The best Tess of the D'Urbervilles quotes

There still faintly beamed from the woman’s features something of the freshness, and even the prettiness, of her youth; rendering it evident that the personal charms which Tess could boast were in main part her mother’s gift, and therefore unknightly, unhistorical.

The beauty or ugliness of a character lay not only in its achievements, but in its aims and impulses; its true history lay, not among things done, but among things willed.

O, you have torn my life all to pieces... made me be what I prayed you in pity not to make me be again!

Beauty lay not in the thing, but in what the thing symbolized.

Why didn’t you tell me there was danger? Why didn’t you warn me? Ladies know what to guard against, because they read novels that tell them of these tricks; but I never had the chance of discovering in that way; and you did not help me!

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

My eyes were dazed by you for a little, and that was all.

O why have you treated me so monstrously, Angel! I do not deserve it. I have thought it all over carefully, and I can never, never forgive you!

Do you regret that poor little act of justice to an absent one? O, Izz, don’t spoil it by regret!