Thomas Hardy (1) (1840–1928)
Author of Tess of the D'Urbervilles
For other authors named Thomas Hardy, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Thomas Hardy was born on June 2, 1840, in Higher Bockhampton, England. The eldest child of Thomas and Jemima, Hardy studied Latin, French, and architecture in school. He also became an avid reader. Upon graduation, Hardy traveled to London to work as an architect's assistant under the guidance of show more Arthur Bloomfield. He also began writing poetry. How I Built Myself a House, Hardy's first professional article, was published in 1865. Two years later, while still working in the architecture field, Hardy wrote the unpublished novel The Poor Man and the Lady. During the next five years, Hardy penned Desperate Remedies, Under the Greenwood Tree, and A Pair of Blue Eyes. In 1873, Hardy decided it was time to relinquish his architecture career and concentrate on writing full-time. In September 1874, his first book as a full-time author, Far from the Madding Crowd, appeared serially. After publishing more than two dozen novels, one of the last being Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Hardy returned to writing poetry--his first love. Hardy's volumes of poetry include Poems of the Past and Present, The Dynasts: Part One, Two, and Three, Time's Laughingstocks, and The Famous Tragedy of the Queen of Cornwall. From 1833 until his death, Hardy lived in Dorchester, England. His house, Max Gate, was designed by Hardy, who also supervised its construction. Hardy died on January 11, 1928. His ashes are buried in Poet's Corner at Westminster Abbey. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: Courtesy of the NYPL Digital Gallery (image use requires permission from the New York Public Library)
Series
Works by Thomas Hardy
Far from the madding crowd / The Mayor of Casterbridge / Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1978) 241 copies
Tess of the d’Urbervilles: Complete, Authoritative Text with Biographical and Historical Contexts, Critical History,… (1891) 72 copies
The Works of Thomas Hardy: With an Introduction and Bibliography (Wordsworth Collection) (1994) 57 copies
Far From the Madding Crowd / Jude the Obscure / The Mayor of Casterbridge / The Return of the Native / Tess of the… (2006) 48 copies
Thomas Hardy: The Complete Novels - Far From The Madding Crowd, The Return of the Native, The Mayor of Casterbridge,… (2017) 37 copies
Works of Thomas Hardy: Mayor of Casterbridge, Return of the Native (Leatherbound Classics Series) (1990) 31 copies
The Collected Novels: Volume II (Modern Library: Jude the Obscure ∙ Tess of the D'Urbervilles) (1994) 30 copies
A changed man : The waiting supper and other tales : concluding with The romantic adventures of a milk maid (1913) 28 copies
[unidentified works] 26 copies
The Collected Novels: Volume I (Modern Library: Far from the Madding Crowd ∙ The Return of the Native ∙ The Mayor… (1994) 26 copies
Far from the Madding Crowd / The Mayor of Casterbridge / The Return of the Native / Tess of the D'Urbervilles / The… (1991) 21 copies
Outside the Gates of the World: Selected Short Stories (Everyman's Library (Paper)) (1996) 19 copies
Il violinista delle danze scozzesi 18 copies
Far from the Madding Crowd / The Mayor of Casterbridge / Tess of the d'Urbervilles / Wessex Tales / The Woodlanders… (1978) 16 copies
Far from the Madding Crowd / Jude the Obscure / The Mayor of Casterbridge / The Return of the Native / Tess of the… (1991) 11 copies
Far From the Madding Crowd / The Return of the Native / Tess of the D'Urbervilles (3 novels) (1961) 9 copies
An triuir choigreach : 8 copies
Under the Greenwood Tree: Our Exploits at West Poley and Humorous Stories (Everyman's Library) (1996) 6 copies
Complete Poetical Works of Thomas Hardy (Delphi Classics) (Delphi Poets Series Book 3) (2012) 6 copies
The Complete Poetical Works of Thomas Hardy: Volume 2: Satires of Circumstance, Moments of Vision, and Late Lyrics and… (1984) 5 copies
Tess Of The D'Urbervilles. Edited by William E. Buckler Riverside Editions B 47 (1960) — Author — 5 copies
SELECTED POEMS OF THOMAS HARDY 5 copies
The Complete Poetical Works of Thomas Hardy: Volume 1: Wessex Poems, Poems of the Past and the Present, Time's… (1983) 5 copies
Thomas Hardy: 25 Novels - Far From The Madding Crowd, The Return of the Native, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the… (2015) 4 copies
The Thomas Hardy Collection (14 Novels, 3 Short Story Collections, and 3 Collections of Poetry all with active Table of… (2011) 4 copies
Thomas Hardy Six Pack - Far from the Madding Crowd, The Return of the Native, A Pair of Blue Eyes, Tess of the… (2016) 4 copies
A Tragedy of Two Ambitions 4 copies
The Writings of Thomas Hardy in Prose and Verse, Anniversary Edition, in Twenty-one Volumes (2010) 4 copies
The Complete Poetical Works of Thomas Hardy: Volume 3: Human Shows, Winter Words, and Uncollected Poems (1985) 3 copies
Schabernack des Schicksals 3 copies
Il meglio di Thomas Hardy 3 copies
