《苔丝》是托马斯·哈代的中篇小说代表作之一。作品讲述了淳朴的农村姑娘苔丝的悲惨故事：由于家境贫穷，苔丝迫于无奈去富人德伯维尔家工作，被花花公子亚历克诱奸后离开，生下一小孩却夭折了。后来去一家牛奶场工作，遇到了安琪·克莱尔并与之相爱。在新婚之夜她向克莱尔坦承过去，没想到说深爱她的克莱尔却无法原谅她，离开了她。*后她又迫于生计和亚历克同居，当克莱尔回来找她时，苔丝为了证明自己对克莱尔的爱，杀了亚历克……女主人公苔丝是一个勤劳善良、美丽纯朴的农家姑娘，在她身上有着坚强、自尊和勇敢反抗厄运的品格。但是社会的强权势力却连这样的弱女子也不放过，*终酿成了她的悲剧。

leg with his switch, "there's hardly such another family inEngland. " "Daze my eyes, and isn't there？" said Durbeyfield. "And herehave I been knocking about, year after year, from pillar topost, as if I was no more than the commonest feller in theparish... And how long hev this news about me beenknowed, Pa'son Tringham？" The clergyman explained that, as far as he was aware, ithad quite died out of knowledge, and could hardly be said tobe known at all. His own investigations had begun on a day inthe preceding spring when, having been engaged in tracing thevicissitudes of the d'Urberville family, he had observedDurbeyfield's name on his waggon, and had thereupon beenled to make inquiries about his father and grandfather till he hadno doubt on the subject. "At first I resolved not to disturb youwith such a useless piece of information, "said he. 'However, ourimpulses are too strong for our judgement sometimes.thought you might perhaps know something of it all thewhile. " "Well,I have heard once or twice,'tis true, that my familyhad seen better days afore they came to Blackmoor. But Itook no notice o't,thinking it to mean that we had once kepttwo horses where we now keep only one. I've got a woldsilver spoon, and a wold graven seal at home, too ; but, Lord,what's a spoon and seal？... And to think that I and thesenoble d'Urbervilles were one flesh all the time.'Twas said thatmy gr't-grandfer had secrets, and didn't care to talk of wherehe came from... And where do we raise our smoke, now,parson,if I may make so bold;I mean,where do wed Urbervilleslive ？"

Phase the First: The Maiden
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11

Phase the Second: Maiden No More
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15

Phase the Third: The Rally
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24

Phase the Fourth:The Consequence
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34

Phase the Fifth:The Woman Pays
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44

Phase the Sixth:The Convert
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52

Phase the Seventh: Fulfilment
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
……

《苔丝》是哈代*杰出的作品，也是英语文学中*伟大的作品之一。小说主人公苔丝这一形象是哈代对人类世界的*伟大贡献，她已成为世界文学长廊中*优美迷人的女性形象之一。生活贫困的苔丝因貌美而被地主少爷亚利克玷污了贞节。因此，苔丝曾一度精神不振。后来，经过时间的洗涤，苔丝重振精神开始新的人生。她遇上了年轻、英俊的克莱尔，两人情投意合。然而，就在结婚的当天，克莱尔知道了苔丝的过去。苔丝走投无路，转而投靠曾经侮辱过自己的亚雷，却等来了丈夫迟来的忏悔。*终，苔丝在绝望中杀死了让自己饱受欺凌的地主少爷，等待她的将是无情的绞刑。小说的副标题是“一个贞节的女人”作者分明以此昭示了这样一个社会现实：在以男性为**的英国社会中，贞操概念仍占据着牢固的统治地位，而传统的乡村生活正日益遭受廉寡耻的新兴资本主义的侵蚀。
小说显示出作者一贯的反宗教，反封建道德，反资产**法律的倾向，一经发表，立刻受到广大读者的喜爱，很快被译成多种文字。这部小说还多次被搬上银幕，给哈代带来了世界声誉。