Tess Durbeyfield, a country girl of 16, is the eldest child of John Durbeyfield, a haggler, and his wife Joan. A parson tells John that the name Durbeyfield is a bastardisation of D’Urberville and that he’s the descendant of a grand Norman family. John celebrates by getting drunk and Tess drives to the market in her father’s place. However, Tess falls asleep and crashes the cart. The accident kills the family’s only horse. As she feels really guilty about this, Tess agrees to visit Mrs D’Urberville claiming to be a relative. Mr D’Urberville had actually adopted the name to distance himself from his roots.
Alec D’Urberville, the son, is attracted to Tess and gets her a job as his mother’s poultry keeper. Tess resists Alec’s advances, but one night when she is taken to a remote spot by him where he sexually assaults her. Tess becomes pregnant and gives birth to a sickly boy and is unable to find someone to christen him. She christens him herself, naming him Sorrow.
A few years later, Tess becomes a milkmaid at Talbothays Dairy, where no one knows her past. The dairy’s apprentice, Angel Clare, and Tess fall in love. Angel’s father is surprised his son wants to marry a milkmaid but makes no objection…
This book is one of the classics that I can read over and over again. I do love this story. I had previously given it 5 stars, but have changed this to 4 as I’ve read books this year that I do love more.
Read for the Read Between the Lines Reading Challenge 2025
Prompt 34: A Classic
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
