Tess of the d'Urbervilles

One of the greatest English tragic novels, TESS OF THE D’URBERVILLES (1891) is the story of a “pure woman” who is victimized both by conventional morality and its antithesis. Born near Dorchester, Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) set most of his stories in the region between Berkshire and Dorset in the fictional county of Wessex. He was a controversial writer whose work often showed the result of flouting the rigid Victorian moral code — his novel JUDE THE OBSCURE was (allegedly) burned by the Bishop of Wakefield for its shocking content. Hardy was an unflinching observer and in TESS has left us some unforgettable vignettes of rural life in late 19th-century England: the slow death of a flock of wounded pheasants, the monotony of field labour under an iron gray sky, and the itinerant farm worker’s seasonal round. (Summary by Adrian Praetzellis) (17 hr 51 min)

Chapitres

Chapter 1	13:39	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 2	20:11	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 3	17:28	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 4	27:58	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 5	24:15	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 6	12:13	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 7	11:55	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 8	11:50	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 9	14:44	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 10	23:11	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 11	15:16	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 12	22:07	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 13	9:27	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 14	33:57	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 15	8:13	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 16	14:58	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 17	20:06	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 18	19:50	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 19	20:35	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 20	11:12	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 21	16:02	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 22	8:03	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 23	18:20	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 24	10:55	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 25	24:06	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 26	17:15	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 27	15:40	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 28	13:54	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 29	15:34	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 30	17:31	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 31	24:56	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 32	16:42	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 33	25:36	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 34	26:39	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 35	23:19	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 36	28:05	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 37	23:48	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 38	13:06	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 39	17:15	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 40	17:31	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 41	19:10	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 42	13:32	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 43	27:21	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 44	24:57	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 45	23:42	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 46	28:33	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 47	22:29	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 48	16:00	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 49	19:53	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 50	18:47	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 51	19:43	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 52	19:41	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 53 – Chapter 54	24:08	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 55 – Chapter 56	23:11	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 57	16:31	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis
Chapter 58 – Chapter 59	26:53	Lu par Adrian Praetzellis

Critiques

Masterful narration for a beautifully heart-wrenching story

(5 étoiles)

dave

Adrian Praetzellis gives a caring performance, allowing the story to come to life. The characters voices are well chosen and distinct; the English accent is a fine touch; the gentle pace good.

flawless

(5 étoiles)

katamorrow

This reading is a labour of love - flawless, sensitive, technically clear, perfectly paced.

An impressive recording

(5 étoiles)

Philippe Horak

The novel centers around a young woman who struggles to find her place in society. When it is discovered that the low-class Durbeyfield family is in reality the d'Urbervilles, the last of a famous bloodline that dates back hundreds of years, the mother sends her eldest daughter, Tess, to beg money from relations with the obvious desire that Tess wed the rich Mr. d'Urberville. Thus begins a tale of woe in which a wealthy man cruelly mistreats a poor girl. Tess is taken advantage of by Mr. d'Urberville and leaves his house, returning home to have their child, who subsequently dies. Throughout the rest of this fascinating novel, Tess is tormented by guilt at the thought of her impurity and vows to never marry. She is tested when she meets Angel, the clever son of a priest, and falls in love with him. After days of pleading, Tess gives in to Angel and consents to marry him. Angel deserts Tess when he finds the innocent country girl he fell in love with is not so pure. Many thanks to Mr Praetzellis for his wonderful reading of Hardy's novel. His performance will please all fans of classic British literature.

Reading of Tess of the d'Urbervilles

(5 étoiles)

Janice Booth

Adrian gives an outstanding reading of this classic, tragic novel. I am studying it for University and Adrian's tone, pitch and accents are spot on and makes you feel immersed in the novel. Many thanks Adrian for a job very well done!

Wow.

(5 étoiles)

jollyrogered

I am absolutely floored by Hardy's excellence as an author in this book. I was force-fed it in high school, at a time I had no appreciation for such things, but ten years later this story has had a major impact on me. Once again Adrian provided an absolutely excellent reading. He is one of my favorite narrators on Librivox!

Devastatingly Good

(5 étoiles)

jenniebrown

Having just finished this book makes writing a review quite difficult. I’m in distress! The narration is flawless and fits the book well. Mr. Praetzellis is a masterful narrator and with his talent puts one deep into the story. I didn’t want it to end! Thomas Hardy, with elegiac prose, tells this tragic and haunting story.

Great reading, sad tale

(5 étoiles)

alclubb

Adrian P. does his usual wonderful job of reading. This is a sad tale of a girl who is doomed because of rigidity of thought of those around her and her own trusting nature. It is powerful.