This hobble of being alive is rather serious, don’t you think so? Thomas Hardy’s magnum opus, Tess of the d’urbervilles first appeared in book form in 1891. It initially received mixed reviews and was censored due to the challenges that it presented to the sexual morals of Victorian society. However, through the subtitle of the novel, a purewoman faithfully presented, Hardy sympathises with the working class woman who becomes a hapless victim of the rigid Victorian society. Tess of the d’urbervilles was later considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century. Through Tess Durbeyfield, Hardy skilfully shows the social injustices that are deeply rooted in gender. A moving tale of loss, unrequited love and condemnation, the novel has one of the most tragic endings of all time. Adapted to film, theatre and television several times over, the novel is a timeless classic.