The impoverished peddler John Durbeyfield is shocked to discover that he is the direct descendant of nobility – the D’Urberville family. Meanwhile, his older daughter, Tess, dances in the May Day dance alongside the other girls in the village. It is here where she first exchanges looks with a young man.
Her parents make the decision to send their daughter to the D’Urberville mansion, where they hope that the lady of the house will shower their daughter in riches. In reality, Mrs. D’Urberville is of no relation to Tess at all. He husband, Simon Stoke, changed his name to D’Urberville after his retirement.
Tess is unaware of this, and when the lascivious Alec D’Urberville offers Tess as job tending to the birds on the D’Urberville homestead, Tess feels obligated to accept. She feels guilt for an accident involving the family horse and their loss of income.
Tess goes on to spend several months working at the estate, growing to resent Alec for his continued attempts to seduce her. Eventually, Alec takes advantage of Tess in the woods one evening after a fair. Tess knows that she is not in love with Alec, so she returns to her family.
Soon, she gives birth to Alec’s child, who is named Sorrow. Sorrow passes away not long after birth, and Tess spends the next year at home before deciding to seek work elsewhere. She eventually accepts a job as a milkmaid at the Talbothays Dairy.
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