The subtitle of Thomas Hardy’s novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles is A Pure Woman though Tess had lost her virginity before her marriage and later she commits a murder too. Tess is seduced by Alec and gives birth to a child which dies. Later, while working as a dairymaid she falls in love with Angel Clare, a clergyman’s son. On their wedding night she confesses to him the seduction by Alec, and Angel hypocritically abandons her. Angel is no virgin himself; he has had an affair with an older woman in London. Moreover, Tess had no intention of deceiving him. In fact, she had written a letter to him explaining her condition. The letter was, however, lying hidden beneath the carpet in Angel’s room. Later Alec manages to seduce Tess once again persuading her to think that Angel would never accept her. Angel, however, returns repenting of his harshness. Tess is maddened by Alec’s second betrayal of her and she kills him. The Law hangs Tess to death. Hardy, the novelis
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