Thomas Hardy the reputed novelist, poet, playwright and story writer has made his presence felt in the literary arena in an emphatic manner. The aim of this study is to draw a new light in his poetic oeuvre to illuminate those aspects of his vision which were hitherto less known. He is primarily known as a novelist par excellence producing a bulk of masterpiece novels in English. At the same time he has written almost 900 lyrics which stand as a testimony to his poetic genius.
In the words of Donald Davies, “In British Poetry of the last fifty years the most far reaching influence, for good and ill has been not Yeats, still less Eliot or Pound, not Lawrence, but Hardy.” (Davies 3)
Poetry always remained very close to his heart. He primarily conceived himself as a poet. He himself confessed it: In fiction he felt, he was merely “holding his own”; poetry he said was the more individual part of his literary fruitage. He took up novel writing because he could not earn his livelihood as a poet and he returned to poetry as he had earned income from his novels. He agrees with Leslie Stephen who believes that: “The ultimate aim of the poet is to touch our hearts by showing his own.” (Qtd. in Harvey 228)
Hardy started writing poetry at the age of 55. At the end of 1898 he published his first volume Wessex Poems which gained mixed critical reception. Friends like Swinburne and Leslie Stephens gave it a warm response. But at the same it produced acrimony in his married life that resulted in his estrangement with wife Emma to that extent that they lived apart with no children in the same house.
Three years after the appearance of Wessex Poems Hardy was ready to publish his second volume of verses which he named as Poems of the Past and the Present (1901) containing 99 poems. The first group of poems was titled as War Poems which established him as the first major “War poet” of the 20th century. The poems were written in the context of Boer war and it’s aftereffects. The collection received a better response as compared to the previous one.
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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Hardy’s Humanistic Vision
3. Religious Manifestations
4. Aesthetic mode of Transcendence
5. An Epistemological Perspective
Objectives and Topics
This study aims to re-examine Thomas Hardy’s poetic oeuvre to shed new light on the philosophical foundations of his vision, specifically tracing his development from early pessimism through the awakening of human consciousness to a final philosophy of evolutionary meliorism and humanitarian altruism.
- Evolution of Hardy's poetic philosophy across three distinct phases.
- The role of "evolutionary meliorism" as a framework for understanding his worldview.
- Hardy's complex relationship with religion and the reconciliation of intellect with emotional faith.
- The integration of fine arts—music, architecture, and sculpture—into his poetic technique.
- The epistemological function of perception and impressionism in his work.
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Introduction
Thomas Hardy the reputed novelist, poet, playwright and story writer has made his presence felt in the literary arena in an emphatic manner. The aim of this study is to draw a new light in his poetic oeuvre to illuminate those aspects of his vision which were hitherto less known. He is primarily known as a novelist par excellence producing a bulk of masterpiece novels in English. At the same time he has written almost 900 lyrics which stand as a testimony to his poetic genius.
In the words of Donald Davies, “In British Poetry of the last fifty years the most far reaching influence, for good and ill has been not Yeats, still less Eliot or Pound, not Lawrence, but Hardy.” (Davies 3)
Poetry always remained very close to his heart. He primarily conceived himself as a poet. He himself confessed it: In fiction he felt, he was merely “holding his own”; poetry he said was the more individual part of his literary fruitage. He took up novel writing because he could not earn his livelihood as a poet and he returned to poetry as he had earned income from his novels. He agrees with Leslie Stephen who believes that: “The ultimate aim of the poet is to touch our hearts by showing his own.” (Qtd. in Harvey 228)
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides an overview of Hardy’s literary career, his transition from novelist to poet, and outlines the research objective of exploring his philosophical influences.
Hardy’s Humanistic Vision: Explores Hardy's evolution from pessimism to evolutionary meliorism, emphasizing his humanitarian compassion for all living beings.
Religious Manifestations: Discusses Hardy’s formative Anglican upbringing, his intellectual struggle with Christian doctrine, and his eventual view of religion as a metaphorical and ethical guide.
Aesthetic mode of Transcendence: Analyzes how Hardy incorporates music, architecture, and visual arts into his poetry to achieve a "world of representation" that mitigates human suffering.
An Epistemological Perspective: Examines Hardy’s philosophy of perception, comparing his focus on impressions and the active role of the mind to the theories of Hume and Schopenhauer.
Keywords
Thomas Hardy, Poetry, Evolutionary Meliorism, Humanism, Impressionism, Schopenhauer, Religion, Anglicanism, Aestheticism, Perception, Existentialism, Humanitarian, Transcendence, Epistemology, Nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on the philosophical underpinnings of Thomas Hardy’s poetry, specifically investigating how his views on humanism, religion, aesthetics, and perception are reflected in his verses.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The work covers themes of human suffering and empathy, the evolution of religious belief, the role of fine arts in poetic expression, and the philosophical concept of how the human mind perceives reality.
What is the primary goal of this study?
The primary goal is to re-evaluate Hardy’s reputation as purely a "pessimist" and instead highlight his philosophical stance as an "evolutionary meliorist" who believes in improvement through human compassion.
Which scientific or theoretical methods are utilized?
The study employs an analytical and comparative literary approach, drawing on established philosophical frameworks from figures such as Schopenhauer, Hume, Comte, and Neo-Kantian thinkers to interpret Hardy’s poetic themes.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body treats Hardy’s poetic development in phases, his engagement with the Anglican tradition, the influence of architectural and musical principles on his structure, and his epistemological theory of "impressionism."
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Keywords include evolutionary meliorism, humanitarian vision, epistemological perspective, aesthetic transcendence, and the intersection of traditional faith with modern scientific outlooks.
How does Hardy incorporate the concept of 'Will' into his poetry?
Hardy follows Schopenhauer’s philosophy, viewing the 'Will' as an unconscious force driving human action, which the poet attempts to transcend through moments of pure aesthetic perception and artistic creation.
What is the significance of the 'sister arts' in Hardy's work?
Hardy viewed architecture, music, and painting as essential vehicles for emotion; he believed these arts could help humans transcend the limitations of their immediate existence by providing a bridge to deeper, platonic realities.
- Citar trabajo
- Indu Prabha Pathak (Autor), 2013, Thomas Hardy’s Philosophical Influences in his Poetry, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/438031
