Thomas Hardy

Con Lejos del mundanal ruido (1874), reeditada ahora después de mucho tiempo en una nueva traducción, Thomas Hardy alcanzó su primer gran éxito, y también la que quizá sea la más amable de sus obras maestras. El autor nos hace un formidable retrato de una heroina victoriana que sabe que lo dificil para una mujer definir sus sentimientos en un lenguaje creado principalmente por el hombre para expresar los suyos. De caracter fuerte e independiente, esta heroina, joven propietaria de la mayor granja de su localidad, esta en situacion de elegir entre los tres pretendientes que la rondan. Al elegir descubrira en poco tiempo que ha renunciado la la sencillez de la vida de soltera para convertirse en la humilde mitad de un indiferente todo matrimonial.

Este volumen reúne los cuatro libros de cuentos que Thomas Hardy publicó en vida –Cuentos de Wessex, Un grupo de nobles damas, Pequeñas ironías de la vida y Un hombre cambiado y otros relatos– más al

Hardy escribe una sensual novela con una seductora heroína y un crimen sin resolverCytherea Graye es una joven criada que descubre que su enamorado, Edward, está prometido con otra, por lo que decide aceptar la peticion de matrimonio del oscuro y seductor Aeneas Manston. Para su horror, Cytherea descubrira que su marido habia asesinado a su primera esposa. Despues de no pocas peripecias, equivocos y buenas dosis de peligro, y con la ayuda de su extravagante patrona, la señorita Aldclyffe, Cytherea queda libre para casarse con su verdadero amor. Un delicioso retrato de la campiña inglesa, escrito a la manera de Wilkie Collins, con las sutiles pinceladas sexuales que caracterizan la prosa de Hardy.Misterio y suspense, ilegitimidad, bigamia, asesinatos: la primera novela de Hardy es cautivadoraTHE GUARDIANUna novela deliciosa en la tradicion de Wilkie CollinsTHE VICTORIAN WEBUna joya llena de intriga del maestro Thomas HardyTHE TIMES

En una feria de ganado, un hombre borracho vende en pública subasta por cinco guineas a su mujer y a su hija -un bebé de meses- a un marinero. Al día siguiente, resacoso y avergonzado, jura ante Dios que no volvera a beber. Dieciocho años mas tarde, es un prospero comerciante agricola y una figura respetada de la comunidad de Casterbridge y una mujer y una muchacha se presentan ante el como la esposa y la hija que vendio.

Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. The first of his works set in Wessex, Hardy's novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships.

Lejos del mundanal ruido fue publicada mensualmente en Cornhill Magazine de manera anónima en 1874 y si bien es la cuarta novela de Thomas Hardy, fue la primera obra del autor que alcanzó éxito literario. En ella, Hardy nos situa en la region de Wessex, donde vive la joven Bathsheba Everdene, una mujer libre e independiente que se dedica a la administracion de la finca que ha heredado de su tio. Sin embargo, la muchacha no es ajena a los dilemas del amor, que la hacen dudar entre el sargento Troy, un hombre egoista y mujeriego, William Boldwood, un hacendado serio y elegante, y Gabriel Oak, un desafortunado pastor. Pero como otros personajes femeninos de la obra de Hardy, aunque Bathsheba vive en un mundo dominado por hombres, es una mujer fuerte y decidida que nunca vera en el matrimonio una solucion de futuro ni la unica via para la felicidad. Considerada como una de las mejores novelas romanticas de la literatura inglesa, Lejos del mundanal ruido presenta un hermoso cuadro de la Inglaterra rural victoriana, en el que vibran con fuerza las pasiones en un mundo aparentemente idilico.

John Durbeyfield, padre de siete hijos, haragán y borrachín, se entera un buen día de que su apellido es en realidad una deformación de dUrberville, un noble linaje normando que se remonta a los tiempos de Guillermo el Conquistador. Con este inesperado h

En la peripecia de Jude Fawley –en el abandono de su mujer, en su renuncia forzosa a seguir estudios universitarios, en la relación ilícita, tortuosa y vagabunda que emprende con su prima Sue-, Thoma

