1. Thomas Hardy
By Mallori Lesh

2. Overview
The Life and Times of Thomas Hardy
Novels
Poetry and Drama

3. The Life and Times of Thomas Hardy

4. Young Thomas Hardy Born June 2, 1840 Higher Bockhampton, Dorset
Setting for many of his novels
Father was a mason
Creative, love of music
He had 3 brothers and sisters

5. Thomas’ Education
It was very important to his mother that Thomas be educated
1848 began school in Lower Bockhampton
1849 transferred to school in Dorchester
Walked 3 miles each way every day
Gained a love of the outdoors and detail
Enjoys classes in music, Latin, and dance

6. Hardy as an Apprentice
Hardy apprenticed to John Hicks, an architect
Worked restoring churches
Made educated friends, had many discussion
Studied Greek and poetry with Horace Moule
It was a parental decision…. His mom wanted him to have a good future

7. Hardy as an Architect
1862 Hardy moves to London to work as an Architect
Hardy begins writing poetry, but is rejected
Hardy is involved in London’s culture, but is disillusioned by the social class structure
1870 Hardy reads Darwin, Spencer and Huxley
Begins to lose his Christian beliefs
Immanent Will- Unfeeling, unthinking force that governs existence
Hardy is ill, returns to Dorset to work for Hicks

8. 1871-97 The Novelist Hardy abandons poetry and begins to write novels
Publishes Desperate Remedies and Under the Greenwood Tree
Most of his works published as serials in magazines
1870 Hardy meets Emma Gifford, his future wife

9. Home Life 1874 Hardy marries Emma Gifford Hardy becomes very ill
She was also a writer, although none of her work was very good
Hardy becomes very ill
Forced to dictate his works
Constantly moves from home to home

10. Novels Hardy continues to write novels 1878-Return of the Native
1881-A Laodicean
1887-The Woodlanders
1888-Wessex Tales
Hardy builds Max Gate, his own home

11. Literary Criticism Hardy was constantly criticized for his work
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
Editors forced Hardy to rewrite parts of it
Well received, but heavily criticized
Jude the Obscure
Harsh criticism-considered blasphemous
Critic G.K. Chesterton wrote that Hardy “became a sort of village atheist brooding and blaspheming over the village idiot”
Because of the criticism, Hardy was “cured” of his desire to write novels, and returned to poetry

12. Hardy’s Marriage 1892 Hardy’s marriage begins to become very difficult
Hardy had many beautiful “pupils” with whom he was in constant contact
Emma became very jealous of these relationships
1893 Hardy meets Florence Henniker in Dublin

13. The Poet
Because of the extreme criticism, Hardy returns to poetry
Poetry collection
1898 Wessex Poems published
Object to “depict the Wessex country of Thomas Hardy”
1901 Poems of the Past and Present
Poems about Philosophy, God’s failure to look after humanity, women who were in love with him

14. Hardy’s Personal Life
1907 Hardy meets and begins a relationship with writer Florence Dugdale
1910 Hardy received the Order of Merit for excellence in his field
1912 Emma Hardy suddenly dies
1914 Hardy marries his lover Florence Dugdale

15. Hardy continues to write poetry
1914 WWI breaks out
Hardy pledges alliance to the Allies
Continues to write poetry
Publishes Satires of Circumstance 1914
Continues Writing
Moments of Vision 1917
Late Lyrics and Earlier 1922
Human Shows, Far Phantasies, Songs, and Trifles 1925

16. Hardy’s Death 1927 becomes very ill Jan 10, 1928 Hardy dies
He is buried in Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey
His heart is buried in Stinsford Churchyard
His final poetic work Winter Words is published after his death

17. Influences on Hardy’s Writing

18. Social Class Struggle with social nobility and class structure
The Poor Man and the Lady
Jude the Obscure
Limited opportunities because of his humble origins

19. Christianity Born into Christian home
Acquired parent’s faith
Encountered new religious ideas, Darwinism
Lost his faith
Confusion and Frustration about faith
“Hap” “God Forgotten” “God’s Education”
God’s absolute indifference to man
Spent his life looking for God
Couldn’t accept God on faith alone

20. Censorship
Victorians had a fear of change, and criticized works that challenged their stability
Hardy was influenced by liberal authors/thinkers
Most novels published serially
Editors always wanted to change his manuscripts
Tess of the d’Ubervilles originally titled “Too Late, Beloved” forced to change it
Hardy attacked for the work
Maligned God, one reviewer called it “a coarse and disagreeable story in a coarse and disagreeable manner”

21. Censorship concluded Hardy wrote “Candour in English Fiction”
Spoke out about his difficulties with censorship
The magazine format doesn’t “foster the growth of the novel which reflects and reveals life”
Hardy said “If the author ever weeps it probably is then, when he first discovers the fearful price that he has to pay for the privilege of writing in the English language.”
Hardy switched to poetry to be able to express his ideas without restriction