Thomas Hardy

Early Life Born in Higher Bockhamptom, England in 1840 Father was a stonemason and fiddler His mother enjoyed reading to him At 16 he became an apprentice to a local architect Moved to London and worked as an architect for 5 years Married Emma Gifford in 1874.

Hardy as an Author Started as a Novelist He destroyed his first novel, The Poor Man and The Lady He first published anonymously First Novel-Desperate Remedies After the novel, Jude the Obscure, received a lot of criticism Hardy switched to poetry

Life Imitates Art Hardy didn’t believe in a benevolent God, and believed in Darwinism Historical and war interests influenced works such as The Dynasts. After the death of his first wife, Hardy wrote the Great Poems of 1912 and 1913.

Jude the Obscure Written in 1895 Highly criticized for sexual and anti-religion themes Tells a story about a man, Jude, who falls in love with his cousin and has children out of wedlock. A child from a previous marriage kills the other children and himself. Story that challenges Christianity.

Without Ceremony Part of the Great Poems of 1912-13. Tells a story about the last time Emma entertained. Reader can tell their relationship has fallen apart. Hardy mourns not being able to say good bye.

Achievements In 1910 was awarded the Order of Merit. Max Gate became popular tourist attraction Ashes are buried in Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey

Fun Fact The term “cliff-hanger” comes from Hardy’s A Pair of Blue Eyes in which the main character Henry Knight is left staring off the edge of a cliff.

Works Cited "Thomas Hardy." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/110>. "Thomas Hardy." Poem Hunter. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.poemhunter.com>. "Thomas Hardy." : The Poetry Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/thomas-hardy>