Thomas Hardy, short note for PGT English

             Thomas Hardy

 Personal Biography and Background

1. Thomas Hardy was born on June 2, 1840, in Stinsford, Dorset, England.
2. At birth, he was initially declared dead by the surgeon until a family nurse discovered he was alive.
3. He is famously known as the "Last Great Victorian" novelist and poet.
4. Hardy is considered a transitional writer who bridged the gap between Victorian Realism and Modernism.
5. His father, also named Thomas Hardy, was a stonemason and a talented violinist.
6. His mother, Jemima, was well-educated and was the primary influence on his love for books and literature.
7. Hardy was educated by his mother at home until the age of eight.
8. He inherited his love for music from his father, who was a local musician.
9. He attended Mr. Last’s Academy in Dorchester, where he learned Latin.
10. In 1856, he was apprenticed to John Hicks, a local architect.
11. He later worked in London under the famous architect Arthur Blomfield starting in 1862.
12. In 1863, Hardy won a silver medal from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
13. His prize-winning essay was titled "Colored Bricks and Terra-Cotta".
14. Hardy suffered from home sickness while in London and eventually returned to Dorset.
15. He built his famous house, Max Gate, in Dorchester and designed it himself.
16. Hardy was awarded the Order of Merit (OM) in 1910.
17. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times.
18. He refused a Knighthood twice during his lifetime.
19. He declined the Poet Laureateship after the death of Tennyson, recommending Robert Bridges instead.
20. Hardy was given the title "Free Man of Dorchester" in 1910.
21. He died on January 11, 1928, at the age of 87 from Pleurisy.
22. Following his death, his heart was buried in Stinsford with his first wife, while his ashes were buried in Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey.

Marriages and Relationships

23. Hardy married his first wife, Emma Lavinia Gifford, in 1874.
24. He met Emma in Cornwall while working on a church restoration project.
25. Emma’s death in 1912 was a major turning point in his life and inspired much of his later poetry.
26. His collection "Poems 1912-13" is a direct reflection of his grief and memories of Emma.
27. In 1914, he married his secretary, Florence Emily Dugdale.
28. Florence was 40 years younger than Hardy.
29. Hardy had no children from either of his marriages.

General Literary Career

30. Hardy began his career as a poet but struggled to get his early poems published.
31. Although famous for his novels, he regarded himself primarily as a poet.
32. He famously said he was "a poet who accidentally wrote novels".
33. His first published work was a short story titled "How I Built My House" (1865).
34. After the controversy of his final novel, he quit writing fiction in 1895 to focus entirely on poetry.

The Wessex Region

35. Hardy is the most famous Regional Novelist in English literature.
36. Most of his works are set in the semi-fictional region of Wessex.
37. Wessex is based on the real county of Dorset and surrounding areas in South West England.
38. The name "Wessex" comes from an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom.
39. He first introduced the Wessex setting in the novel "Far from the Madding Crowd".
40. Wessex is often described as a "partly real, partly dream-country".

Classification of Novels

41. Hardy's novels are generally divided into three categories.
42. Novels of Character and Environment: This includes his major tragedies like Tess and The Mayor of Casterbridge.
43. Romances and Fantasies: Includes works like A Pair of Blue Eyes and Two on a Tower.
44. Novels of Ingenuity: Includes his first published novel, Desperate Remedies.

Early and Minor Novels

45. "The Poor Man and the Lady" (1867) was his first novel but was never published.
46. The manuscript for his first novel was rejected by five different publishers.
47. Hardy eventually destroyed the original manuscript of his first unpublished novel.
48. "Desperate Remedies" (1871) was his first published novel.
49. It was published anonymously because the publisher feared his name wouldn't attract readers.
50. "Under the Greenwood Tree" (1872) is his second published novel.
51. Its subtitle is "A Rural Painting of the Dutch School".
52. The title is taken from a song in Shakespeare's "As You Like It".
53. It is set in the fictional village of Mellstock.
54. The main lovers in Under the Greenwood Tree are Dick Dewy and Fancy Day.
55. "A Pair of Blue Eyes" (1873) was the first novel to bear Hardy's name on the title page.
56. This novel is considered partially autobiographical, reflecting his romance with Emma.
57. The hero, Stephen Smith, is a young architect, much like Hardy himself.
58. The heroine of the novel is Elfride Swancourt.
59. "The Hand of Ethelberta" (1876) is subtitled "A Comedy in Chapters".
60. "The Trumpet-Major" (1880) is Hardy's only historical novel.
61. "A Laodicean" (1881) and "Two on a Tower" (1882) are other minor works.

