Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) was an English novelist and poet associated with the late Victorian era and the Wessex novels. His major works—Far from the Madding Crowd; The Mayor of Casterbridge; Tess of the d'Urbervilles; Jude the Obscure—explore rural life, social constraints, fate, and tragic consequences for individuals. He trained as an architect before becoming a full-time writer and later devoted much of his output to poetry.