The Complete Poetry of Thomas Hardy (eBook)

Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) was an eminent English novelist and poet who played a pivotal role in the transition from Victorianism to modernism in English literature. Known for his somber and poignant portrayal of rural life in Wessex, Hardy's fictional county based on the real landscapes of southwest England, his works delineate the tragic conflicts between individual desires and societal constraints, nature and modernity, and inevitability and chance. Hardy's literary repertoire includes celebrated novels such as 'Tess of the D'Urbervilles' (1891) and 'Far from the Madding Crowd' (1874), which established him as a formidable figure in Victorian literature. His remarkable contribution to poetry is compiled in 'The Complete Poetry of Thomas Hardy,' which showcases the breadth of his poetic achievements, from lyricism infused with Dorset dialect to somber elegies and explorations of human emotions and nature's whims. Hardy's narrative style, characterized by an omniscient perspective, rustic settings, and a deep sense of fatalism, contributes to the unique quality of his work. Hardy's influence extends beyond literature, his poetic and novelistic visions have shaped readers' understanding of the pastoral and its relentless transformation under industrialization's onslaught. Posthumously, Hardy's poetic legacy has continued to fascinate readers and critics, affirming his stature as a literary giant whose works reflect a profound understanding of the human condition.