotes further exploration of that approach. In addition, the text and essays are complemented by an introduction providing biographical and historical contexts for Hardy and Tess of the d'Urbervilles, a survey of critical responses to the work since its initial publication, and a glossary of critical and theoretical terms.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 1 and up
  
• Paperback: 592 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (January 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 014043514X
• ISBN-13: 978-0140435146
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #83,324 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Most Extraordinary Novels Ever, July 23, 2003

By 

mp - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

Despite its seemingly needless tragedy, its persistently downbeat tone, and its relentlessly persecuted heroine, Thomas Hardy's 1891 novel, "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," is without doubt one of the greatest novels I have ever read. And I have read a few. Tess is the only truly well-developed character in the novel, which, coupled with the fact that Hardy renders the landscape of Wessex as to make it a character itself, gives one the sense of a real struggle between humanity and nature. This, for me, is one of the great themes of the novel - the tension between nature and the artifices with which we fill our relations with other people. The beauty of Hardy's pastoral setting is never idyllic - Hardy keeps us always aware that human society, with its false moral standards and technological advancements, is ever encroaching upon the already vanished past.

As the novel begins, Tess Durbeyfield's irresponsible wastrel of a father is casually and jokingly informed by the local minister that he is a descendant of a long-degenerated and disenfranchised noble family, the D'Urbervilles, whose influence stretches back to the Norman invasion. This simple, careless act, nothing more than a name, wreaks such havoc upon everyone in the novel, that I'm actually having a hard time right now even looking at the title - the name itself, now having read the novel, is such a powerful condemnation of status, of privilege, of reputation, of all the injustices of English society from the eighteenth century through the time of this novel, almost the dawn of the twentieth. Sent by her nearly indigent parents, whose heads have swelled with the possibilities of lineage, Tess leaves her home in Marlott, going to claim kinship with the last apparently wealthy D'Urberville, in the village of Trantridge. There she meets Alec D'Urberville, who seduces her. The rest of this powerful novel shows Tess Durbeyfield attempting to piece together a reputable life out of a situation and a condition in which respectability is fundamentally denied her.

"Tess" is a novel steeped, perhaps even choked, with tradition - history, literature, theology, philosphy, economics - Hardy's frame of reference calls all of these to account through the course of the novel. Tess, ostensibly a simple country girl, is forced to reckon with the accumulated weight of human knowledge and thought, no small burden for a girl with only the kind of basic education available in a small rural town. As readers, we are asked to measure the applicability, the efficacy, of the Bible next to Shakespeare, next to Greek mythology next to art - to determine if any of these are capable of fathoming what it means to be human, to endure the myriad experiences of human life, both good and ill.

In her dealings with the changeable Alec D'Urberville, the almost-modern Angel Clare, the farm-hands Izz Huett and Marian, her poor, practically minded mother, Joan, Tess experiences so much of life, mostly of the harshest kind. For me, this is the key facet of the novel. Tess endures. Despite all of her hardships, which are hard indeed, and in the face of the worst kinds of scrutiny and deprecation, both from others and from herself, Tess exhibits a kind of composure, threshold for pain, and strength that are all quite amazing. Daniel Defoe's eighteenth-century "Moll Flanders" is the first character that immediately comes to mind, just in terms of comparable pluck in the face of such overweaning odds.

Though many may disagree with me, I think that Tess, more than simply being the protagonist of the novel, is a real heroine. She is so insistently admirable, so determined to live despite all the forces and pressures arrayed against her from the very outset of the novel, when as a 15 year old girl, she is asked to restore the family's fortunes - it is really just astounding. I regret that I had never read "Tess" before, but I am supremely glad that I have had the chance to do so now. A novel cannot get a higher recommendation from me.

26 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!, February 19, 2000

By 

Andy Lau ([e-mail]) (Hong Kong) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

What I have written below is the assignment of my homework. (I'm a 9th grade student)

Tess's life was destroyed by men who loved her. But the right man hesitated, and the wrong man found her first. This was how her life was ruined and how miserable she was. If you want more derails, it is better for you to read the book yourself.

This book is a perfect demonstration that bad things happened to good people. But I have to admitt that it is quite difficult to struggle through the beginning. But after a few chapters, enjoyment continued filling my heart and eventually I could not stop reading untill i have finished it.

Alec d'Urbervill was the man who destroyed Tess's life. Tess met with lots of knotty difficulties in her life. It is fallacious to say that ir was her fault.

Tess is really a complex character. Her life was full of love , hate, depression and misery. Fortunately, she met Angel Clare who filled her heart with happiness.

Good writing do not often go hand in hand. But Hardy did it. THis is a tragic story. Why is the world so unfair?

Hardy used a magical way to write this book. Once you start, you can't stop. As you travel through this book, you will find yourself lost in admiration for the strong, honest woman.

Hardy showed me the true colours of depreesion and hapiness. He did a nice job and i did appreciate it.

It is definitely the most beautifully crafted book i have ever read. This book is truly worth reading and I hope you are not going to miss it.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A good story that's too much trouble to uncover, October 2, 2001

By 

"littleoldme" (Fort Collins, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

I will admit to being intrigued by Hardy's plot in "Tess of the D'Urbervilles." The concept behind the novel (a Victorian woman's fate and misfortunes) has been done before, but the basic storyline is still something worth paying attention to. Also, some of the book's insights into Victorian society were fascinating, such as the views on religious conflicts in the Church of England. Finally, a great deal of credit goes out to the editors of this particular edition for providing excellent footnotes on language and customs. However...

One of the characteristics of 19th century English writing (for instance, "Wuthering Heights") is extremely wordy syntax. Hardy takes this idea to its extreme, never settling for five words when he can use fifty. This is not only distracting, it makes the novel crawl at a snail's pace. Hardy also throws editorial asides into the novel far too often, making his point with a sledgehammer. (I was surprised that Hardy didn't outright end the book with a chapter explaining his views on everything.) Another flaw in the writing is Hardy's tendency to tell us something, rather than show us. His character's actions are insufficient, so he writes sentences describing exactly what a character thinks about another. The writing, frankly, could have used a lot of editing.

I still maintain that "Tess" has an excellent plot, and this is why the book isn't entirely panned. However, it's simply too much trouble to wade through the muck passed off as writing to bother. If you want a story that's similar to "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" conceptually, buy Kate Chopin's "The Awakening."