The Ideal Women In Thomas Hardy's Novels

Thomas Hardy is one of the most distinguished writers in the later part of Victorian Age. Born in a time of bridging quality when epoch-making change has happened in public sphere as well as scientific and technological development, his works are as revolutionary as distinct against his contemporaries. Victorian era is a time when male enjoys the dominating power over female. Under Victorian male-dominance, women are required to become submissive, husband-oriented and sexually moderate, that is, to make themselves an ideal woman. Hardy with all his compassion for the disadvantaged group in his society shows his affection especially to women. With full awareness of women's agony, Hardy calls for social action while appreciating their extraordinary quality as dignified social beings. Thus, in his novels, he has gradually established his own ideal women, who possess no less competency, sexual charm, social significance and moral integrity than that of men. However, meanwhile, Hardy is conscious of the cruel reality that women fight and struggle, only to find themselves driven to the abyss of destruction.My thesis will be divided into six parts. After the introduction of background information and Victorian standard of ideal women, it gives an in-depth analysis of Hardy's view towards ideal women. Three of the heroines from three of Hardy's world-renowned masterpieces will be selected as the subject for further study. Bathsheba in Far from the Madding Crowd is a woman of competency who is endowed with no less ability than men in her management of her farms and staff. Sue in Jude the Obscure, as a representative of new woman in her time, exerts all her power to justify herself as a capable social being both sexually and intellectually. Tess, a woman of extremely natural beauty, sets off in her journey of self-recognition in a world full of prejudices and male-dominance with her moral strength. Finally, conclusion will be made on the summary of Hardy's standard of his own ideal women.