The poems of Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) are key to understanding 19th, 20th and even 21st century poetry. This collection of fresh essays sheds new light on Hardy's poems--some of which have received little critical attention--from a variety of thematic and analytical approaches, offering a detailed picture of how his works are currently being read.
The contributors discuss why Hardy's poetic genius is less and less overshadowed by his career as a novelist and highlight his passionate attention to small details, his delight in "noticing things" and his "eye for...mysteries."
Adrian Grafe is an English professor at Artois University in France. He has published broadly on poetry, fiction and popular music, and is a Fellow of the English Association.
Laurence Estanove teaches English at Paris-Descartes University, France. The author of many essays on Hardy's novels and poems, she is a cofounder of FATHOM (French Association for Thomas Hardy Studies) and coeditor of its online journal.