On Humanism In Thomas Hardy's Works

Thomas Hardy, one of the most famous novelists in the world, wrote so many poems and tragic novels in all his life. Living at the turn of the century, Hardy is often regarded as a transitional writer. In him we see the influence of both the Victorian era and the modern age.Through his works, we can see his sympathy to the labours, his affectionateness to the countryside (also his hometown), his criticism of capitalism, the religion as well as the war, which are the best reflection of Hardy's humanistic spirit. His novels are also known as the novels of character and environment. The theme of tragedy in his novels has always been studied by most professionals, and factually, this tragic idea is based on his humanistic spirit. He criticized the society which has been invaded by capitalism, but he realized that the evolution is inevitable. So he unfolded the dark reality and immorality under capitalism, and thought deeply of human fate. His Works, especially his tragic novels, are influenced by Shakespeare's tragedy, but the characters under his pen are not nobilities, but low-classes, and they are defeated finally after fighting with fate, environment as well as the whole society, which successfully show the author's love to his hometown. This paper aims to discuss and study Thomas Hardy's humanism in his works, including some tragic novels such as The Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the D'Urbervilles (1891) and Jude the Obscure (1896), and some representative poems.And yet, Hardy is not an analyst of human life or nature, but a meditative story-teller or romancer. He tells very good stories about very interesting people but he seldom stops to ask why. He seems puzzled, just like his readers, about the fate of his characters. He depicts them as he sees them, but he doesn't understand them. He is a great painter of nature. In his hand, nature assumes the form of life and becomes a most powerful, forbidding force with its own life and will. His heroes and heroines, those unfortunate young men and women in their desperate struggle for personal fulfillment and happiness, are all vividly and realistically depicted. They all seem to possess a kind of exquisitely sensuous beauty. They are not only individual cases but also of universal truth.And finally, all the works of Hardy are noted for the rustic dialect and a poetic flavor which fits well into a perfectly designed structure of the works. These works are full of Hardy's humanistic spirit, and also are the most representative of Hardy as both a naturalistic and realistic writer.