Thomas Hardy

Early Life Born in Higher Bockhamptom, England in

1840

Father was a stonemason and fiddler

His mother enjoyed reading to him

At 16 he became an apprentice to a local architect

Moved to London and worked as an architect for 5 years

Married Emma Gifford in 1874.

Hardy as an Author Started as a Novelist

He destroyed his first novel, The Poor Man and The Lady

He first published anonymously

First Novel-Desperate Remedies

After the novel, Jude the Obscure, received a lot of criticism Hardy switched to poetry

Life Imitates Art Hardy didn’t believe in a benevolent God,

and believed in Darwinism

Historical and war interests influenced works such as The Dynasts.

After the death of his first wife, Hardy wrote the Great Poems of 1912 and 1913.

Jude the Obscure Written in 1895

Highly criticized for sexual and anti-religion themes

Tells a story about a man, Jude, who falls in love with his cousin and has children out of wedlock.

A child from a previous marriage kills the other children and himself.

Story that challenges Christianity.

Without Ceremony Part of the Great Poems of 1912-13.

Tells a story about the last time Emma entertained.

Reader can tell their relationship has fallen apart.

Hardy mourns not being able to say good bye.

Achievements In 1910 was awarded the Order of Merit.

Max Gate became popular tourist attraction

Ashes are buried in Poets’ Corner of Westminster Abbey

Fun Fact The term “cliff-hanger” comes from Hardy’s

A Pair of Blue Eyes in which the main character Henry Knight is left staring off the edge of a cliff.

Works Cited "Thomas Hardy." Poets.org. Academy of

American Poets, n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/110>.

"Thomas Hardy." Poem Hunter. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.poemhunter.com>.

"Thomas Hardy." : The Poetry Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/thomas-hardy>