Tess Durbeyfield

Tess Durbeyfield, fictional character, the protagonist of Thomas Hardy’s novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles (1891). Tess is an innocent young girl whose life is changed dramatically when her family discovers its noble lineage and she becomes involved with a neighbour who bears the family’s aristocratic name.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.

Citation Information

Article Title: Tess Durbeyfield

Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

Date Published: 22 December 2023

URL: https://www.britannica.comhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/Tess-Durbeyfield

Access Date: February 22, 2025