Tess of the D'Urbervilles Major Characters

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John Durbeyfield: A shiftless man who takes drinking more seriously than work, finds out that he’s the only descendent of the ancient and noble d’Urberville family and thinks it’s a way to get money so that he doesn’t have to work to provide for his family. He takes great pride in his name, although it never brings him anything of value. Tess Durbeyfield (d’Urberville): Daughter of John and Joan Durbeyfield, she is the mother-figure for her parents and siblings because she is conscientious and hard-working. The family sends her to ask the d’Urberville family in Tantridge for money, and she is seduced by Alec d’Urberville. Her life is one long series of near-misses after that. She ends up murdering d’Urberville after he takes her away from Angel Clare, her true love, and she is executed for it. Angel Clare: Son of a minister, he is thoughtful and open-minded, or so he thinks. He falls in love with Tess only to abandon her days after they are married because he learns that she was seduced. Years pass and he finally realizes that he was wrong to treat her that way, but when he returns to find her, she is married to Alec d’Urberville, the man who seduced her. He and Tess reconcile after she murders d’Urberville and they are together until she is executed, at which point he marries her younger sister. Joan Durbeyfield: John Durbeyfield’s wife and Tess’s mother, Joan uses her daughter as a way to get money and encourages her daughter to find a wealthy husband. She is disappointed in Tess when her daughter refuses to marry Alec d’Urberville and when she tells Angel Clare about her past. Joan seldom wants what’s best for Tess and more often wants what’s best for herself. Alec d’Urberville: Son of a merchant who took the name, d’Urberville, so that no one would know that their wealthy came from industry. Alec is a womanizer who takes advantage of Tess and then

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