Chapter 21

Synopsis of chapter 21

Tess's pastoral happiness is disturbed by two small events:

A story she overhears about a jilted dairymaid and her subsequent enforced marriage makes Tess realise her past is still with her. Whilst everyone else treats the story as rather comic, she feels it deeply
She also discovers her three companions are all in love with Angel, but they realise they have no hope of him. They believe Angel is attracted to Tess, and, whilst Tess is tempted to make something of this, she resists, having taken an inner vow not to marry because of the past.

Commentary on chapter 21

For the first time, Hardy distinguishes between the dairymaids and begins to characterise them. Tess is thus introduced to a sub-community of thwarted lovers within the greater community. This is the theme of the chapter.

the butter would not come: the milk to be made into butter is turned in a churn until it begins to thicken, or 'come'. The turner can hear when this happens because it makes a different sound.

Conjuror Trendle's son: a conjuror in country terms would be someone endowed with country wisdom and cures for ailments. He might use remnants of old pagan rituals to aid him. Trendle is mentioned a number of times in Hardy's Wessex Tales. The Mayor of Casterbridge contains an episode where Henchard visits another conjuror, Fall.

cast folk's waters: tell a person's fortune by testing their urine

Holy Thursday: Ascension Day, the day Jesus was taken into heaven (Acts 1:1-11).

dog-days: the hottest part of the summer, when the Dog Star (Sirius) is in the ascendancy in the night sky, roughly early June to mid-August.

county annals: history of the country. Hardy has previously mentioned the Paridelles as being rather like the d'Urbervilles (Ch 19).

Place

Owlscombe: Batcombe, in the hills some six miles north of Dorchester, near a village called Minterne Magna.

Vocabulary

almanack: calendar which lists holidays, stars and planets, seasonal happenings

ballyragging: cursing, verbally abusing

en: dialect form of 'them'

'hor's bird: bastard (literally 'whore's bird')

pummy: apple pulp, left after cider-making

Investigating chapter 21

What purpose is served by introducing the butter-turning incident?
- What does it show us about the community?
- What does it show us about Tess?
Look at the description of the sun and the bird song as examples of the pathetic fallacy.
- What does it show about Tess's emotional state?
- How does this description compare to previous descriptions of sunrise and sunset?
How does Hardy distinguish the three dairymaids?
- In what ways are they all set apart from Tess?
- What does the phrase 'more woman than either' mean?
What dilemma is Tess now faced with, having overheard the dairymaids' conversation?

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, ²until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. ³He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. ⁴And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, you heard from me; ⁵for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. ⁶So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? ⁷He said to them, It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. ⁸But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. ⁹And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, ¹¹and said, Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven. ¹²Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away. ¹³And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. ¹⁴All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. ¹⁵In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, ¹⁶Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. ¹⁷For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry. ¹⁸(Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ²⁰For it is written in the Book of Psalms, May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it; and Let another take his office. ²¹So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²²beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us - one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection. ²³And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also called Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴And they prayed and said, You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen ²⁵to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place. ²⁶And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

¹The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, ²Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: ³To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: ⁴And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. ⁵For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. ⁶When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? ⁷And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. ⁸But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. ⁹And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. ¹²Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. ¹³And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. ¹⁴These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren. ¹⁵And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) ¹⁶Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. ¹⁷For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. ¹⁸Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. ¹⁹And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. ²⁰For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. ²¹Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, ²²Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. ²³And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. ²⁴And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, ²⁵That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. ²⁶And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

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Tess of the d'Urbervilles Contents