About
Thomas Hardy, born 2 June 1840 in Higher Bockhampton (Dorset) and died 11 January 1928 in Dorchester, was an English novelist and poet. From a modest background, he trained as an architect before turning to literature. His novel 'Far from the Madding Crowd' (1874) brought him fame and introduced his fictional region of Wessex. Major works followed, including 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles' (1891) and 'Jude the Obscure' (1895), whose harsh criticism led him to abandon fiction for poetry. He then published collections such as 'Wessex Poems' (1898) and the epic drama 'The Dynasts' (1904-1908). Hardy is buried in Westminster Abbey, his heart resting at Stinsford.
* 1840-06-02 — † 1928-01-11
Major works
- Far from the Madding Crowd (1874)novel
- The Return of the Native (1878)novel
- The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886)novel
- Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891)novel
- Jude the Obscure (1895)novel
Key milestones
- 1874Publication of 'Far from the Madding Crowd', his first major success.
- 1895Publication of 'Jude the Obscure', whose criticism led him to abandon novel-writing.
- 1910Awarded the Order of Merit.
Themes
Fate and destinyThe human conditionNature and landscapeSocial classLove and marriage
Sources: britannica.com · poetryfoundation.org · kcl.ac.uk