TESS OF THE d'URBERVILLES by HARDY READER'S DIGEST WORLD'S BEST READING (1985) (1777) — Author — 2 copies
Treasury of World Masterpieces Thomas Hardy Tess of the D'Urbervilles; the Mayor of Casterbridge, and Far From the… (1982) 2 copies
To Please His Wife 2 copies
The Convergence of the Twain 2 copies
The Grave by the Handpost 2 copies
Channel Firing 2 copies
Reading & Training : Thomas Hardy : Far from the madding crowd [book + sound recording] (2017) — Writer — 2 copies
Reading & Training : Thomas Hardy : Tess of the D'Urbervilles [book + sound recording] (2003) — Writer — 2 copies
A Few Crusted Characters 2 copies
The Superstitious Man's Story 2 copies
Alicia's Diary 2 copies
Montezuma smaragd : Rudyard Kipling, Jules Verne, August Strindberg, Selma Lagerlöf, [Thomas Hardy, Rodrigues… (2005) 2 copies
Poesia do Século XX 1 copy
Thomas Hardy: Selected Poems 1 copy
World's most beautiful poetry (new bilingual edition) - Ivy English book series(Chinese Edition) (2006) 1 copy
Under the Greenwood Tree, Vol. 2 of 2: A Rural Painting of the Dutch School (Classic Reprint) (2016) 1 copy
Thomas Hardy: Poems Selected by Tom Paulin (Poet to Poet) by Thomas Hardy (2005-04-07) (1800) 1 copy
Christmas Poems 1 copy
The Works: Thomas Hardy 1 copy
The Mayor of Casterbridge, Far From the Madding Crowd, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, Plus Cliffs Notes on Mayor of… (1964) 1 copy
LUOLAN SALAISUUS 1 copy
Complete Novels 1 copy
Lesáci 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. II 1 copy
(all) 1 copy
The Thomas Hardy Collection: Far from the Madding Crowd / The Mayor of Casterbridge / Tess of the D'Urbervilles (2010) — Author — 1 copy
The Collected Works of Thomas Hardy: The Complete Works PergamonMedia (Highlights of World Literature) (2015) 1 copy
Misterios de Wessex / 1 copy
Thomas Hardy`s Tess of the d`Urbervilles: Complete. Original and Unabridged Authritative Text with Selected Criticism… (2008) 1 copy
The Complete Poetical Works of Thomas Hardy: Volume IV: The Dynasts, Parts First and Second (Oxford English Texts) (1995) 1 copy
Giuda l'Oscuro: Vol. 1 e 2 1 copy
The Impercipient 1 copy
I Look Up From My Writing 1 copy
Scenes from the Dynasts 1 copy
Hardy and Pound 1 copy
Jude the Obscure / The Return of the Native / Tess of the d'Urbevilles / The Trumpet Major / Under the Greenwood Tree… (1991) 1 copy
Heden (andra delen) 1 copy
Neutral Tones [poem] 1 copy
The Darkling Thrush {poem} 1 copy
A Thomas Hardy songbook 1 copy
Literature Connections Sourcebook - Tess of the D'Urbervilles and Related Readings (2-70287) (1997) 1 copy
What the Shephard Saw 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. I 1 copy
Three Novels (P) 1 copy
Song of the soldiers 1 copy
The Ruined Maid 1 copy
During Wind and Rain 1 copy
Hap 1 copy
The Man He Killed {poem} 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. III 1 copy
Poesie 1 copy
Poems: Thomas Hardy 1 copy
Far from the Madding Crowd - With Audio Level 5 Oxford Bookworms Library: 1800 Headwords (2014) 1 copy
Selected Works Of Thomas Hardy: Far From the Madding Crowd, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and… (2014) 1 copy
Collected Stories 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. IV 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. V 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. VI 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. VII 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. VIII 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. IX 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. X 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. XI 1 copy
Complete Works, Vol. XII 1 copy
For conscience's Sake 1 copy
Thomas Hardy collection 1 copy
Lifes Little Ironies, A Changed Man, A Group of Nobele Dames (3 Volumes in Slipcase / Boxed Set) (1993) 1 copy
[Works] 1 copy
Associated Works
The Best Poems of the English Language: From Chaucer Through Robert Frost (2004) — Contributor — 1,058 copies
Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama (1995) — Contributor, some editions — 929 copies
An American Album: One Hundred and Fifty Years of Harper's Magazine (2000) — Contributor — 133 copies
The Sophisticated Cat: A Gathering of Stories, Poems, and Miscellaneous Writings About Cats (1992) — Contributor — 100 copies
Frankenstein Dreams: A Connoisseur's Collection of Victorian Science Fiction (The Connoisseur's Collections) (2017) — Contributor — 61 copies
Out of the Best Books: An Anthology of Literature, Vol. 4: The World Around Us (1968) — Contributor — 29 copies
The Roads from Bethlehem: Christmas Literature from Writers Ancient and Modern (1993) — Contributor — 29 copies
Kingfisher Christmas Book: A Collection of Stories, Poems and Carols for the Twelve Days of Christmas (1985) — Contributor — 27 copies
The Three Strangers and Other Stories (adapted ∙ Heinemann Guided Readers ∙ Intermediate Level) (1992) 15 copies
A Little Night Reading: Twenty Tales of Horror and the Supernatural (1974) — Contributor — 14 copies
