Thomas Hardy was an English poet and writer born in the country of Dorset England, 1840-1928. He was a realist and was not afraid to express his beliefs on social issues in the Victorian era. In “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” he expresses these opinions through the recurring themes of ‘fate’, ‘chance’ and ‘sheer accident’. These themes are established very early in the novel. We start off with the theme ‘chance’, where we first meet John Durbeyfield and the Parson. They are shown meeting on the road, which gives the Parson the opportunity to share his information about John’s heredity. It is also by chance that Parson Tringham to suspect that Durbeyfield and the d’Urberville are related, since the Parson only saw the name on John’s wagon, when he was in the middle of ‘discovering the origins of the d’Urberville family. “Don’t you really know, Durbeyfield, that you are the lineal representative of the ancient and knightly family of the .d’Urbervilles...?” This spurs John into a makeshift fantasy about a better future if he takes advantage of this new found information, which later on we find out that it only worsen the future, Thus marks the start of the theme ‘fate’. that this is out of Tess’ control about what this will do to her forthcoming. If John was more astute about what the Parson has informed him, would Tess’ future have a better outcome? We then meet with another question of fate, if Angel met Tess this early in her life, would the tragedy bestowed upon her becomes