Thomas Hardy: The Writer

Contents: Preface. Introduction. 1. Life and works of Thomas Hardy. 2. Thomas Hardy’s Major novels. 3. Thomas Hardy’s minor novels. 4. Thomas Hardy’s short stories. 5. Thomas Hardy’s poetry. 6. Thomas Hardy’s epic drama The Dynasts. 7. Thomas Hardy’s minor writings. 8. Thomas Hardy’s philosophy of life. 9. Indian response to Thomas Hardy. Conclusion. Appendixes. A select bibliography. Index.

“The present monograph on Thomas Hardy aims at introducing Thomas Hardy to the Indian English students. Hardy is the finest Victorian novelist and pioneer modern poet. Hardy is second only to Charles Dickens in English fiction, past and present. He is a good short story writer as well. Who has not heard of Hardy’s epic dram The Dynasts? Again like Shakespeare and Dickens, Hardy is a part of syllabus in schools, colleges and universities everywhere.

The present monograph on Hardy is one of the finest studies of Hardy. Mr. Mallikarjun Patil is a Hardy scholar and he has visited all Hardy places in England. In fact, he has authored three books on Hardy so far. He has authored similar kind of monographs on Shakespeare, Conrad, Kafka and others. Mr. Patil is our “Harold Bloom”. The present monograph contains quintessential studies of Hardy’s major novels, minor novels, short stories, poetry, plays and his epic drama. As well as it includes Hardy’s philosophy of life. All students of English Literature must read this book.” (jacket)