Thomas Hardy es el principal novelista inglés del último cuarto del siglo XIX. Su peculiar tratamiento de la condición humana, de las relaciones personales y de la lucha y tensión de clases, así como su ataque a muchas de las restricciones, convencionalismos e hipocresias de la epoca victoriana, hacen que sus novelas, imbuidas de gran poesia y una minuciosa descripcion de la naturaleza, sigan siendo tan interesantes y fascinantes en la actualidad como en su momento."Los habitantes del bosque" forma, junto con "Tess" y "Jude el oscuro", el triptico con el que Hardy cerro su carrera de novelista y nos dio sus mejores creaciones. Pese a ser un poco menos conocida que las otras, "Los habitantes del bosque" tal vez sea su novela mas compacta (ademas de la preferida del autor), en la que la naturaleza se convierte en un ser vivo mas que da cobijo y sentido a las vicisitudes, dramas y pasiones de unos personajes que son victimas de un universo despreocupado, de su sociedad, de sus semejantes y, sobre todo, de ellos mismos.

The novel follows the activities of a group of west gallery musicians, the Mellstock parish choir, one of whom, Dick Dewy, becomes romantically entangled with a comely new village schoolmistress, Fancy Day.The novel opens with the fiddlers and singers of the choir including Dick, his father Reuben Dewy, and grandfather William Dewy making the rounds in Mellstock village on Christmas Eve. When the little band plays at the schoolhouse, young Dick falls for Fancy at first sight. Dick, smitten, seeks to insinuate himself into her life and affections, but Fancys beauty has gained her other suitors including Shiner, a rich farmer, and Mr Maybold, the new vicar at the parish church.

In On the Western Circuit, Thomas Hardy weaves a poignant narrative that delves into the intersection of love, desire, and social obligation in a rapidly changing Victorian England. Through the lives of two central characters, the stablehand and the gentlewoman, Hardy employs his signature naturalistic style, rich with dialect and detailed settings that reflect the emotional and moral dilemmas faced by his characters. The novella explores themes of class disparity, the complexity of human relationships, and the tragic consequences of societal constraints, positioning it within the broader context of Hardys critique of the social structures of his time. Thomas Hardy, a pivotal figure in Victorian literature, drew much of his inspiration from the rural landscapes and socio-economic issues of his native Dorset. His own experiences with the constraints of class and the nuances of human emotion infused his writing with authenticity and depth. Hardys background as an architect and his profound respect for the natural world also shaped his literary vision, leading him to investigate the often harsh realities of life and love. On the Western Circuit is essential reading for those seeking to understand Hardys exploration of the human condition. It invites readers to contemplate the intricacies of love and sacrifice against the backdrop of societal expectations, making it a compelling and thought-provoking addition to any literary collection.In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience:- A succinct Introduction situates the works timeless appeal and themes.- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the eras events and influences that shaped the writing.- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the authors life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the works messages, connecting them to modern life.- Handpicked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

A Changed Man and Other Tales is a collection of twelve tales written by Thomas Hardy. The collection was originally published in book form in 1913,[1] although all of the tales had been previously published in newspapers or magazines from 1881 to 1900.[2] There are eleven short stories and a novella The Romantic Adventures of a Milkmaid. At the end of the book there is a map of the imaginary Wessex of Hardys novels and poems.[3] Six of the stories were published before 1891 and therefore lacked international copyright protection when the collection began to be sold in October 1913 (font: Wikipedia)

A Novel By the author of " Far from the Madding Crowd,""A Pair of Blue Eyes," etc."A valuable accession tothe ranks of modern novel writing authors. . . Not only quick observations and sparkling humor, and true moral instinct, but a delicate and subtle analysis of varieties of character and moods of feeling, a poets sympathy with human passion, and an artists eye for every aspect of nature." London Spectator"A remarkable story. . . . The plot is worked out with abundant skill, but the essence of the book is precisely what it ought to be, namely, the evolution of character. . . His deserts are of no ordinary kind." London Saturday Review."The characters of the story are often exceedingly good. The construction of tile story is very curious. "-London Athenaeum.

