Thomas Hardy from a painting by Augustus John in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge

Oct 13, 2026

Thomas Hardy was born and raised in Dorset, attending school there and working as an architect’s assistant in Dorchester. At twenty-two he moved to London, leaving architecture once he was confident he could earn a living as a writer. Though he valued poetry most, he practiced fiction for over twenty years and turned fully to verse after harsh attacks on his last major novel Jude the Obscure. His writing reflects wonder at the world’s beauty, affection for Dorset village life, and deep compassion for human fate in an indifferent universe.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLiterature

FormatPDF

Pages74

Reading Time1 h 54 min

AccessFree to download

Bibliographical Series

Supplements to 'British Book News' on Writers and their Work

Thomas Hardy

今华 H 11Ⅲ SEMINOLE COMMUNITY COLLEGE LIBRARYPR4754 .S41967Scott-James,Rolfe Arnold000Thomas Hardy.by R.A.Sc26010135601000315956WRITERS AND TEEIR WOR区：NO。21ThomasHardybyR.A.SCOTT-JAMESand C.DAY LEWISPublished for the British Counciland the National Book Leagueby Longmans,Green &Co论论心 ■ SEMINOLE JR.COLLEGE REC.JAN 221975 SANFOF b,FL RIDA homasHardy by R.A.SCOTT-JAMES and C.DAY LEWIS Published for the British Counciland the National Book Leagueby Longmans,Green &Co Distributed by The British Book CenfreElmsfordNew York Thomas Hardy was born and bred in Dorset,attending school there,andworking as an architect's assistant in Dorchester.He left his native countyfor London at the age of twenty-two,and abandoned the profession ofarchitecture as soon as he was satisfied that he could make a living as awriter. Although he laid most store by his poetry,he practised the art offiction for over twenty years;devoting himself entirely to verse onlyafter the virulent attacks made on his last major novel Jude the Obscure.His poetry and prose alike are informed by a sense of wonder at thebeauty of the world,by a love for the way of life still preserved in theDorset villages of his youth,and by a deep compasion for the fate ofhuman beings in a universe that is indifferent to them. R.A.Scott-James,who writes on Hardy's fiction andon his epic poem,The Dynasts,was a well-known literary editor and critic,whose publica-tions include The Making of Literature(I928)and Fify Years of EnglishLiterature(I9SI). C.Day Lewis,who contributes the section on Hardy's lyrical poetry,is a poet and literary critic.His Collected Poems appeared in I954,and hisother publications include a critical work,The Poetic Image(I947),avolume of autobiography,The Buried Day(196o),and translations ofVirgil.His work has been discussed by Clifford Dyment in an essaypublished in this series. 画 # Bibliographical Series of Supplements to 'British Book News'on Writers and their Work GENERAL EDITORGeoffrey Bullough 1 THOMAS HARDYfrom a painting by AuGUSTUs JoHN in theFitzwilliam Muserin,Cambridge

FAQs

Where and how was Thomas Hardy educated and first employed?

Hardy was born and raised in Dorset, attended school there, and worked as an architect’s assistant in Dorchester.

When did Thomas Hardy move to London and why did he leave architecture?

He left his native county for London at twenty-two and abandoned architecture as soon as he could make a living as a writer.

How did criticism of Jude the Obscure affect Hardy’s literary focus?

After virulent attacks on Jude the Obscure, he devoted himself entirely to verse and reduced his fiction practice.

Oct 13, 2026

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