Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg appears in the book’s opening not as part of the novel’s fictional world, but as the organization responsible for making this electronic edition available. Its notice frames the text as free to use, copy, give away, and reuse under the terms of its license, while the e-book’s title page identifies the work as Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d'Urbervilles.

Edition and Distribution

The electronic text identifies itself as a Project Gutenberg e-book and names Tess of the d'Urbervilles as its title. The notice says the edition may be used anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions, subject to the Project Gutenberg License included with the e-book or available online. The statement presents access and permitted reuse as central conditions of this particular digital edition.

Position in the Book

Project Gutenberg’s notice precedes the novel’s narrative, situating the work within the practical framework of electronic publication rather than within Hardy’s story. The book explicitly marks the start of the e-book after the publication information, separating the introductory material from the literary text. This placement makes the organization visible as a mediator between the novel and its readers: it supplies the edition and states the terms on which the text may circulate.