“We learn that it is not the rays which bodies absorb, but those which they reject, that give them the colours they are known by; and in the same way people are specialized by their dislikes and antagonisms, whilst their goodwill is looked upon as no attribute at all” (Thomas 158). Named after his father and grandfather, Thomas Hardy was born on June 2, 1840 in the western English country of Dorset and passed away at the ripe old age of 88. Hardy didn’t reach fame till 1874 when his novel “Far from the madding crowd” was published. Themes in Thomas Hardy’s literary works were influenced by Horace Moules death and the strict rules of the British class system and their opinions on the working class.
The life of Thomas was like any other child in the 1840’s. Since day one, Thomas was expected to do big things; especially in the fields of architect since, his family was skilled and prosperous artisans. “Both Thomas’s dad and grandpa were very skilled and successful stonemasons” (Badertscher). From an early age little Hardy attended local schools in lower Bock Hampton then Dorchester. His mother was very well-read which naturally rubbed off on Thomas for he had a strong interest in reading. From an early age little Hardy had a natural gift in the fields of literature. “Despite Thomas’s social status and the good education he received, he found himself trying to cope with the strict rules of the British class system which may have impacted him immensely” according to Eric Badertscher. The British class system looked down on the working class despite their personal merits. This sense of class distinction strongly influenced his literary work for example, “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” which deals with a family that has “come down in the ...
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...iting, but even if the symbolism does not resonate with you, this book should be enjoyable.”(Goodreads) Not only can Hardy influence people in his time to read his book but, even today people still enjoy his unique style of writing.
Thomas Hardy’s family, friends, and time period affected the theme of Thomas’s poetry. The deaths of his wife Emma and best friend Horace sent Thomas into a universe of depression and sorrow which, allowed him to become a successful poet. His poetry is unique because it puts the readers in Thomas’s shoes and lets them experience what he feels. Not, only is Thomas Hardy important because he was one of the most famous novelists of the Victorian period but, also he was one of the first poet and novelist to write controversial masterpieces. Even after his death on January 11, 1928 his poetry is still famous just like he dreamed it would be.
"Drunk with melody, and what the words were, he cared not." This was a very common view among early commentators about Dylan Thomas (Cox 1). Thomas was a poet who was either loved or hated. It depended on the individual, and how they viewed his poetry. He was very famous for his poetry because it contained visions of life, aspects of birth and death, fear, grief, joy, and beauty. At a younger age, Thomas was a very violent poet. As he grew older, he spoke for all men greatly when he wrote. He wrote his poems referring to the qualities and sensations of life. The strength of feelings, which were expressed in his writings, gave many different impressions about Thomas’ attitudes toward religion and spirituality, relationships, and the passion in his poetry.
The Themes of Loss and Loneliness in Hardy's Poetry Introduction = == == == ==
understood little but took it all in and this may be what set off his
The Setting for Thomas Hardy's The Withered Arm and Other Wessex Tales. In the following essay I seek to show evidence of how Thomas Hardy was acutely aware of the social status of people, village and town. life was conducted, how men and women reacted to their own sexuality and to each other and the part religion plays in people's daily lives. Social class is raised a lot in Hardy's pieces.
Thomas Hardy lived in a time when marriage was the expected practice for young men and women. He had a very distinct view of the institution and the implications that came along with it. He himself was married twice in his long life, both times not very happily, and had progressive views about the union of the sexes, most particularly regarding divorce. His ideas and opinions are not too carefully concealed in his literary works, though he contested that he kept his own views out of his fiction.
