The Works of Thomas Hardy By: Kaitlin Hoak

Thomas Hardy Born of Thomas and Jemima on June 2nd 1840; in Dorset, England. Often ill as a child, he spent most of his time indoors. His mother taught him to read and write before the age of four. After finishing school, Hardy became employed by an architecture company. In 1874, he married Emma Gifford. Began writing novels and poetry, but was unable to become published.

When he achieved publication, his work was highly criticized. His works contained topics that denounced religion, and marriage laws, and supported women's rights, and oppressed labourers. These controversial issues put a strain on his marriage. Emma and Hardy verbally abused and insulted each other for years. In 1912 Emma unexpectedly died. In 1914 Hardy married his assistant Florence Dugdale. Hardy passed away in 1928.

Tess of the D’Urbervilles A poverty stricken family, the Durbeyfields, discover they have ties to the royal D’Urberville blood line. Durbeyfields send their daughter Tess to “claim-kin” with them. When she arrived at the D’Urberville estate, her arrogant cousin, Alec D’Urberville, attempts to seduce her. One evening Alec overpowered and raped her. The rape resulted in a child whom later died. To escape the ridicule of her hometown, Tess travels to a distant farm to work as a dairymaid. One the farm Tess, and a man named Angel Clare fall in love. Tess and Angel became engaged, and after their wedding, Tess told him about her past history with Alec. Angel was furious, within the next few days, Angel and Tess go their separate ways.

Tess returned home to her family, but soon again left to support herself through odd jobs. After a period of time, she decided to approach the Clare family, to establish if they had any new information on Angel. Upon reaching the Clare’s residence, she soon retreated out of fear. On her way home, she passed a man preaching to a crowd, and was shocked to find it to be Alec D’Urberville. When Tess informs him of their child who had died, he begs for her hand in marriage. Tess’s father soon dies and her family is evicted from their home. Alec offers to support her and her family, so she accepts. Angel then returns home and begins looking for Tess, only to find her already with Alec. Tess murders Alec for destroying her life. Angel forgives her, but their reunion is brief, because Tess is later arrested and executed.

Literary Devices Motif “a recurring word, phrase, image, object, idea or action.. [that] function as unifying devices and often relate directly to one or more major themes” (“Motif”) A recurring image throughout Tess of the D’Urbervilles are the colors red and white. These colors are significant because, red generally symbolizes passion and desire (“The Color Red”), where white symbolizes purity and innocence (“The Color White”). One example of a motif in the story occurs soon after Tess kills Alec, “the oblong white ceiling, with this scarlet blot in the midst” (Tess of the D’Urbervilles 489). The white ceiling, with the red blood, hung over the room and those inside, like the incident with Alec hung over Tess's life.

Foreshadowing “to show, indicate, or suggest in advance” (“Foreshadow”) Foreshadowing, in this story, subtly hinted towards the futures of the characters, yet did not change their fate. One example of foreshadowing in the story was when Alec said; “I was your maser once! I will be your master again.” (Tess of the D’Urbervilles 423). This was important because it showed the cruel way Alec treated Tess in the past, yet the statement came true because Tess again fell under Alec’s control.

Mood “the feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates… [through the] use of connotation, imagery, figurative language, sound and rhythm, and descriptive details” (“Mood”) The mood is an important aspect because it creatively enhances the story, by taking a character's emotions, and causing them to manifest into the world around them. After Tess lost her baby, she moved away from her home, and onto a dairy farm. It was here where “her hopes mingled with the sunshine… she heard a pleasant voice in every breeze, and in every bird’s note seemed to lurk a joy” (Tess of the D’Urbervilles 138). The farm was a joyful new beginning for Tess and this description is a reflection of her enthusiasm.

Review Genuinely intriguing from beginning to end. The story evokes various thoughts and emotions including; sympathy, remorse, joy, confusion, anger, and disappointment, all over a short period of time. Tess is easily relatable to for her independence, strength, and dignity, throughout a lifetime of hardships This story offers a glimpse at life in the 1800’s; the views of society, life of the wealthy and poor, and opinions on women and men. It was easy to become engulfed in Tess’s emotions, and long for her happiness. You follow her through as she carries around her shame and guilt, loses her one true love, and again becomes tempted by her seducer.

The Mayor of Casterbridge Michael Henchard, auctions off his wife and daughter, Susan and Elizabeth-Jane, at a fair after becoming intoxicated. Eighteen years later Susan and Elizabeth-Jane search for him, find him to be the Mayor of Casterbridge. When Henchard discovers they are in town he meets with Susan and immediately plans to rekindle their relationship. Henchard and Susan soon marry, and he wants Elizabeth-Jane to take his last name, but she is unaware that he is her true father. Susan later dies, and Henchard tells Elizabeth-Jane the truth, but later finds a letter written by Susan, claiming Elizabeth-Jane was not his daughter. Meanwhile, Henchard’s apprentice; Donald Farfrae, is becoming increasingly popular throughout the town and with Elizabeth-Jane.

