Thomas Hardy

Born 2 June 1840

Stinsford, Dorset, England

Died 11 January 1928

Dorchester, Dorset, England

Resting Place Westminster Abbey

London, England

Occupation Novelist
Poet
Short story writer

Alma mater King's College

London, England

Mr. Last's Academy for Young Gentlemen

Dorchester, England

Bockhampton school
England

Literary period Victorian

Genre Victorian literature

Spouse Emma Gifford

Florence Dugdale

Introduction

Thomas Hardy was a Novelist, Poet and Short story writer, who is mainly known for
his contribution to the naturalist movement. Though he always regarded himself as a poet
and claimed poems as his first love, they are not as popular as novels composed by him.
Hardy's huge popularity lies in the large volume of work, together known as the Wessex
stories.

Childhood and early life

Thomas Hardy was born on June 2, 1840, in Stinsford, Dorset, England. He was the
eldest of four children born to Thomas Hardy Sr. and Jemima Hand Hardy. His father worked
as a stonemason and builder, while his mother was a housewife and amateur musician.
Hardy's upbringing was rooted in rural life, and he developed a deep connection to the
landscapes and traditions of his native Dorset.
Education

Thomas Hardy's education was a mix of formal schooling and self-guided learning,
influenced by his family's background and his own passion for literature. At the age of eight,
Thomas Hardy went to his first school at Bockhampton. He moved to London in 1862 where
he enrolled as a student at King's College London. He won prizes from the Royal Institute of
British Architects and the Architectural Association.

Personal life

Thomas Hardy's personal life was marked by a series of significant relationships, and
a complex love life. In 1874, Thomas Hardy married Emma Gifford, whom he had met while
working on an architectural project. Later in life, after Emma's death in 1912, Hardy married
Florence Emily Dugdale. This marriage was more harmonious than his first, and Florence
actively supported Hardy's literary endeavours.

Death

Thomas Hardy passed away on January 11, 1928, in Dorchester, Dorset, England.
His death marked the end of a prolific and influential literary career that spanned decades.
Hardy's death occurred at his residence, Max Gate, which was located in Dorchester,
Dorset, England. During the later years of his life, Hardy had shifted his focus primarily to
poetry, producing some of his most reflective and contemplative works.

Notable works

1. "Under the Greenwood Tree"

2. "The Return of the Native"
3. "The Woodlanders"
4. "A Pair of Blue Eyes"
5. "Wessex Tales"
6. "Desperate Remedies"