Hardy's Tess

Hey guys, I just started Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles. I've read the first few chapters and found curiosity developing inside me. So I wanted to know your views about the book. BTW how do you pronounce the word D'Urbervilles. Thanking you in advance.

You pronounce it dur-bur-vills :) Emphasis on the "dur"

Interestingly, in the Roman Polanski film, Alec d'Urberville pronounced it Darbyville. There are some upper class names that are pronounced much differently than they are written. The most famous examples are Featherstonehaugh, pronounced Fanshaw (I think); and Cholmondeley, pronounced Chumley. There was a dance group called the Featherstonehaughs and Cholmondeleys a while back. Since Alec Stoke-d'Urberville's father was a self made industrialist from up north, who tacked on d'Urberville to his surname to make himself seem more gentrified, the pronounciation 'Darbyville' would be yet another affectation. That was quite clever of Polanski, or his scriptwriter.

I love this book. It's an incredible story.