Tess of the d’Urbervilles — Thomas Hardy | Coleman’s Notes A Level Student Guide

One of Thomas Hardy’s most powerful and enduring novels, Tess of the d’Urbervilles tells the story of Tess Durbeyfield, a young woman whose life is shaped by family circumstances, social expectations, sexual double standards and a succession of choices made both by herself and by those around her.

After her father discovers the family’s supposed connection to the ancient d’Urberville name, Tess is sent to seek help from the wealthy Stoke-d’Urbervilles. There she encounters Alec d’Urberville, beginning a chain of events that will profoundly affect the rest of her life.

Later, at Talbothays Dairy, Tess meets Angel Clare and appears to have found the possibility of love and a new beginning. Yet Hardy’s novel repeatedly asks whether an individual can ever escape the past — or the social judgements imposed upon them.

Through Tess’s story, Hardy examines love, sexuality, morality, class, gender, religion, nature, fate and social injustice, while challenging Victorian assumptions about female purity and respectability.

This Coleman’s Notes guide provides the knowledge, literary analysis and examination preparation needed for confident A Level study.

Inside the guide

✓ Complete plot summary

✓ Detailed section and chapter analysis

✓ Essential locations and settings

✓ Character relationship guide

✓ Tess Durbeyfield in depth

✓ Angel Clare in depth

✓ Alec d’Urberville in depth

✓ The Durbeyfield family and supporting characters

✓ Love, sexuality and relationships

✓ Women and Victorian society

✓ Purity, morality and the sexual double standard

✓ Fate, chance and coincidence

✓ Social class and economic vulnerability

✓ Religion, belief and hypocrisy

✓ Nature, landscape and the seasons

✓ Industrialisation and changing rural England

✓ Suffering, responsibility and judgement

✓ Hardy’s symbolism and imagery

✓ Narrative voice and literary methods

✓ Historical and literary context

✓ Key quotations and analysis

✓ A Level literary methods

✓ Structured essay plans

✓ Model answers

✓ Exam & Revision Questions

✓ Quick Recall revision

✓ Key episodes for close analysis

✓ Critical debates for A Level

✓ Exam technique

✓ Final revision checklist

Perfect for

A Level English Literature students • examination revision • essay preparation • teachers • tutors • independent learners

The guide goes beyond retelling Tess’s story to help students examine how Hardy constructs meaning through character, setting, symbolism, narrative voice, structure and context — and how to turn that understanding into effective examination arguments.

This is a digital product, available for download following purchase.

Individual Student Guide — £7.95

Also available — The Thomas Hardy Collection

Five comprehensive Coleman’s Notes® A Level Student Guides:

Tess of the d’Urbervilles • Far from the Madding Crowd • The Mayor of Casterbridge • Jude the Obscure • The Return of the Native

Complete five-title Thomas Hardy Collection — £34.95

Coleman’s Notes® — Understand • Analyse • Revise • Succeed