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StoryPDFTess of the D'UrbervillesThomas Hardy

Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Thomas Hardy

Complete text
NovelEnglish

Tess Durbeyfield's family learns of a supposed connection to an old noble name and hopes to turn it to advantage. Sent toward wealthier people associated with that name, Tess faces experiences whose consequences follow her into work, love and attempts to begin again.

60 sections150,957 wordsAbout 11 h 26 min
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About Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Rural labor and changing seasons give Tess's life a physical texture that social judgments frequently ignore. The narrative distinguishes lived circumstances from the labels others impose, especially around respectability and responsibility. Read moments of apparent choice alongside economic need and unequal power to see how narrow those choices can become.

Reading focus

Compare the judgments made about Tess with the material pressures and limited information surrounding her decisions.

This reading edition contains 150,957 words in 60 original sections. Read the text online with adjustable type and three colour themes, or keep a printable PDF.

Author: Thomas Hardy. Language: English. Reading edition: 28 October 2026.

Opening excerpt

Explanatory Note to the First Edition

Read the complete opening section

Contents

All sections
  1. Explanatory Note and Author’s Preface7 min
  2. Phase the First: The Maiden — I8 min
  3. II13 min
  4. III11 min
  5. IV18 min
  6. V16 min
  7. VI8 min
  8. VII8 min
  9. VIII8 min
  10. IX10 min
  11. X15 min
  12. XI10 min
  13. Phase the Second: Maiden No More — XII15 min
  14. XIII6 min
  15. XIV22 min
  16. XV5 min
  17. Phase the Third: The Rally — XVI10 min
  18. XVII14 min
  19. XVIII13 min
  20. XIX13 min
  21. XX7 min
  22. XXI10 min
  23. XXII5 min
  24. XXIII12 min
  25. XXIV7 min
  26. Phase the Fourth: The Consequence — XXV16 min
  27. XXVI11 min
  28. XXVII11 min
  29. XXVIII9 min
  30. XXIX10 min
  31. XXX12 min
  32. XXXI16 min
  33. XXXII12 min
  34. XXXIII18 min
  35. XXXIV18 min
  36. Phase the Fifth: The Woman Pays — XXXV16 min
  37. XXXVI19 min
  38. XXXVII16 min
  39. XXXVIII9 min
  40. XXXIX11 min
  41. XL11 min
  42. XLI13 min
  43. XLII9 min
  44. XLIII19 min
  45. XLIV17 min
  46. Phase the Sixth: The Convert — XLV16 min
  47. XLVI19 min
  48. XLVII16 min
  49. XLVIII11 min
  50. XLIX13 min
  51. L12 min
  52. LI13 min
  53. LII13 min
  54. Phase the Seventh: Fulfilment — LIII8 min
  55. LIV8 min
  56. LV8 min
  57. LVI7 min
  58. LVII11 min
  59. LVIII13 min
  60. LIX4 min

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Is this the complete Tess of the D'Urbervilles?

This edition contains the complete English literary text, with 60 sections and 150,957 words. This reading edition preserves the checked English text and its section order. No study notes have been added.

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