Thomas Hardy: Art and Thought

Sep 21, 2026

Collection of essays by F.B. Pinion examining how Thomas Hardy’s art and thought were shaped by influences, literary models, and artistic choices. The preface outlines the essays’ relation to Hardy’s creative development, notes revisions for clarity and reduced repetition, and highlights key intertextual connections such as biblical and classical sources, and the impact of Shelley. A main section of essays is complemented by a supplement of shorter related articles, each offering new perspectives on Hardy’s writings, places, and broader implications.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages222

Reading Time5 h 42 min

AccessFree to download

Preface

Reference Abbreviations

Contents

1 An Early Influence

2 Poetical Extravagance in Fiction

3 Pictorial Art

4 Chance, Choice, and Charity

5 The Wild Duck

6 Mephistopheles, Satan, and Cigars

7 Hardy's Humour

8 The Frost's Decree

9 Hardy and Myth

Supplement

i The Return of the Native in the Making

ii Hardy and Pater

iii Les Misérables

iv During Wind and Rain

v Oxford and Fude

vi One Rare Fair Woman

vii Abdication of a Novelist

viii Wessex Topography

ix Shockerwick House

Notes

Index

# —FB.PINION— THOMAS HARDY:ART AND THOUGHT Also byF.B.Pinion THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE(Macmillan Critical Commentaries) A HARDY COMPANION ONE RARE FAIR WOMAN Thomas Hardy's Letters to Florence Henniker,1893-1922 (edited,with Evelyn Hardy) A JANE AUSTEN COMPANION A BRONTE COMPANION A COMMENTARY ON THE POEMS OF THOMAS HARDY A D.H.LAWRENCE COMPANION Thomas Hardy:Art and Thought # F.B.Pinion 爪 ◎ F.B.Pinion 1977 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1977 All rights reserved.No part of this publication may bereproduced or transmitted,in any form or by any means,without permission First edition 1977 Reprinted 1978 Published by THE MACMILLAN PRESS LTDLondon and BasingstokeAssociated companies inDelhi Dublin Hong KongJohannesburg Lagos MelbourneNew York Singapore Tokyo ISBN 978-1-349-15767-9 ISBN 978-1-349-15765-5(eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-349-15765-5 To MARJORIE,particularly for encouraging a Hardy companionship Contents Preface 1XX Reference AbbreviationsI An Early InfluenceI2 Poetical Extravagance in FictionIO3 Pictorial ArtI64 Chance,Choice,and Charity355 The Wild Duck 5I5767 6 Mephistopheles,Satan,and Cigars7 Hardy's Humour8 The Frost's Decree879 Hardy and MythI03IO Tess and ClarissaII9II A Pure WomanI25I2 Bird ImageryI36I3 The Influence of ShelleyI48I4 The Iris-Bow and the Well-Beloved15 Intimations of Immortality58 SUPPLEMENT i The Return of the Native in the MakingI77ii Hardy and PaterI79iii Les MisérablesI83iv During Wind and Rain186v Oxford and Fude187vi One Rare Fair Woman18gvii Abdication of a NovelistI92viii Wessex TopographyI96ix Shockerwick House200Notes203Index2II # Preface The essays which comprise the main part of this volume are closelyrelated to Hardy's art and thought,though no attempt has been madeto explore this area as a whole.Such an aim must be rather self-defeating,since all the important influences which combined to generateand mould his works are not yet known.I have,moreover,tried ingeneral to avoid familiar approaches,and to present new points of viewor relatively unexplored territory. Most of the essays have been written recently,developing from notesmade since the publication of AHardy Companion in 1968.The onlytwo to be published in any form(4,9)were read as papers at schoolsorganized by the Thomas Hardy Society in I972 and I975.Another (8)was given at Manchester in I974;and a fourth (3),at the Universityof Kansas in I975.All these have been revised,principally with theaim of reducing repetition to a minimum consonant with clarity,and ofincreasing the range and variety of illustrative material.Two others (6,I2)are more complete expositions of subjects which were outlinedwith fewer references in AHardy Companion,and another(I5)enlargesconsiderably on the final section of my Thomas Hardy Birthday Lecturein I974. One question which emerges from these studies is the extent to whichHardy's art was influenced by other writers.The Mayor of Caster-bridge,for example,was written to be popular,yet,as other critics haveshown,the Old Testament,the Oedipus Rex of Sophocles,and KingLear all contributed significantly to its imaginative growth.It is nowclear that its tragic conclusion owes a great deal to Les Misérables.I have discussed several other literary influences at various points,nonemore important in the aggregate than that of Shelley. The supplement consists of shorter articles,most of which are relatedto the main work.All,I believe,throw new light on Hardy's writings,some on particular places,some with wider implications.'The Returnof the Native in the Making'is included by kind permission of the editorof The Times Literary Supplement,where it appeared as part of aslightly longer article on 21 August 1970. # Reference Abbreviations LifeF.E.Hardy,The Life of Thomas Hardy,London and NewYork,I962. OrelH.Orel,Thomas Hardy's Personal Writings,Lawrence,Kans.,I966 and London,I967. ORFW Evelyn Hardy and F.B.Pinion (eds.),One

FAQs

What is the focus of the main essays in this volume?

The main essays closely relate to Hardy’s art and thought, presenting influences and viewpoints rather than attempting an all-encompassing exploration of the subject.

How were the essays developed and revised?

Most were written recently from notes made after an earlier Hardy volume, and revisions aimed to reduce repetition while improving clarity and expanding illustrative material.

What literary influences are emphasized as shaping Hardy’s works?

The preface discusses interwoven influences, including the Old Testament, Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex, King Lear, and the role of Shelley, as well as how these contribute to Hardy’s imaginative growth and tragic outcomes.

Sep 21, 2026

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