Pessimism in Thomas Hardy's Novels

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The purpose of this article is to elaborate Thomas Hardy’s pessimism .The three novels of his namely Far From Madding Crowd , Tess Of D’Urbervilles , and Jude The Obsecure have the reflection of his life and relationships. The major elements in his novels are fate and chance responsible for a character’s ruin. Inspite of this all his novels are not totally dark some ends with a hopeful note.

Introduction :

Thomas Hardy is regarded a major contributor to English novel , born in rural Dorchester . He produced many successful novels between 1806s and 1890s.His novels are genuine because they contain several personal experiences.In Victorian age , he really suffered regarding love ans marriage .Although he did not attend the school, lacking scientific knowledge .He was a frail child with a difficult childhood without money . As a result of it , there is a pessimistic , dismal and fatalistic tone in his novels.

Hardy is the father of pessimistic novel and predecessor of modern novel . In Hardy’s novel his philosophy is that men are mere puppets in the hands of malicious fate. In Tess of deurbervilles , The President of the immortals had ended his support with tess.

Hardy’s conception of life was essentially tragic.In The Mayor of casterbridge ,Elizabeth Jne says that Happiness was but the occasional episode in general drama of pain. In Jude the obsecure , Philloston speakes , “ Cruelty is the law pervading all nature and society” , Sue says , “All the ancient wrath of power above us has been vented upon us, his poor creatures and we must submit it”.

Research Methodology :

Critical analysis is the Central agenda of this proposed research paper. The concept of Pessimism in Thomas Hardy's novels is explored and explained w...

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..., 1978. Print.

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Suicide in Late-Victorian Culture.” Thomas Hardy Texts and Contexts. New

York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2002. 133-55. Print.

Tomalin, Claire. Thomas Hardy. New York: Penguin, 2006. Print.

Gibson, James. Thomas Hardy: A Literary Life. London: Macmillan, 1996.

Vann, J. Don. Victorian Novels in Serial. New York: MLA, 1985.

Herman, William R. "Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles." Explicator 18, 3 (December 1959), item no. 16 Morgan, Rosemarie. "Passive Victim? Tess of the D'Urbervilles." Thomas Hardy Journal 5, 1 (January 1989): 31-54.

Women and Sexuality in the Novels of Thomas Hardy (New York: Routledge, 1988).

Webber, Carl J. "Editorial Epilogue." An Indiscretion in the Life of an Heiress by Thomas Hardy.

Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press, 1935.

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