Summary: Chapter I
“Don’t you really know, Durbeyfield,
that you are the lineal representative of the ancient and knightly
family of the d’Urbervilles . . . ?”
(See Important Quotations Explained)
On his way home to the village of Marlott, a middle-aged
peddler named John Durbeyfield encounters an old parson who surprises him
by addressing him as “Sir John.” The old man, Parson Tringham, claims
to be a student of history and says that he recently came across
a record indicating that Durbeyfield descends from a noble family,
the d’Urbervilles. Tringham says that Durbeyfield’s noble roots
come from so far back in history that they are meaningless, but Durbeyfield
becomes quite self-important following the discovery and sends for
a horse and carriage to carry him home.
Summary: Chapter II
At the same moment, Durbeyfield’s daughter Tess enjoys
the May Day festivities with the other women from her village. Durbeyfield rides
by in the carriage, and though Tess is embarrassed at the spectacle,
she defends her father from the mockery of the other girls. The group
goes to the village green for dancing, where they meet three highborn
brothers. Tess notices one of the brothers in particular, a young
man named Angel Clare. While his two brothers want to keep traveling,
Angel cannot pass up the opportunity to dance with these women.
The girls ask him to choose his partner, and he chooses a girl other
than Tess. They dance for a short time, and then Angel leaves, realizing
he must catch up with his determined brothers. Upon leaving, Angel
notices Tess and regrets his decision to dance with someone else.
Summary: Chapter III
When Tess returns home, she receives a twofold alarm from
her mother, Joan, who tells her that her father comes from noble
lineage and also that he has been diagnosed with a serious heart
condition. Mrs. Durbeyfield has consulted the Compleat Fortune-Teller, a large,
old book, for guidance. A believer in such astrology, she keeps the
book hidden in the outhouse out of an irrational fear of keeping it
indoors.
Mr. Durbeyfield is not home, but is instead at Rolliver’s,
the local inn and drinking establishment, probably taking the opportunity
to celebrate his newly discovered heritage. Tess and the family
are not surprised to hear of his whereabouts. Tess’s mother goes
to fetch her husband from the inn but does not return. The narrator
explains that her failure to return may result from Mrs. Durbeyfield’s
enjoyment in sitting at Rolliver’s with her husband, since it is
time that they can share alone. Tess becomes worried and asks her
little brother Abraham to go to Rolliver’s and see what is taking
their mother and father so long to return. Sometime later, when
still no one has returned home, Tess goes after them herself.
Analysis: Chapters I–III
Tess of the d’Urbervilles begins with
a rich, lavish description of the landscape that provides the setting
of the novel. This description helps establish the context and feel
of the story that is to follow. The novel is set in Wessex, a rustic
and historical part of southwestern England that relies heavily
on farming. This area, as we see it, has its own distinct customs,
rituals, beliefs, and culture, and its inhabitants speak with a
noticeable rural accent. Hardy became well known for the richly
detailed description in his novels, which serves an important function:
as Hardy documents and includes many realistic details to present
the area more fully, he enables us to enter into the story ourselves
in a more concrete and richly imagined way.
We are introduced to the Durbeyfield family on the day
in which the legend of their distant, defunct, yet still marvelous
aristocratic heritage is revealed. When told of this legacy, Mr.
Durbeyfield feels immediately liberated from his poverty and low
social stature, even though his situation does not change. Mr. Durbeyfield
has already become enraptured in a dream that takes him from rags
to riches. Similarly, we first meet Tess at an event that marks
a holiday from her everyday life. At the May Day dance, all the
young women dress in white, carry white willow branches and white
flowers, and dance with each other. This local custom is, at its
root, a symbolic ritual of purity and springtime. These women seem
to enjoy the custom, perhaps because it allows them the chance to
play a symbolic function beyond their insignificant social roles.
The arrival of the three young brothers excites the women, heightening
the specialness of the affair. When Angel stops to dance with one
of them, it is as if he is a prince who has come in search of a
princess, even if only for a dance. Most of the women, including
Tess, are anxious to be chosen, and somewhat jealous when they are
not. Acceptance from a handsome man from a higher social class would
mean a lot to them. Like Mr. Durbeyfield, these young local women
yearn to escape poverty and the low social stature that their rural
setting allots to them.
