# Marian — Tess of the d’Urbervilles character guide > Marian in Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** dear Marian, the good-natured Marian **First appearance:** 0022-xvii ## Snapshot A good-natured milkmaid from Talbothays who follows Tess to the frozen uplands and keeps her company through the worst of the winter. ## Who they are Marian is the friend who remembers the old dairy days and tries to reassemble them, writing to Izz Huett and dreaming of the whole set together again at Flintcomb-Ash. She is plain, warm, and unjealous, and her loyalty to Tess survives the cold, the hacking, and the long silences. She matters because she shows what Tess's life could have been if the world had been kinder — and because she stays. ## Relationships ### [Tess Durbeyfield](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/tess_durbeyfield) _friendship_ Marian is a loyal friend and fellow dairymaid who supports Tess through hardships and later works alongside her. ### [Angel Clare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/angel_clare) _social_ Angel knows Marian as a fellow worker at Talbothays, but their interaction is limited and professional. ### [Izz Huett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/izz_huett) _friendship_ Izz and Marian are close friends and fellow dairymaids who share confidences and support each other. ### [Tess Durbeyfield](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/tess_durbeyfield) _friendship_ Marian is a loyal friend and fellow dairymaid who supports Tess through hardships and later works alongside her. ### [Angel Clare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/angel_clare) _social_ Angel knows Marian as a fellow worker at Talbothays, but their interaction is limited and professional. ### [Angel Clare](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/angel_clare) _social_ Angel knows Marian as a fellow worker at Talbothays, but their interaction is limited and professional. ### [Izz Huett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/izz_huett) _friendship_ Izz and Marian are close friends and fellow dairymaids who share confidences and support each other. ### [Tess Durbeyfield](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/tess_durbeyfield) _friendship_ Marian is a loyal friend and fellow dairymaid who supports Tess through hardships and later works alongside her. ### [Izz Huett](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/izz_huett) _friendship_ Izz and Marian are close friends and fellow dairymaids who share confidences and support each other. ## In the story ### [Phase the Third: The Rally](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/phase-the-third-the-rally) A fellow milkmaid at Talbothays, who becomes a friend and confidante to Tess. ### [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xxi) Marian is one of the milkmaids who openly admits her love for Angel Clare. She is the eldest and most outspoken of the three, and she observes that Angel prefers Tess. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xxiii) Marian is the first to speak about the flood and later confesses her despair over her love for Angel. ### [Phase the Fourth: The Consequence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/phase-the-fourth-the-consequence) Marian reappears as a fellow worker at the harsh farm where Tess later finds employment, offering a familiar face and some solidarity in Tess's time of hardship. ### [XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xxviii) Marian and the other milkmaids guess that something definite is afoot between Tess and Angel, but they do not force remarks upon Tess. ### [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xxix) One of the dairymaids who comments on the widow's situation, contributing to Tess's distress. ### [XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xxxi) One of the dairy maids who loved Angel; she accepts Tess as his choice and comforts her. ### [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xxxiv) Marian accompanies Retty on the night of her suicide attempt. ### [XLI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xli) Former milkmaid at Talbothays; she has heard of Tess's separation from Angel and writes to Tess recommending work at an upland farm, where she herself is now employed. ### [XLII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xlii) Marian is working at Flintcomb-Ash, now shabbier and given to drink, but she warmly greets Tess and helps her get hired at the farm. ### [XLIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xliii) Works alongside Tess, drinks to cope with her own loss, and reveals Angel's proposal to Izz, causing Tess distress. ### [XLIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xliv) Marian assists Tess in preparing for her walk to Emminster. ### [Phase the Sixth: The Convert](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/phase-the-sixth-the-convert) Marian works alongside Tess at Flintcomb-Ash and provides support, warning Tess about Alec's intentions. ### [XLVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xlvii) Among the women workers at the threshing; descends from the rick to eat under the straw-stack. ### [XLVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/xlviii) Marian feels uneasy about Tess and notices she has not been drinking ale to keep up her strength, but cannot get near enough to speak to her. ### [LII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/lii) Marian meets Tess during the move, tells her that Alec had been asking about her at Flintcomb-Ash. ### [LIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/chapters/liii) Co-authors a letter with Izz Huett warning Angel to look to his wife. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters/marian - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/tess_of_the_d_urbervilles_se/characters