Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Name: Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Author: Thomas Hardy

Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy is a novel that tells the story of Tess Durbeyfield, a young woman who becomes embroiled in a tragic love triangle with two men: Alec D'Urberville and Angel Clare. The novel explores themes of love, morality, and social class, and is known for its complex characters and poetic prose.

By Thomas Hardy · First published 1891 · Genre: Tragedy, Romanticism, Victorian · 59 chapters · 178,116 words

First lines

Poor wounded name! My bosom as a bed Shall lodge thee. - Shakespeare

What this Textopian page supports

Tess of the D'Urbervilles is listed on Textopian as a novel by Thomas Hardy, dated 1891 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Thomas Hardy
Date: 1891 CE
Language: English
Genres: Tragedy, Romanticism, Victorian, Social Criticism, Realism
Length: 178,116 words
Structure: 59 chapters, 3,259 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering Tess of the D'Urbervilles?
How does this novel by Thomas Hardy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Tragedy first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Tragedy — The book chronicles the life of Tess Durbeyfield, a young woman who suffers various tragedies due to her circumstances and societal conditions, ultimately culminating in her death.
Romanticism — Throughout his work, Hardy explores intense emotions and the relationship between individuals and nature, both central to the Romantic literary movement.
Victorian — Published in1891, Tess of the d'Urbervilles is firmly rooted in the issues, concerns, and writing style of the Victorian era.
Social Criticism — Thomas Hardy makes a sweeping critique of Victorian societal norms and the crushing impact they can have on individuals, particularly women like Tess.