Thomas Hardy: A Companion to the Novels

by Ronald D. Morrison

Overview

Thomas Hardy enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a novelist before devoting his talents to writing poetry for the remainder of his life. This book focuses on Hardy's remarkable achievements as a novelist. Although Victorian readers considered some of his works controversial, his novels remained highly regarded. His novels still appear in the syllabi of courses in Victorian literature and the British novel, as well as courses in feminist/gender studies, environmental studies, and other topics.

For scholars, students, and the general reader, this companion helps to makes Hardy's novels accessible by providing a detailed biography of Hardy, plot summaries of each novel, and analyses of the critical contexts surrounding them. Entries focus on the people, cultural forces, literary forms, and movements that influenced Hardy's novels. The companion also suggests approaches for original interpretations and suggestions for further study.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476673653
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	08/30/2024
Series:	McFarland Companions to 19th Century Literature
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.53(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Ronald D. Morrison is a professor emeritus of English at Morehead State University in Kentucky. He has published critical essays on Thomas Hardy, Charles Dickens, Richard Jefferies, and other 19th-century writers.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments deletev
Abbreviations deleteix
Preface
Introduction: Thomas Hardy’s Significance to Literature
Biography of Thomas Hardy
Chronological Listing of Hardy’s Major Published Works
The Companion
Works Cited
Index

Editorial Reviews

The McFarland companion volume will be a useful reference book for [Hardy’s] work. It includes a brief biography of Hardy and key personages in his life, and it covers topics that Hardy and his contemporaries felt were important and that influenced him personally and professionally. …A plot summary traces each novel's action, whether streamlined or complicated, and often includes critical context and observations about approaching Hardy's work…Works cited and the index are very helpful. An indispensable volume…highly recommended”—Choice

From the Publisher