<html> <head> <script type='text/javascript' src='js/jquery-1.3.2.js'></script> <script type='text/javascript'> $(document).ready( function() { alert( 'HTML: ' + $('p').html() + "\n" + 'Text: ' + $('p').text() ) } ); </script> </head> <body> <p> asdf. <i>asdf</i> </p> </body> </html>