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Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman (Modern Library)
 
 

Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman (Modern Library) (Paperback)

by Thomas Hardy (Author) "THIS novel being one wherein the great campaign of the heroine begins after an event in her experience which has usually been treated as fatal..." (more)
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 544 pages
  • Publisher: Modern Library Inc; New edition edition (22 Mar 2001)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0375756795
  • ISBN-13: 978-0375756795
  • Product Dimensions: 20.4 x 13.1 x 2.9 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 141,731 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in this category:

    #51 in  Books > Fiction > The Classics > Hardy, Thomas

Product Description

Richard Nemesvari, St. Francis Xavier University
"This edition of Hardy's most famous novel provides a forceful introduction and excellent supporting material." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Book Description
Hardy's novel tells the story of how John and Joan Durbeyfield became convinced that they are descended from the ancient family of d'Ubervilles. They encourage their daughter Tess to cement a connection with the Stoke-d'Uberville family of local gentry (who it turns out are themselves not entitled to the illustrious name) and she is raped by their son, the unprincipled Alec. It is a connection that returns to haunt her after she has married the pure parson's son Angel Clare.

Tess first appeared in a serialized—and bowdlerized—form in The Graphic in 1891. A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented, as Hardy subtitled the work, represented a direct challenge to conventional notions of sexuality and femininity—and, though conventions have radically changed in the past century, the character of Tess has remained a challenging one. In her introduction Maier argues that we should not see Tess merely as a passive victim; she suggests that a combination of sexual vigour and moral rigour makes Tess not just one of the greatest but also one of the strongest women in the canon of English literature.

This edition also includes contemproary reviews; the 'bowdlerized' as well as the author's original versions of passages censored by the early years of the novel's life; excerpts from Hardy's autobiography; and a wealth of other documents that shed light on the context from which this text emerged -- highlighting in particular gender-related issues that lie at the heart of the text. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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First Sentence
THIS novel being one wherein the great campaign of the heroine begins after an event in her experience which has usually been treated as fatal to her part of protagonist, or at least as the virtual ending of her enterprises and hopes, it was quite contrary to avowed conventions that the public should welcome the book, and agree with me in holding that there was something more to be said in fiction than had been said about the shaded side of a well-known catastrophe. Read the first page
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Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman (Modern Library)
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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews
5 star:
 (7)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Beauty, tragedy, innocence and an unforgiving society., 11 Sep 2001
By C. Arnold (Tamworth, England) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is a novel so saturated with emotion it is almost too much just to read it. The plot revolves around the eponymous heroine, Tess Durbeyfield, a young and innocent girl who plunges headfirst into adulthood by giving birth to an illegitimate child. Tess is immediately condemned by a cruel society and her unavoidable fate is dragged out in heart wrenching detail by Hardy. What is most interesting about the novel is the author's obvious love for his character, and it is fascinating to imagine Hardy wishing for a happy ending just like the reader, yet at the same time knowing that he is unable to help Tess, his own creation. Everyone should read this novel, it has romance, murder, tragedy, injustice, intricate social commentary, and an intoxicating melancholia. The character of Tess is so well conceived by Hardy, she appears so realistic that the reader finds themselves weeping tears for her as if she were a loved one. Persevere with Hardy's somewhat lengthy descriptions of the surrounding landscape and you will find this novel to be as beautifully perfect as I did.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A touching story..., 19 Mar 2001
By A Customer
The second time I read this book I found it much more distressing. Throughout I could see the many small instances where if things had been only a little different then Tess's tragedies could have been avoided.

There is a lot of Thomas Hardy in this book - Angel's attitudes to religion, for example, closely mirror Hardys own struggles with his beliefs and rejection of Christianity. If you have an interest in Hardy's life and his beliefs then you may find this element of the book an added attraction.

This a very touching book. A little difficult in places, but well worth persisting with.

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Tragic, moving tale of a woman battling against cruel fate., 19 April 2001
By A Customer
This is my favourite book by any author. It tells of a woman who is crippled by her poverty - stricken background and feckless parents, vainly trying to live according to inate ideals of sincerity, passion, loyalty and truth in a corrupt, decaying rural landscape. Her attempts to do the right thing and live life in a full, honest way are everywhere thwarted by the cruel, mocking twists of fate and the inability of the male characters to rise beyond the narrow constraints of their physical desires and spiritual poverty. It makes me weep everytime.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Tess of the D'Urbervilles
I never knew that such a tragic book could be written so beautifully. i am writing poetry based on it for my English coursework because of its brilliant imagery. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Beverly A. Barnes

5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent
This book was written at the time of Hardy's descent into pessimistic literature, and since I heard that at the time, public controversy was caused by this book, I was quite... Read more
Published on 2 Sep 2003 by Phantasm

2.0 out of 5 stars The use of fate and coincidence is truly tiresome
I find this book truly repetitive and monotonous.The repeated use of coincidence to link the characters is tiresome and unbelievable. Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2001

4.0 out of 5 stars A truly descriptive classic
I had to read this book for school and I found it suprisingly touching and moving.If you haven't read any Hardy I reccomend that you start now with this book.
Published on 15 Jan 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put this one down!
Everytime I picked up this book I wanted to scream to Tess to reveal to Angel her true self, because only then could her romance with him be the perfect one she so long sought... Read more
Published on 28 May 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars Tragic force
'Tess' is a tragedy of sheer power - the reader at once becomes a companion to her plight and a friend in her solitude. Read more
Published on 8 Mar 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Companion Piece
I read this book soon after I had seen the A&E mini-series. Reading the book after watching the series gave me a better appreciation for the dialect(s) Hardy uses throughout... Read more
Published on 27 Sep 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars tess of the d'urbevilles is a beautiful tale of tragedy
Tess of the D'Urbevilles, by Thomas Hardy, is a wonderful novel, which tragically and poignantly follows the ill-fated life of its heroine, Tess Durbeyfield. Read more
Published on 21 Aug 1998

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