"Cliff Notes - Tess of the D'urbervilles" - читать интересную книгу автора (Cliff Notes)

convince Tess to live with him. He promises to educate her beloved
brothers and sisters and to protect her dear mother. Still Tess has
the strength to refuse his proposition, thinking she'll find a way to
support her family herself. The Durbeyfields set up camp at the
ancient d'Urberville burial vaults at Kingsbere. Alec follows Tess
here, and we feel that she's far too exhausted to resist much longer.
She's written Angel a few pleading letters but has received no
response.

Meanwhile, Angel, who has been seriously ill in Brazil, realizes that
people should be judged by their intent as well as by their deeds.
He believes that Tess has always tried to do the right thing but that
circumstances have conspired against her. Angel, having matured
considerably in South America, returns home to forgive his deserted
wife. He learns from Mrs. Durbeyfield that Tess is at Sandbourne, a
luxurious sea resort. When he arrives he begs her forgiveness and
asks her to come home with him. Tess is shocked to see Angel, for
she had given up all hope of ever seeing him again and had accepted
Alec's offer of protection. Tess tells Angel the truth and demands
that he leave. He refuses. Driven by frustration and remorse, she
murders Alec, whom she considers the source of all her unhappiness.

Tess then runs after Angel, sure in her derangement that he'll
forgive her now that she has eliminated the root of all their
problems. Angel doesn't quite believe that sweet Tess could kill
anyone, but he takes precautions and they flee. Angel and Tess
celebrate their wedding and honeymoon in a deserted mansion. Within
a few days they sense that their hiding place has been discovered and
once again move on. Tess is fearless now. Though Angel is tender
with her, she feels that their relationship could never withstand all
that passed between them. She would be happy to die.

Angel and Tess find themselves at Stonehenge, where pagan gods were
worshipped, and Tess falls asleep on the sacrificial altar. The
police find her sleeping there. When she awakes, they arrest her.
Tess is tried for Alec's murder. Before she is hanged, she requests
that Angel care for and marry her innocent younger sister 'Liza-Lu.
Angel and 'Liza-Lu watch the hanging and then trudge off together,
hand in hand.

TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES: TESS DURBEYFIELD

Few novels concentrate as completely on one character as does Tess of
the D'Urbervilles. Hardy traces Tess' life from the age of sixteen
until she dies in her early twenties.

Tess is an unusual girl, full of contradictory emotions and actions.
On the one hand she's feisty and independent; on the other she's shy
and easily victimized. It's helpful to see her as a character caught
between the old and new social orders, independence and dependence,