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Thomas Hardy

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David181173

New Member
The "books you were forced to read at school" thread, generated a few comments on Hardy's Tess. In my case it was "Far From the Madding Crowd" that was on my A-level syllabus. The latter was not the worst book I ever studied, even if far from being my first. I have since read Tess and the Mayor of Casterbridge, and seen a tv adaptation of at least one other (can't remember which, it has Catherine Zeta Jones in, before she became Mrs Douglas?). As a result, I came to the conclusion that Hardy is a rather melancholic writer. I wouldn't recommend his books to the miserable. Would anyone who has read any of his other novels agree? Are they all in this vein?

Ultimately studying Madding Crowd ended in disaster. Having prepared detailed character analyses of most of the characters, didn't it end up being one of the characters I hadn't focuses on who ended up as the subject of a question in the exam. I got As in internal exams through the course and then finished up with a C, and even that was only after a remark!
 
'Jude the Obscure' is hugely depressing - I won't give it away to anyone who hasn't read it and wants to (although I wouldn't recommend it) but all I can say is Jude's whole life is affected by the worst kind of Sod's Law.
Thomas Hardy at his most melancholy would be in his poems - they are all about misery, death and cruel fate - 'Ode to an Unborn Child' is a particularly nasty example encompasing all three subjects. I'm sure the Hardy fans will shoot be down in flames about this interpretation though.
 
I was forced to read Jude the Obscure, which is quite possibly one of the top 5 most depressing books ever. Many, many bad things happen to the main character, most of which result from a bad decision he made, but come on, give the poor guy a break.
 
I hear the sound of Thomas Hardy novels dropping down my 'should read' list faster than something heavy being dropped from a small building.

Thanks for the warning re "Jude the Obscure".
 
I studied Far From the Madding Crowd for O level, and I HATED it with a vengeance. I didn't like the characters or even their names! It was hugely depressing, and from what I can remember, seemed to consist of one disaster or unfortunate misunderstanding after another, which usually seemed to lead to someone dying in misery. Good grief. :rolleyes: Thankfully, I have just about managed to blank this book from my memory. I would only read another work by Hardy if someone paid me a very large sum of money. :)
 
Originally posted by Halo
... hugely depressing, ... one disaster or unfortunate misunderstanding after another, which usually seemed to lead to someone dying in misery. Good grief. :rolleyes:
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We seem to have a consensus! Would anyone like to spring to Hardy's defence?
 
I've been trying to not include spoilers here, but I could describe one scene in Jude that would make you never want to read it, ever. It was THAT depressing. I mean, think of the most depressing thing that ever happened to you - it was worse than that.
 
It's not that I think he's a terrible writer - he is far better than say DH Lawrence - but he's just completely miserable and his books are depressing.

I wonder if there are any Hardy books which are light and have a happy ending? I would guess not - but would be quite an interesting thing to find out.
 
Dolly said:
Ihave always felt I was "Tess" reincarnated!!
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Very sorry to hear that :) I really enjoyed Tess but would never wish her life on anyone. I have several of his other works on my TBR pile but have yet to get to them. Based on Tess I can't wait.
 
I first read " the return of the native"

and was instantly hooked by Thomas Hardy's writing. I then read " life's litlle ironies" and " the well-beloved" which I enjoyed less. Had I started with those, I might not have gone on reading his other works. My most recent read was " the woodlanders" which I absolutely loved. Cannot really explain why, because tragic love-stories usually aren't my cup of tea. I think it's his vivid and poetic descriptions which make the characters appear so real. you simply feel with them. I still have to read his major novels.
 
I absolutely loved The Mayor of Casterbridge. I read it as part of an english literature class and while it isn't one of the most well-known books, I was hooked form the very beginning of it. I remember to this day the class discussion of it and how the lead character's dilemma was essentially whether or not you can truly over come your past. Many people try to change who they are or try to forget an event that occured in their past. Personally, I'm of the persuasion that such efforts will not work and that trying to re-mold yourself will in the end, not work. Just as the Mayor had his youthful problems and then later on, became a more respected member of society, I know countless individuals who have done horrible things in their youth but who know, are looked upon with equal reverence and respect as the Mayor was. I suppose we all have a little bit of the Mayor in us in that we wish we could forget certain events or actions that we've done, but karma will always come back to us reminding us of what we truly are and not what we picture ourselves as being.
 
SFG75 said:
I know countless individuals who have done horrible things in their youth but who know, are looked upon with equal reverence and respect as the Mayor was. I suppose we all have a little bit of the Mayor in us in that we wish we could forget certain events or actions that we've done, but karma will always come back to us reminding us of what we truly are and not what we picture ourselves as being.
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So... is there no hope of retribution for anyone?

This is a very bleak picture indeed. (Mayor of Casterbridge is now on my TBR).
 
Kookamoor said:
So... is there no hope of retribution for anyone?

This is a very bleak picture indeed. (Mayor of Casterbridge is now on my TBR).
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If I recall correctly, the mayor abandoned his young wife and child and moved to another city. After a few years, they encounter one another again by chance and being a nice woman, she doesn't bring it up or force the issue, which just torments him mentally. Yes, I suppose people could turn a new leaf and undergo some kind of Pauline conversion, but even then, in the deepest, darkest corners of your mind, you would have to remember the things that youv'e done and know that you are not what you think you are. Sticking with the Paul analogy, if he had met the family of a man he had killed, wouldn't he still feel pangs of guilt? Wouldn't he question his nature and just for a second, just for a second,feel that he was just masking his problems?

The greatness of the book is that this whole dilemma is raised-and is relevant to us all.
 
A lot of folks have read his Tess of the d'Ubervilles While in college, I read The Mayor of Casterbridge, a fascinating book about a man who auctions off his wife and child to a sailor and who then goes on to be a respected mayor in a community. Of course, the old wife and kids show up again and questions about whether or not a person can change sincerely after what they have done is pursued. I'll have to give Tess a try one of these days.

Wikipedia entry on Thomas Hardy

Hypertextual edition of The Mayor of Casterbridge.

:cool:
 
Read Far from the Madding Crowd. I've read it a few times and I just love it. No time now for a review, but I'll give it a shot later on.
 
I've also read Far from the madding crowd and also loved it. Such beautiful language and vivid imagery, sometimes it was like reading a poem.
 
pink shadow said:
I've also read Far from the madding crowd and also loved it. Such beautiful language and vivid imagery, sometimes it was like reading a poem.
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I've read quite a few of his novels and some of his poetry. I agree Pink shadow, that his imagery is amazing and the language beautiful. Depressing though.
 
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