Phase I: "The Maiden," Chapter Two
In those days, and till comparatively recent times, the country was densely wooded. Even now, traces of its earlier condition are to be found in the old oak copses and irregular belts of timber tha...
Phase I: "The Maiden," Chapter Three
There still faintly beamed from the woman's features something of the freshness, and even the prettiness, of her youth; rendering it evident that the personal charms which Tess could boast were in...
Phase I: "The Maiden," Chapter Four
In consternation Tess jumped down, and discovered the dreadful truth. The groan had proceeded from her father's poor horse Prince. The morning mail-cart, with its two noiseless wheels, speeding alo...
Phase I: "The Maiden," Chapter Five
[The Slopes] was of recent erection – indeed almost new […] Far behind the bright brick corner of the house […] stretched the soft azure landscape of The Chase – a truly ven...
Phase I: "The Maiden," Chapter Seven
"[…] she ought to make her way with 'en, if she plays her trump card aright. And if he don't marry her afore he will after." (7.37)
Phase I: "The Maiden," Chapter Nine
The house was overrun with ivy, its chimney being enlarged by the boughs of the parasite to the aspect of a ruined tower. The lower rooms were entirely given over to the birds, who walked about the...
Phase I: "The Maiden," Chapter Eleven
[W]here was Providence? Perhaps, like that other god of whom the ironical Tishbite spoke, he was talking, or he was pursuing, or he was in a journey, or peradventure he was sleeping and was not to...
Phase II: "Maiden No More," Chapter Twelve
"'Tis nater, after all, and what pleases God." (12.83)
Phase II: "Maiden No More," Chapter Thirteen
On these lonely hills and dales her quiescent glide was of a piece with the element she moved in. Her flexuous and stealthy figure became an integral part of the scene. (13.14)
Phase II: "Maiden No More," Chapter Fourteen
[The women] were the most interesting of this company of binders, by reason of the charm which is acquired by woman when she becomes part and parcel of outdoor nature, and is not merely an object s...
Phase II: "Maiden No More," Chapter Fifteen
She philosophically noted dates as they came past in the revolution of the year; the disastrous night of her life at Trantridge with its dark background of The Chase; also the dates of the baby's b...
Phase III: "The Rally," Chapter Sixteen
"Pooh – I have as much of mother as father in me!" she said. "All my prettiness comes from her, and she was only a dairymaid." (16.7)
Phase III: "The Rally," Chapter Eighteen
The outskirt of the garden in which Tess found herself had been left uncultivated for some years, and was now damp and rank with juicy grass which sent up mists of pollen at a touch; and with tall...
Phase III: "The Rally," Chapter Nineteen
"The trees have inquisitive eyes, haven't they? – that is, seem as if they had. And the river says, – "Why do ye trouble me with your looks?" And you seem to see numbers of to-morrows just all...
Phase III: "The Rally," Chapter Twenty
She was no longer the milkmaid, but a visionary essence of woman – a whole sex condensed into one typical form. (20.10)
Phase IV: "The Consequence," Chapter Twenty-Six
The fireplace confronted him with its extinct embers; the spread supper-table, whereon stood the two full glasses of untasted wine, now flat and filmy; her vacated seat and his own; the other artic...
Phase IV: "The Consequence," Chapter Twenty-Seven
She was yawning, and he saw the red interior of her mouth as if it had been a snake's. She had stretched one arm so high above her coiled-up cable of hair that he could see its satin delicacy above...
Phase IV: "The Consequence," Chapter Thirty
The light of the engine flashed for a second upon Tess Durbeyfield's figure, motionless under the great holly tree. No object could have looked more foreign to the gleaming cranks and wheels than t...
Phase IV: "The Consequence," Chapter Thirty-One
There was hardly a touch of earth in her love for Clare. To her sublime trustfulness he was all that goodness could be – knew all that a guide, philosopher, and friend should know. She though...
Phase IV: "The Consequence," Chapter Thirty-Two
Tess was now carried along upon the wings of the hours, without the sense of a will. The word had been given; the number of the day written down. Her naturally bright intelligence had begun to admi...
Phase IV: "The Consequence," Chapter Thirty-Three
By the time they reached home she was contrite and spiritless. She was Mrs. Angel Clare, indeed, but had she any moral right to the name? Was she not more truly Mrs. Alexander D'Urberville? Had int...
Phase IV: "The Consequence," Chapter Thirty-Four
"And take the Complete Fortune-Teller to the outhouse" […] The Complete Fortune-Teller was an old thick volume, which lay on a table at her elbow, so worn by pocketing that the margins had re...
Phase V: "The Woman Pays," Chapter Thirty-Five
"Decrepit families postulate decrepit wills, decrepit conduct." (35.61).
Phase V: "The Woman Pays," Chapter Thirty-Six
"How can we live together while that man lives?" (36.82)
Phase V: "The Woman Pays," Chapter Forty-One
She could not have borne their pity, and their whispered remarks to one another upon her strange situation; though she would almost have faced a knowledge of her circumstances by every individual t...
Phase V: "The Woman Pays," Chapter Forty-Two
Thus Tess walks on; a figure which is part of the landscape; a field-woman pure and simple, in winter guise. (42.6)
Phase VI: "The Convert," Chapter Forty-Six
"I say in all earnestness that it is a shame for parents to bring up their girls in such dangerous ignorance of the gins and nets that the wicked may set for them, whether their motive be a good on...
Phase VI: "The Convert," Chapter Forty-Seven
The old men […] talked of the past days when they had been accustomed to thresh with flails on the oaken barn-floor; when everything, even to winnowing, was effected by hand-labour, which, to...
Phase VI: "The Convert," Chapter Fifty-One
Never in her life – she could swear it from the bottom of her soul – had she ever intended to do wrong; yet these hard judgments had come. Whatever her sins, they were not sins of inten...
Phase VII: "Fulfillment," Chapter Fifty-Three
[…] he had asked himself why had he not judged Tess constructively rather than biographically, by the will rather than by the deed? (53.25)
Phase VII: "Fulfillment," Chapter Fifty-Six
"I couldn't help your seeing me again!" (56.107)
Phase VII: "Fulfillment," Chapter Fifty-Eight
"Older than the centuries; older than the D'Urbervilles!" (58.30)
Phase VII: "Fulfillment," Chapter Fifty-Nine
"Justice" was done, and the President of the Immortals (in Aeschylean phrase) had ended his sport with Tess. (59.8)