Preface to Hardy: Preface Books Series (2nd Edition) - Softcover

Williams, Merryn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0582437709 ISBN 13: 9780582437708

Publisher: Routledge, 2000

Synopsis

A Preface to Hardy remains the best introduction to one of the most important and popular writers in English literature. The first section concentrates on Hardy the man and outlines the intellectual and cultural context in which he lived. The author then moves on to examine a wide range of Hardy's work, with particular reference to The Mayor of Casterbridge. There is new material on Hardy's short stories and their relation to the major novels, and on The Dynasts, which accompanies a study of a range of Hardy's other poetry.

About this title

About the Author

Merryn Williams is a poet and critic and has taught widely on the nineteenth century novel.

From the Back Cover

Excellent introduction to one of the great Victorian novelists!

* Looks at Hardy the man and the intellectual, and the cultural climate in which he lived.
* Examines a variety of Hardy's work from the major phases of his career, concentrating particularly on The Mayor of Casterbridge and outlines the short stories and their relation to the major novel.
* Covers Hardy's extraordinary verse epic The Dynasts and explores his second career as a poet, from early work such as Neutral Tones to the haunting poems about Emma Hardy.
Thomas Hardy is one of the great Victorian novelists. The author of classic works of fiction such as Far From the Madding Crowd and Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Hardy later gave up writing fiction and concentrated on writing poetry. Increasing importance has been placed on his poems and some critics now regard Hardy as the major influence on the development of modern British poetry. This invaluable account provides an excellent introduction to the life and works of Thomas Hardy and provides biographical analysis, setting Hardy's works in the context of his time which encourages readers to understand his work in the period and style it was written.

Merryn Williams is a poet and critic and has taught widely on the nineteenth century novel.

Edition details

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0582437709
• ISBN 13: 9780582437708
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 216