Thomas Hardy's Novels And Christian Culture

Christian culture is one of the most essential parts of human cultures and it has influenced Western literature profoundly. Since Thomas Hardy was born and brought up in a Christian family, each of his works was imprinted clearly with a mark of Christian culture. Without the background information of Christianity and the Holy Bible, it will be very challenging to appreciate Hardy's works thoroughly.This thesis is dealing with the relationship between Hardy's novels and Christian culture from the following three aspects:—Hardy's novels and the Bible resources. There is a close relationship between Hardy's novels and the Bible resources. He adopts the character prototypes, character relationship modes, scenes, imagoes and illusions that derive from the Holy Bible to portray the characters in his novels in a unique way.—Christianity in Hardy's novels. For the stiff doctrines and decrees of Christianity, Hardy carries an intensely critical attitude. However, he speaks highly of the humanity in the Christian spirit. From his point of view, the core of a religion should be tolerance, universal love, unity and benevolence. His novels depict a group of perfect Christians and are relentless in its exposure and condemnation of the evil figures.—The art of church architecture and church music in Hardy's novels. Hardy has once been a church architect for many years, which transformed him into a writer well versed in church culture. He applies what he has benefited from his architect experience to the description of Christian churches and church music, which has become one inseparable part of his works.