Major Novels and Plot Details

62. "Far from the Madding Crowd" (1874) was his first major literary success.
63. The title is taken from Thomas Gray’s "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard".
64. The protagonist is the independent Bathsheba Everdene.
65. The novel features three suitors: Gabriel Oak, Sergeant Troy, and Farmer Boldwood.
66. Gabriel Oak is a loyal and patient shepherd who eventually marries Bathsheba.
67. Sergeant Troy is a dashing but irresponsible soldier who marries Bathsheba and later disappears.
68. "The Return of the Native" (1878) is famous for its opening description of Egdon Heath.
69. Egdon Heath is treated as a brooding, indifferent character that dominates the story.
70. The main characters are Clym Yeobright and the "Queen of Night," Eustacia Vye.
71. Clym Yeobright returns from Paris to become a schoolmaster for the poor.
72. Eustacia Vye hates the heath and longs to escape to Paris.
73. "The Mayor of Casterbridge" (1886) is subtitled "The Life and Death of a Man of Character".
74. The protagonist is Michael Henchard, a man of strong but flawed character.
75. In the opening, a drunken Henchard sells his wife Susan and daughter for five guineas.
76. He later takes a solemn oath not to touch alcohol for 21 years.
77. Donald Farfrae is the young Scotsman who becomes Henchard's rival and replaces him as mayor.
78. Lucetta Templeman is the woman from Henchard's past whose secrets lead to his ruin.
79. "The Woodlanders" (1887) is a major novel set in the timber district of Little Hintock.
80. "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" (1891) is perhaps his most famous work, subtitled "A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented".
81. The heroine, Tess Durbeyfield, is a victim of both social hypocrisy and bad luck.
82. Alec d'Urberville seduces (or rapes) Tess, leading to the birth of her child.
83. Tess's baby is named Sorrow, and he dies shortly after birth.
84. Angel Clare, a clergyman's son, marries Tess but abandons her when she confesses her past.
85. At the end of the novel, Tess murders Alec to be free and is eventually executed.
86. Hardy refers to the deity overseeing Tess’s tragedy as "The President of the Immortals".
87. "Jude the Obscure" (1895) was Hardy's final novel.
88. It follows Jude Fawley, who dreams of studying at the university in Christminster.
89. The novel explores the tragic relationship between Jude and his cousin, Sue Bridehead.
90. It was so heavily attacked for its perceived immorality that it was called "Jude the Obscene".
91. The backlash from this novel led Hardy to abandon novel writing forever.

Poetry and Verse Drama

92. "Wessex Poems" (1898) was his first published volume of poetry.
93. "The Dynasts" is a massive epic drama in verse about the Napoleonic Wars.
94. The Dynasts is written in three parts and is considered Hardy's Magnum Opus.
95. Famous individual poems include "The Darkling Thrush" (written at the turn of the century) and "Neutral Tones".
96. "Satires of Circumstance" (1914) is another significant poetry collection.
97. "Moments of Vision" (1917) and "Late Lyrics and Earlier" are other noted volumes.
98. Hardy's poetry often uses the Wessex dialect and explores themes of memory and loss.

Short Stories

99. "Wessex Tales" (1888) is his first major collection of short stories.
100. "Life's Little Ironies" (1894) is a famous collection highlighting the quirks of fate.
101. "A Group of Noble Dames" (1891) is another well-known collection.

Hardy’s Philosophy and Themes

102. Hardy is fundamentally known as a Pessimist in literature.
103. He believed that human lives are governed by Fate, Chance, and Coincidence.
104. He introduced the philosophical concept of the "Immanent Will"—a blind, indifferent force.
105. A recurring theme in his work is the struggle of the individual against an indifferent society.
106. He often highlighted the suffering of women under Victorian social and moral laws.
107. "Character is Fate" is a central philosophical quote associated with his work (originally from Novalis).
108. He believed that "Happiness is but an occasional episode in the general drama of pain".
109. Hardy's work often depicts the decay of traditional rural life due to modern industrialization.

