This critical edition of Thomas Hardy's 1891 British Victorian novel reprints the authoritative second impression of the 1920 Wessex edition together with five critical essays - newly commissioned or revised - that read Tess of the d'Urbervilles from five contemporary critical perspectives.

Each critical essay is accompanied by a succinct introduction to the history, principles, and practice of the critical perspective and by a bibliography that promotes further exploration of that approach.

In addition, the text and essays are complemented by an introduction providing biographical and historical contexts for Hardy and Tess of the d'Urbervilles, a survey of critical responses to the work since its initial publication, and a glossary of critical and theoretical terms.