Thomas Hardy: The Life and Work of a Literary Giant

Thomas Hardy

by Claire Tomalin

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1787 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	609 pages

FREE

Thomas Hardy was one of the most significant and influential English writers of the 19th century. His novels, poems, and short stories explored the complexities of human nature and the harsh realities of rural life.

Early Life and Education

Hardy was born in 1840 in Dorset, England. He was the son of a stonemason and a domestic servant. Hardy's father was a creative and intelligent man who encouraged his son's interest in literature. Hardy attended grammar school and then worked as an apprentice to an architect.

Literary Career

Hardy began writing poetry in his early twenties. He published his first novel, Under the Greenwood Tree, in 1872. This was followed by a series of successful novels, including Far from the Madding Crowd (1874),The Return of the Native (1878),and Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891).

Hardy's novels are known for their realism, their powerful characterizations, and their exploration of the tragic aspects of life. He was a master of the Wessex dialect and his novels are steeped in the landscape of his native county.

Personal Life

Hardy married Emma Gifford in 1874. The couple had three children, but their marriage was not happy. Hardy was a complex and introspective man, and he struggled with depression and ill health throughout his life.

Hardy died in 1928 at the age of 88. He is buried in Stinsford Churchyard in Dorset.

Legacy

Thomas Hardy is widely regarded as one of the greatest English writers of the 19th century. His novels, poems, and short stories continue to be read and studied today.

Hardy's work has been adapted for film and television, and his characters have inspired numerous works of art and literature. He is also remembered as a founder of the Wessex Field Club, a conservation organization that protects the natural beauty of Dorset.

Bibliography

• Under the Greenwood Tree (1872)
• Far from the Madding Crowd (1874)
• The Return of the Native (1878)
• The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886)
• Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891)
• Jude the Obscure (1895)
• Wessex Poems (1898)
• Time's Laughingstocks (1909)
• Satires of Circumstance (1914)
• Moments of Vision (1917)
• Late Lyrics and Earlier (1922)
• Human Shows (1925)

Thomas Hardy

by Claire Tomalin

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1787 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	609 pages

FREE