Henchard and Farfrae ceased working together, as well as their friendship. With the end of he and Farfrae’s friendship, Henchard became bitter, estranged from the community, and fell bankrupt. Elizabeth-Jane moved in with a woman named Lucetta, who was Henchard’s ex lover, but later becomes engaged to Farfrae. Word that Henchard and Lucetta had past relations was announced, and Lucetta fell tremendously ill. Lucetta soon died, and Elizabeth-Jane was there to comfort Farfrae. When Elizabeth-Jane and Farfrae become engaged, Henchard leaves Casterbridge. After the wedding Elizabeth-Jane attempts to search for Henchard, but discovers that he had just passed away.

Literary Devices Characterization “the techniques that a writer uses to develop characters” (“Characterization”) Characterization was important to this story because it helped to establish, or abolish, relationship between characters, based on their attitudes towards each other. One example of direct characterization was when Henchard's “sinister qualities, formerly latent, [had] quickened into life” (The Mayor of Casterbridge 405), after he began his feud with Farfrae. Henchard became extremely bitter and spiteful when he ended his friendship with Farfrae.

Conflict “a struggle between opposing forces that is the basis of a story’s plot.” (“Conflict”) The conflict in this story began as an internal conflict within Henchard, then developed into an external conflict against another character, then an external conflict against society. After falling bankrupt, and becoming employed by Farfrae, Henchard says; “here be I, his former master, working for him as man, and he the man standing as master, with my house and my furniture and my what-you-may-call wife all his own.” (The Mayor of Casterbridge 387). Henchard feels as though he has been replaced by Farfrae, and seeks revenge, causing the town to further dislike him.

Mood As previously described. When Henchard was a miserable, alcoholic man, who auctioned off his family, his surroundings “entered the blackened-green stage of colour that the doomed leaves pass through on their way to dingy, and yellow, and red” (The Mayor of Casterbridge 6). The mood was important to the story because, it often clearly mimicked and enhanced, the cheerful or dismal, circumstances under which the characters were living.

Review Like any traditional tragedy, the novel begins on a dismal level, rises towards a glimmer of hope, then returns to a dismal end. The characters do not appear as though they effect the story emotionally, but you grow to connect with them on an emotional level. This story holds less of the romantic aspect, and more of a disarray of relationships All the relationships intertwine in some way, yet Hardy kept the relationships clearly stated and simple to follow. Though the story lacked intriguing romantic connections, it was still an exceptional novel.

Other Works 1871- Desperate Remedies 1872- Under the Greenwood Tree 1873- A Pair of Blue Eyes 1876- Far from the Madding Crowd, and The Hand of Ethelberta 1879- The Trumpet Major, and The Return of the Native 1881- A Leadocien 1882- Two on a Tower 1887- The Woodlanders 1897- Jude the Obscure, and The Well-Beloved 1898- Wessex Poems 1908- The Dynasts 1909- Time’s Laughingstocks 1914- Satires of Circumstance 1917- Moments of Vision 1928- Winter Words in Various Moods and Meters

Works Cited Characterization.” Holt McDougal Literature Grade 12. Orlando: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2012. Print. R107. “Conflict.” Holt McDougal Literature Grade 12. Orlando: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2012. Print. R107. “Foreshadow.” Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition. HarperCollins Publishers. 27 Dec. 2013. <http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/foreshadow> Hardy, Thomas. The Mayor of Casterbridge. Los Angeles: LRS, 2000. Print. Hardy, Thomas. Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Amersham: Transatlantic, 2012. Print. “Mood.” Holt McDougal Literature Grade 12. Orlando: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2012. Print. R115. “Motif.” Holt McDougal Literature Grade 12. Orlando: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt “The Color Red.” Judy Scott-Kemmis. 2013. Web. 29 Dec. 2013. <http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-red.html> “The Color White.” Judy Scott-Kemmis. 2013. Web. 29 Dec. 2013. <http://www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com/color-white.html> “Thomas Hardy.” Poets.org. 1997. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/110> “Thomas Hardy: Biography.” Victorian Web. 23 Jan. 2011. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.victorianweb.org/authors/hardy/bioov.html> “Thomas Hardy: Biography.” John Simkin. June 2013. Web. 21 Dec. 2013. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/Jhardy.htm>

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