10 Penguin Classics on 45 CDs (The Mayor of Casterbridge, Pride & Prejudice, Great Expectations, Frankenstein, Jane… (2007) — Contributor — 9 copies
La poesía inglesa románticos y victorianos — Contributor — 4 copies
Die englische Literatur 08 in Text und Darstellung. 19. Jahrhundert 2 (1982) — Contributor — 4 copies
Romance Classics: Jane Eyre / Mansfield Park / Lorna Doone / Far from the Madding Crowd / Middlemarch / Agnes Grey (1928) — Contributor — 4 copies
Die englische Literatur 09 in Text und Darstellung. 20. Jahrhundert. (2001) — Contributor — 3 copies
Modern Short Stories — Contributor — 2 copies
A Caravan of Music Stories by the World's Great Authors — Contributor — 1 copy
One hundred best novels condensed: 3 of 4 see note: Adam Bede; Tess of the D'Urbervilles; Don Quixote; East Lynne;… — Contributor — 1 copy
English short stories of the nineteenth century — Contributor — 1 copy
90 Masterpieces You Must Read (Vol.1): Novels, Poetry, Plays, Short Stories, Essays, Psychology & Philosophy (2020) — Contributor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1840-06-02
- Date of death
- 1928-01-11
- Burial location
- Westminster Abbey, London, England, UK
St. Michael's churchyard, Stinsford, Dorset, England, UK (heart) - Gender
- male
- Nationality
- UK
- Country (for map)
- England, UK
- Birthplace
- Higher Bockhampton, Dorsetshire, England, UK
- Place of death
- Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK
- Cause of death
- Pleurisy
- Places of residence
- Higher Bockhampton, Dorsetshire, England, UK
St Juliot, Cornwall, England
London, England, UK
Dorchester, Dorset, England, UK - Education
- King's College, London
- Occupations
- architect
novelist
poet - Awards and honors
- Order of Merit (1910)
Fellow, Royal Society of Literature - Short biography
- Thomas Hardy (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, including the poetry of William Wordsworth. He was highly critical of much in Victorian society, especially on the declining status of rural people in Britain, such as those from his native South West England.
While Hardy wrote poetry throughout his life and regarded himself primarily as a poet, his first collection was not published until 1898. Initially, he gained fame as the author of novels such as Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895). During his lifetime, Hardy's poetry was acclaimed by younger poets (particularly the Georgians) who viewed him as a mentor. After his death his poems were lauded by Ezra Pound, W. H. Auden and Philip Larkin.
Many of his novels concern tragic characters struggling against their passions and social circumstances, and they are often set in the semi-fictional region of Wessex; initially based on the medieval Anglo-Saxon kingdom, Hardy's Wessex eventually came to include the counties of Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon, Hampshire and much of Berkshire, in southwest and south central England. Two of his novels, Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd, were listed in the top 50 on the BBC's survey The Big Read.
Members
Discussions
THE DEEP ONES: "The Withered Arm" by Thomas Hardy in The Weird Tradition (April 2023)
2013 Quarter 2 - Thomas Hardy in Monthly Author Reads (October 2013)
Just Joined - and my small/humble HP collection... in George Macy devotees (September 2012)
Jude the Obscure: Parts 4-6 in Group Reads - Literature (July 2011)
Jude the Obscure: Parts 1-3 in Group Reads - Literature (July 2011)
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Books I've read (5)
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Statistics
- Works
- 458
- Also by
- 125
- Members
- 76,818
- Popularity
- #159
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 1,249
- ISBNs
- 3,950
- Languages
- 32
- Favorited
- 413
Hardy's eponymous heroine is a sixteen-year-old country girl at the story's outset, just removed from school and under the guidance of her uneducated parents who have recently discovered their noble ancestry. At their behest, she travels to the nearby estate of a wealthy relative to seek employment and a financially beneficial match. Unfortunately, the supposed relatives have in fact appropriated the family name, rather than being born into it, and the naive Tess is set upon and disgraced by the scoundrel son, Alec. Her self-assessed punishment is to run away from family and friends, working in anonymity as milkmaid on a faraway farm.
The remainder of Tess's story is a disheartening reminder that one's past cannot be left behind. She finds love, only to be scorned by a hypocritical husband guilty of her same crime (absent an out of wedlock birth). Her shiftless parents burden her for money in their ignorance regarding her impoverished life. Worst of all, she suffers the renewed advances of the irredeemable Alec.
Tess of the D'Urbervilles is a critical analysis of late 18th century England morals and manners with a healthy dose of Ecclesiastical philosophy thrown in: the repetitive nature of Tess's sad life is mere proof that there is nothing new under the sun.… (more)