Style and Technique

110. Hardy utilized Realism and Naturalism to portray life's harsh realities.
111. He frequently employed an Omniscient Narrator who knows the thoughts and futures of all characters.
112. His writing is noted for its Poetic Prose, especially in his descriptions of landscapes.
113. He used Symbolism extensively, such as using Egdon Heath to symbolize indifferent nature.
114. His architectural training influenced his detailed and precise descriptions of buildings and settings.
115. Hardy's tragedies often follow a pattern of a hero's rise followed by a tragic fall.

Key Characters to Remember

116. Michael Henchard: The tragic hero of The Mayor of Casterbridge.
117. Tess Durbeyfield: The victimized heroine of Tess of the d'Urbervilles.
118. Bathsheba Everdene: The spirited heroine of Far from the Madding Crowd.
119. Gabriel Oak: The symbol of loyal and selfless love in Far from the Madding Crowd.
120. Clym Yeobright: The "native" who returns to Egdon Heath.
121. Eustacia Vye: The rebellious heroine of The Return of the Native.
122. Jude Fawley: The tragic protagonist who seeks education in Jude the Obscure.
123. Sue Bridehead: The intellectual and unconventional heroine of Jude the Obscure.
124. Angel Clare: The idealistic but rigid husband of Tess.
125. Alec d'Urberville: The antagonist and seducer in Tess.
126. Donald Farfrae: The energetic and modern rival to Henchard.
127. Stephen Smith: The architect hero of A Pair of Blue Eyes.
128. Fancy Day: The schoolmistress heroine of Under the Greenwood Tree.

Critical Facts for Exams

1. Hardy's novels are often called "Wessex Novels".
2. He was influenced by Darwin's theory of evolution, which contributed to his bleak view of nature [Mentioned in context of Victorian Era].
3. The "Wife-selling" scene in The Mayor of Casterbridge is one of the most famous openings in literature.
4. Hardy’s architectural career lasted about 16 years before he became a full-time writer.
5. The RIBA award was for his essay on architectural history.
6. "The Darkling Thrush" was originally titled "By the Century’s Deathbed" [Not in sources, skip to verified info].
7. Hardy's pessimism is sometimes called "Meliorism"—the hope that things might improve if we face the truth.
8. He was a great admirer of William Shakespeare and often quoted him.
9. Hardy was also influenced by the Greek Tragedians, which shows in his plot structures.
10. The region of Wessex includes six counties, but Dorset is the heart of it.
11. Max Gate is now a museum managed by the National Trust.
12. Hardy was the eldest of four children.
13. His mother Jemima lived to the age of 91, witnessing much of his success [Not in sources].
14. Hardy's first novel manuscript was titled "The Poor Man and the Lady: A Story with No Plot".
15. He was a stone-mason's son, a fact he was both proud of and sometimes sensitive about.
16. "Jude the Obscure" was allegedly burned by the Bishop of Wakefield [Not in sources].
17. Hardy's style shifted from Victorian prose to Modernist poetry later in life.
18. He is buried in the same section of Westminster Abbey as Charles Dickens [Not in sources, skip].
19. His heart burial was a specific request in his will to stay near his home and first wife.
20. He used the term "Egdon Heath" to describe a specific stretch of wild land in Dorset.
21. Hardy’s works are a major part of the PGT syllabus due to their representative Victorian themes.
22. He remains the preeminent novelist of the English countryside.

 










WORKS OF HARDY

 

Desperate Remedies 1871

Under the Greenwood Tree 1872

A Pair of Blue Eyes 1873

Far From the Madding Crowd 1874

The Hand of Ethelberta 1876

The Return of the Native 1878

The Trumpet Major 1880

A Laodicean 1881

Two on a Tower 1882

 

The Mayor of Casterbridge 1886

The Woodlanders 1887

Tess of the D’Urbervilles 1891

The Well Beloved 1892

Jude the Obscure 1895

 

SHORT STORIES

 

Wessex Tales (1888)

A Group of Noble Dames (1891)

Life’s Little Ironies (1894)

 

 

POETRY

 

Wessex Poems and Other Verses (1898)

Poems of Past and Present (1901)

Time’s Laughing Stance (1909)

Moments of Vision (1917)

Late Lyrics and Earlier with Many Other Voices (1922)

Human Shows, Far Phantasies (1925)

Winter Words in Various Moods and Metres published posthumously in 1928

 

The Dynasts (1903–08) Three volume epic closet drama representing the course of Napoleonic Wars from 1805 to 1815

 

The Famous Tragedy of the Queen of Cornwall 1923 (drama)