Like " Tess of the DUrbervilles," the story of "Jude the Obscure" is a manifestation of the authors later mannera manner which is a natural and almost inevitable development in a writer who possesses Mr. Hardys extraordinary capacity for observation, profound knowledge of human nature, and philosophical ideas concerning the problem of existence. Mr. Hardy has never been an author to write novels merely for the purpose of providing entertainment, or for illustrating in more or less persuasive form some preconceived didactic proposition. He has been content to take men and women as they are, and no one in English fictionpossibly no one in the whole range of modern literaturehas been able to surpass him in depicting the reaction of circumstances upon character. In this carefully reasoned, closely woven narrative of " Jude the Obscure" he sets before us the entirely natural and consistent experiences of two sensitive and impulsive creatures, who have been profoundly and disastrously affected by the changes in popular thought regarding ideals of religious faith and personal conduct; who, yielding to their thoroughly undisciplined emotions, work out for themselves a destiny full of bitterness and sorrow. It has been said that Mr. Hardy is not a writer to work on preconceived theories,but he certainly has some effective doctrines regarding the behavior of the two sexes under similar conditions, and when one comes to analyze this story one finds that a settled conviction underlies its entire texture, and this conviction is that misfortunes and disappointments, which soften the heart of man and tend to make him more considerate and charitable in his dealings with his fellows, have as a rule a contrary effect upon the heart of a woman.

After arguing with his wife Susan at a country fair near Casterbridge in Wessex, Michael Henchard, drunk on rum auctions her off, along with their baby daughter, to Richard Newson, a passing sailor, for five guineas. Sober and remorseful the next day, he is too late to locate his family and vows not to touch liquor again for 21 years. Some 18 years later, after Newson is lost at sea, Susan seeks out Henchard again, taking her daughter with her. She discovers that Henchard has become a very successful hay and grain merchant and Mayor of Casterbridge, known for his staunch sobriety. When the couple is reunited, Henchard proposes remarrying Susan after a sham courtship. However, he is engaged with a woman named Lucetta Templeman, who had nursed him when he was ill and his situation begins to complicate.

Young Tess Durbeyfield attempts to restore her familys fortunes by claiming their connection with the aristocratic dUrbervilles. But Alec dUrberville is a rich wastrel who seduces her and makes her life miserable. When Tess meets Angel Clare, she is offered true love and happiness, but her past catches up with her and she faces an agonizing moral choice.Hardys indictment of societys double standards, and his depiction of Tess as "a pure woman," caused controversy in his day and has held the imagination of readers ever since. Hardy thought it his finest novel, and Tess the most deeply felt character he ever created.

Far from the Madding Crowd was the first of Hardys novels to apply the name of Wessex to the landscape of south-west England, and the first to gain him widespread popularity as a novelist. When the beautiful and spirited Bathsheba Everdene inherits her own farm, she attracts three very different suitors; the seemingly commonplace man-of-the-soil Gabriel Oak, the dashing young soldier Francis Troy, and the respectable, middle-aged Farmer Boldwood. Her choice, and the tragedy it provokes, lie at the centre of Hardys ambivalent story.

Here you will find the complete novels of Thomas Hardy in the chronological order of their original publication.- Desperate Remedies- Under the Greenwood Tree- A Pair of Blue Eyes- Far from the Madding Crowd- The Hand of Ethelberta- The Return of the Native- The Trumpet-Major- A Laodicean: a Story of To-day- Two on a Tower- The Romantic Adventures of a Milkmaid- The Mayor of Casterbridge- The Woodlanders- Tess of the dUrbervilles- Lifes Little Ironies- Jude the ObscureIncludes Bonus two short stories- The Great English Short-Story Writers, Vol. 1- The Three Strangers

Hardy distrusted the application of nineteenth-century empiricism to history because he felt it marginalized important human elements. In The Trumpet Major, the tale of a woman courted by three competing suitors during the Napoleonic wars, he explores the subversive effects of ordinary human desire and conflicting loyalties on systematized versions of history.

Damon Wildeve, a local innkeeper known for his fickleness is preoccupied with Eustacia Vye, an exotically beautiful young woman who broke up with him when Clym, a successful diamond merchant, returned from Paris to his native Egdon Heath. Eustacia sees him as a way to escape the hated heath and begin a grander, richer existence in a glamorous new location. When he sees that Eustacia is lost to him, Wildeve marries Thomasin Yeobright, who gives birth to a daughter. After realizing that Clym wont fulfill her dreams, Eustacia becomes desperate, but another opportunity shows up. Wildeve has unexpectedly inherited a large sum of money, and is now in a better position to fulfill Eustacias hopes, but he now has a wife and a child.