In Hardy's novels, masculine identity is explored, evolving from the solid, monolithic, patriarchal role of the mid-1800s, to less typical, nearly feminine styles of manhood. With the increasing power of women during the Victorian Era, Hardy creates men who are in a state of ambivalence about their sexuality; they either reach for the well-worn stereotype of the "manly" man, or they attempt to explore their own complicated emotions, sensitive to the needs of the emerging New Woman. Though action in Hardy's novels centers predominately around the female, life is often seen through the eyes of the males in his works. The "typical" male is often associated with money, power, and prestige, while the realists and chaste men are almost "unmasculine" in thoughts and action, and frequently fall victim to the New Woman. By depicting a man like Henchard, who goes from being an obsessive power seeker to one who is, in a sense, "unmanned," Hardy shows readers the male identity which he tends to favor.
Jacobson, Dan. "Thomas Hardy: The Poet as Philosopher." American Scholar, vol. 65, no. 1, Winter 1996, pp. 114-19.
While using irony, personification, symbolism and assonance, Thomas Hardy illustrates his anger at God and wants God to look down at him and laugh at his disregard to him and his powerful miracles.
lore, culture and past times. In 1856 Hardy worked with an architect. and continued his studies under the guidance of a parish rector. This friendship has been thought to affect the tone of "Far From The" Madding the Crowd. The book was published in 1874 and is one of his most well known novels and books.
Irvin Howe, like other male critics of Hardy, easily fails to notice about the novel is that Michael Henchard sells not only his wife but his child, a child who can only be female. Patriarchal and male dominated societies do not willingly and gladly sell their sons, but their daughters are all for sale be it soon or late. Thomas Hardy desires to make the sale of the daughter emphatic, vigorous, essential and innermost as it is worth notifying that in beginning of the novel Michael Henchard has two daughters but he sells only one.
Present readers might perceive that Thomas Hardy's viewpoint in the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge is severe and depressing. However, most people adored Hardy during his living years. In an era when the Industrial Revolution was bringing dramatic and sometimes disturbing changes to England, he celebrated the nation's roots in its rustic past. In an era when new ideas like Darwin's theory of evolution challenged long established religious beliefs, Hardy showed that even the simplest people have, at all times, dealt with comparable eternal questions: How are humans to live? What determines an individual’s destiny? Are humans self-determining beings? He spoke directly to the concerns of people vacillating on the verge of a new era. Though he dealt with key questions, Hardy was an immensely popular author for the reason that he believed in writing a good story. In addition, he liked writing about common people: their troubles, their success or failures, were in his vision, the most important material for an author.
Thomas Hardy wrote about society in the mid 1800's and his tales have rural settings in the fictional name he gave to the South-West of England, Wessex. The short stories reflect this time and the author also demonstrates the class division in rural society - rich and poor - and the closeness of the communities. Almost everyone belonged to the 'labouring classes' and worked on the land.
Hardy originated from a working class family. The son of a master mason, Hardy was slightly above that of his agricultural peers. Hardy’s examination of transition between classes is usually similar to that of D.H. Lawrence, that if you step outside your circle you will die. The ambitious lives of the characters within Hardy’s novels like Jude and Tess usually end fatally; as they attempt to break away from the constraints of their class, thus, depicting Hardy’s view upon the transition between classes. Hardy valued lower class morals and traditions, it is apparent through reading Tess that her struggles are evidently permeated through the social sufferings of the working class. A central theme running throughout Hardy’s novels is the decline of old families. It is said Hardy himself traced the Dorset Hardy’s lineage and found once they were of great i...
Clarke, R. (n.d.). The Poetry of Thomas Hardy. rlwclarke. Retrieved February 1, 2014, from http://www.rlwclarke.net/Courses/LITS2002/2008-2009/12AHardy'sPoetry.pdf
Thomas Hardy was a famous author and poet he lived from 1840 to 1928. During his long life of 88 years he wrote fifteen novels and one thousand poems. He lived for the majority of his life near Dorchester. Hardy got many ideas for his stories while he was growing up. An example of this was that he knew of a lady who had had her blood turned by a convict’s corpse and he used this in the story ‘The Withered Arm’. The existence of witches and witchcraft was accepted in his lifetime and it was not unusual for several people to be killed for crimes of witchcraft every year.