Authors in Context examines the work of major writers in relation to their own time and to the present day. Combining history with lively literary discussion, each volume provides comprehensive insight into texts in their context. Hardy was born before the invention of the car, the telephone, and the aeroplane, when no woman could vote, when there were different rules for men and women wanting to divorce, and education was the preserve of the upper classes. He lived to see the Zeppelins over London, new divorce laws, wider educational opportunities, votes for women, and the questioning of religion. In novels such as Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure Hardy engaged directly with the issues of the day, and his fiction resonates with contemporary concerns. This book explores the interconnections between life and art, and shows how modern interpretations on film and television create new contexts in which to read the works afresh. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.

Table of Contents

1. The Life of Thomas Hardy ; 2. The Fabric of Society ; 3. The Literary Context ; 4. Social Issues: Class in Hardy's Novels ; 5. Social Issues: Women and Society ; 6. Hardy and Science ; 7. Religious Issues ; 8. Hardy Recontextualized