Showing results by author "Thomas Hardy" in All Categories

Set against the backdrop of peaceful southwest England, where Thomas Hardy spent much of his youth, The Mayor of Casterbridge captures the author's unique genius for depicting the absurdity underlying much of the sorrow and humor in our lives. Michael Henchard is an out-of-work hay-trusser who gets drunk at a local fair and impulsively sells his wife, Susan, and baby daughter.

Grace Melbury, the only daughter of a timber merchant, arrives home in Little Hintock after an expensive education, and her father looks to find a husband for her. There are two rivals for her hand: Giles Winterborne, a good-hearted yeoman and her childhood sweetheart; and Edred Fitzpiers, an ambitious young doctor of good family. Fitzpiers wins her, but the mismatch brings unhappiness not just to the young couple but to a wider circle in the woodland community.

Widely recognised as the most representative of Hardy’s Wessex novels. He evokes the dismal presence and menacing beauty of Egdon Heath – reaching out to touch the lives and fate of all who dwell on it. The central figure is Clym Yeobright, the returning ‘native’ and the story tells of his love for the beautiful but capricious Eustacia Vye.

Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented was Thomas Hardy's penultimate novel.

First published in 1891 and now considered a great classic of English literature, the book received mixed reviews when it first appeared, in part because it challenged the sexual mores of Hardy's day.

Michael Redgrave presents one of Thomas Hardy's most popular novels, which takes place entirely in the environs of Egdon Heath and covers exactly a year and a day.

Henchard is a handsome farm labourer. When he gets drunk at a country fair, he sells his wife and child to a sailor. The next day, ashamed by what he has done, he lets people believe that his wife has died. Thus begins a chain of events which leads Henchard deep into dishonesty and betrayal. Repentant and determined to change his ways, Henchard works hard to improve his fortunes. He becomes rich and is elected mayor of Casterbridge - though his temper and his pride make him difficult to like.

Michael Henchard, a young hay trusser, overindulges in rum-laced furmity and quarrels with his wife, Susan. Spurred by alcohol, he decides to auction off his wife and baby daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, to a sailor, Mr. Newson, for five guineas. Once sober the next day, he is too late to recover his family. When he realizes that his wife and daughter are gone, probably for good, he swears not to touch liquor again for as many years as he has lived so far (21).

"Tess of the d'Urbervilles" by Thomas Hardy is a tragic tale of love, betrayal, and societal injustice. This podcast unpacks the life of Tess, a young woman whose fate is shaped by the rigid moral standards and hypocrisy of Victorian society. A deep dive into themes of innocence, guilt, and human suffering.

An exceptional collection of strange and uncanny tales which cast various slants on that most grisly of events, the execution.

"Jude the Obscure" is a tragic novel by Thomas Hardy that explores the struggles of a young man from a poor background who dreams of becoming an academic. Set in the late 19th century, the story takes a deep dive into societal constraints, morality, and relationships. With vivid descriptions and complex characters, this audiobook offers a compelling and thought-provoking experience.

Released in 1896, the story centers around young Cytherea Graye, who becomes a servant to Miss Auclyffe, a woman with a troubled past. There, she encounters Aeneas Manston, the incredibly handsome and charming steward of Miss Auclyffe. The anti-hero, Aeneas Manston, as physically alluring as he is evil, fascinates the innocent Cytherea though she is in love with another man.

Set in Hardy's Wessex, Tess of the D'Urbervilles is a moving novel of hypocrisy and double standards. Its challenging sub-title, "A Pure Woman", infuriated critics when the book was first published in 1891, and it was condemned as immoral and pessimistic. The novel tells the story of Tess Durbeyfield, the daughter of a poor and dissipated villager, who learns that she may be descended from the ancient family of d'Urbeville.

A wonderful anthology of 15 of the great classic Novellas. 1. Immensee by Theodor Storm 2. The Jew's Beech Tree by Annette von Droste-Hülshoff 3. The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad 4. The Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy 5. Mad Monkton by Wilkie Collins 6. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 7. The Lifted Veil by George Eliot 8. England my England by D. H. Lawrence

"A Laodicean" by Thomas Hardy is a captivating romance novel that follows the story of Paula Power, a wealthy heiress torn between her duty to marry for financial stability and her desire to follow her heart. As she navigates through the obstacles of love, social status and personal growth, Paula discovers the true meaning of happiness and fulfillment. This audiobook is filled with vivid descriptions of the Victorian era, complex characters and unexpected plot twists that will keep you engaged until the very end.

Two on a Tower' is Hardy's ninth novel and contains perhaps his most complete treatment of the theme of love across the class and age divide, and also the fullest expression of his fascination with astronomy and science.

When a stranger turns up at Shepherd Fennel's party, held in honour of his daughter's christening, he is welcomed and treated to home-brewed mead, a pipe and tobacco and a seat by the fire. When a second, altogether more sinister stranger arrives, he too is welcomed, although he makes rather too free with the host's liquor and sings a song revealing his terrible secret. When a third stranger arrives in the midst of the second stranger's song and taking one look into the room, flees in terror, the guests are mystified.

Cuando todos los dedos te señalan, rendirse no es una opción. Tess proviene de una familia de campesinos en el empobrecido Wessex. Un día recibe la noticia de que su apellido pertenece a una estirpe de nobles normandos. Al enterarse, sus padres la presionan para que se introduzca en los círculos aristócratas y obtener beneficio, algo a lo que Tess se niega. Pero el poder de la aristocracia caerá sobre ella con hostilidad y repugnancia y la sociedad no tardará en condenarla por el mero hecho de ser mujer.

In this classic novel, Gabriel Oak is a shepherd struggling to get ahead when Bathsheba Everdene moves next door. Although he loves her, she sees him as a friend and rejects him for two other suitors. After she leaves town, she and Gabriel are reunited years later, once everything has changed.

A pretty young girl has to leave home to make money for her family. She is clever and a good worker; but she is uneducated and does not know the cruel ways of the world. So, when a rich young man says he loves her, she is careful - but not careful enough. He is persuasive, and she is overwhelmed. It is not her fault, but the world says it is.... An Oxford Bookworms Library reader for learners of English, adapted from the Thomas Hardy original by Clare West.

More of the Greatest Mysteries of All Time is the second in a series featuring the finest short story mystery fiction by the most acclaimed writers, past and present. From Thomas Hardy, O. Henry, Jack London, Vincent Starrett and everyone in between, this unique collection, edited by multi-award winning mystery connoisseur Otto Penzler, is a delightful mixture of mystery and suspense.