Thomas Hardy

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British architect and writer, a distinguished poet and one of England's greatest late Victorian novelists. Hardy shattered Victorian values of the period in his brooding novels about change and death, and loss and decay set in the landscape of Dorset, England. After an attempt to enter architecture, in 1874, Hardy dedicated himself to the writing profession, producing his novels, "Return of the Native," 1878, "Mayor of Casterbridge," 1886, Tess of the D'Urbervilles," 1871 and Jude the Obscure" in 1896. Hardy's excellence was in creating passionate, sensuous brooding characters. After his novels, Hardy had his poems published. He also wrote elegies to his first wife, Emma. Hardy was the son of a stonemason. At birth, he was cast aside for dead by the attending doctor but was rescued by the country nurse. His family were self-employed country people of Dorchester, England. His mother, Jemima, was an interfering and assertive woman. His grandmother entertained Tom with stories about the family heritage. Young Tom accompanied his father on the fiddle at village dances. He received his education at the local school until the age of 16 when he apprenticed in an architect's office in Dorchester. In 1862, at 22, Hardy moved to London to assist a London architect. At this time, Hardy the poet tried to have his works published but without success. He returned to Dorchester in 1867 because of ill health. He turned to fiction writing and published his first novel, "Desperate Remedies" anonymously in 1871. His writing career gained success with the publication of his work, "Far From the Madding Crowd" in 1874, a work that is still considered a masterpiece. Hardy fell in love with Emma Gifford, a liberal-minded archdeacon's daughter. The couple married in 1874 but remained childless: he was widowed in 1912. In 1914, Hardy married his secretary, Florence Emily Dugdale. In neither marriage did Hardy find lasting happiness. After his death, his widow burned his papers in 1928. He wrote about the woodland, heath and moors in his books while he lived in a suburban villa. Hardy died on 11 January 1928 "shortly after 9:00 PM" at Max Gate, Dorset, England. His ashes were placed in Westminster Abbey, London. Link to Wikipedia biography