Thomas Hardy As a pessimistic Novelist :
Hardy is famous for his writing style which is filled with pessimism. His novel is genuine because they contain several personal experiences. In Victorian age, he really suffered regarding love and marriage. Although, he did not attend the school, lacking scientific knowledge. He was a frail child with a difficult childhood without money. As a result of it, there is pessimistic, dismal and fatalistic tone in his novel. Hardy is the father of pessimistic novel. and processor of modern novel.
Thomas Hardy’s Pessimistic Appearance: A Philosophical Outlook
Thomas Hardy, a renowned English novelist and poet, was known for his pessimistic outlook on life, which was reflected in his philosophical beliefs. His pessimism was a reaction to the Victorian optimism of his time and was influenced by various intellectual and cultural currents.
Hardy’s pessimistic appearance can be summarized as follows:
Hardy believed that life was inherently difficult and that human existence was marked by suffering and hardship. He rejected the idea of a benevolent deity and instead saw the universe as indifferent to human desires and aspirations.
Hardy was a determinist who believed that human life was controlled by external forces such as heredity and environment. He saw human beings as powerless against the forces of nature and fate.
Tragic Vision:
Hardy had a tragic vision of human existence, accepting the inevitability of suffering and evil. He believed that human existence had little or no sense in absolute terms and that its strength lay in individual relative virtue.
Evolutionary Meliorist:
Despite his pessimistic outlook, Hardy preferred to view himself as an “evolutionary meliorist,” believing that the world could be improved through human effort. He saw the Immanent Will, a concept he developed, as becoming gradually conscious and acquiring a positive purpose.
Existential Point of View:
Hardy’s philosophy was also characterised by an existential point of view, focusing on questions such as the human condition, personal freedom and determinism, the attitude to God and religion, the role of destiny, failed human relationships, and the alienation of human beings in the modern world.
In summary, Thomas Hardy’s pessimistic appearance was rooted in his philosophical beliefs, which emphasized the difficulties and hardships of human existence, the powerlessness of human beings against external forces, and the inevitability of suffering and evil. Yet, he also believed in the potential for human improvement and the importance of individual virtue.
