Thomas Hardy as a Passimist.

       Thomas Hardy' passimism.

Introduction:

Thomas Hardy is one of the most renowned and celebrated novelists and poets of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. He was a master of the English language, and his work has been lauded for its vivid imagery, sharp observations, and deep insights into human nature. However, what sets Hardy apart from many other writers of his time is his deep and abiding pessimism. Hardy's view of the world was shaped by his experiences, and he saw the world as a cruel, indifferent place, where human beings were often powerless to change their fate. In this article, we will examine the themes of pessimism in Thomas Hardy's work, and explore how they are expressed in his novels and poetry.

Thomas Hardy's Life:

Thomas Hardy was born in 1840 in Dorset, England. He was the son of a stonemason, and grew up in a working-class family. Despite his humble background, Hardy was a bright and curious child, and he was determined to learn as much as he could about the world around him. He read widely, and was particularly interested in science and philosophy.

As a young man, Hardy moved to London to pursue a career in architecture. However, he soon became disillusioned with the profession, and began writing poetry and novels in his spare time. In 1871, he published his first novel, "Desperate Remedies," which was moderately successful. However, it was his third novel, "Far from the Madding Crowd," published in 1874, that established him as a major literary figure.

Over the next few decades, Hardy wrote some of his most famous works, including "The Return of the Native," "Tess of the d'Urbervilles," and "Jude the Obscure." These novels explored the lives of ordinary people in rural England, and were notable for their bleak and pessimistic tone.

Hardy's Pessimism:

Thomas Hardy's work is often described as "pessimistic," but what does this mean? Essentially, Hardy saw the world as a fundamentally unfair and cruel place, where human beings were often powerless to control their own destinies. He believed that people were subject to forces beyond their control, such as fate, chance, and social conventions.

Hardy's pessimism was partly a product of his own experiences. He grew up in a working-class family, and saw firsthand the injustices and hardships that many people faced. He also lived through a period of great social upheaval, as the industrial revolution transformed England from an agrarian society to an urban one. This period of change brought with it many problems, including poverty, crime, and social unrest.

In Hardy's view, the world was a place of constant struggle and suffering. Human beings were often at the mercy of their own passions and desires, which led them into conflict with one another. Hardy believed that people were often driven by forces they did not fully understand, and that this lack of self-awareness led to their downfall.

Hardy's Pessimism in his Novels:

Hardy's novels are perhaps the best expression of his pessimistic worldview. In "Far from the Madding Crowd," for example, he explores the lives of several characters who are trapped in unhappy relationships. Bathsheba, the novel's heroine, is courted by three different men, each of whom has his own flaws and weaknesses. Ultimately, Bathsheba is unable to find happiness with any of them, and is left alone and disillusioned.

Similarly, in "Tess of the d'Urbervilles," Hardy tells the story of a young woman who is exploited and abused by the men in her life. Tess is a victim of both her own desires and the social conventions of her time, which force her to hide