1. Understanding attitudes and viewpoints in letters
The correspondence of Thomas Hardy & Florence Henniker

2. Meet the correspondents: Thomas Hardy
The writer and poet Thomas Hardy was born in 1840 and lived almost three decades into the twentieth century.

3. Meet the correspondents: Florence Henniker
Florence Henniker was born in 1855 and died in Like Hardy, she was a writer and she published novels and short stories. Hardy and Henniker met in 1893 and became good friends.

4. Hardy’s & Henniker’s love of literature was a key ingredient in their friendship.
They were also united in their wish to bring about changes in attitudes to animal welfare.
Although the students might note that Hardy is a hugging his dog here!

5. One of the ways we know about this is through reading their letters.
These are kept in the archive at Dorset County Museum

8. Analysing Hardy’s letter
‘I have been at dog shows at country fairs where the wretched animals so trembled with terror when they failed to execute the feat required of them that they could scarcely stand, and remained with eyes of misery fixed upon their master, paralysed at the knowledge of what was in store for them behind the scenes, whence their shrieks could afterwards be heard through the canvas.’
Q2)
What examples of emotive language can you find in this part of Hardy’s protest letter?
How does emotive language convey Hardy’s views on performing animals?
What are the similarities and differences between Hardy’s published letter and his private correspondence with Florence Henniker?

9. Plenary: Turn this lesson into a tweet!
Hardy and Henniker had letters but we also have texts, Facebook and Twitter to keep in touch and share ideas with others. How would you summarise what you have learnt today as a 280-character tweet? P.S. It might be about one thing you have learnt or the lesson as a whole.

10. Homework: Slide 10 on the Slider Reviser