'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' Trivia Quiz

Answer: Durbeyfield

Tess's ancestors came to England with William the Conqueror and once were a potent family in the area. However, in the time of the novel Tess's father is the only descendant of the family and, being a pauperized drunkard, he cannot restore the bygone splendor of the family.

Answer: She feels responsible for the death of the family's only horse

Because of Tess's lack of attention, the Durbeyfields lost their only horse, Prince, and the 'haggling business' became disorganized. For this reason she felt it her duty to visit the Stokes-d'Urbervilles even though she did not believe that such a visit might really help her family.

Answer: In The Chase

The Chase is said to be 'the oldest wood in England' and it is there that Alec manages to abuse Tess's innocence and lack of experience and, which none of them knows just then, to ruin her life forever. Marlott is the village of Tess's origin, Emminster is the place where Angel's parents live and Talbothays is where Tess was employed as a dairymaid.

Answer: Sorrow

Not a very pleasant name for a child but probably that's what Tess mostly got from her only offspring. The child is refused a Christian funeral and Tess buries him herself in the corner of the cemetery.

Answer: Four

Three other maids who live under the Cricks' roof are Marian, Izz Huett and Retty Priddle. Except for them Mr. Crick hosts Angel Clare, who is learning about the farming business to establish a farm of his own.

Answer: Mighty

I know this was probably not a very easy one. The other five that prefer Tess's hands to all the others' are: Fancy, Lofty, Mist, Tidy and Loud. Dairyman Crick does not like his workers to milk their favorite cows as he does not want to make the animals too used to one person.

However, a sign of Angel's affection for Tess is arranging cows in such a way that she gets these eight to milk. When Angel reveals his feelings to Tess, she is milking Old Pretty.

Answer: Izz Huett

All the girls feel they have no chance with Angel but yet they continue loving him. What is more, they don't seem to be jealous of one another and particularly of Tess even though they realize that she has become Angel's favorite. Improbable as it seems, I suppose it is quite touching. After Angel and Tess's wedding Retty tries to commit suicide and Marian takes to drinking.

Answer: The d'Urberville Coach

The first person to mention the legend is Angel but he abstains from telling Tess everything not to upset her. The rest is then explained by Alec. It is said that once a d'Urberville kidnapped a girl and when he was driving away with her in a coach, murder was committed. Since then d'Urbervilles see or hear the coach when something bad is going to happen to them. Tess is supposed to see the coach on her wedding day and indeed she is soon left by Angel.

Answer: Yes

When Dairyman Crick explains Angel's opinions on the old families he mentiones a number of those which, like d'Urbervilles, were once potent and then lost their significance. The Hardys are mentioned among other families.

Answer: Because of his heretical ideas

Angel's father is a member of Orthodox clergy while Angel cannot quite comply with his views. He does not intend to become a clergyman and Mr. Clare believes that it is highly improper to pay for education that won't be used to serve the Church. Angel understands his father's point and does not press.

Answer: Six

We get to know the names of Tess, 'Liza-Lu, Abraham, Hope and Modesty. The rest are usually referred to as 'younger children'.

Answer: He is a preacher

Alec seems to have converted to genuine faith and to regret for his sins. When he sees Tess at first he tries to make up for the harm he did to her but later he re-converts and is set on winning her back. Finally, she succumbs having lost hope of Angel's return.

In fact Alec is continually portrayed as devil (for example, in one scene he emerges from smoke with a pitchfork in his hand) but in my personal opinion his conduct when he tries to win Tess is nobler than that of Angel.

Answer: Tess stabs him with a knife

When Angel finally decides to forgive his wife, he finds her in a lodging with her first lover. She does not feel herself worthy of Angel and when Alec begins to criticize and mock him, Tess stabs d'Urberville and runs to catch up with her husband. It is only then that they are reconciled. Though it took him so long to forgive her the accidental affair Angel has no problem to put up with her murder.

Answer: On a stone altar

They sleep in Stonehenge and in the morning Tess is arrested for murder. She feels that the death that she will be punished with is a good thing because she won't have to see Angel despising her again.

Answer: She is hanged

She is hanged as a punishment for murder. I must say that the most striking thing about Tess is that, as Irving Howe puts it, 'Tess is that rare creature in literature: goodness made interesting.' Hardly ever does one find such examples.