Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) was one of the most prolific English novelists and poets of the late 19th Century. With great novels to his credit Hardy’s lyric poetry is, however, considered by far his best known.
Hardy’s poetry explores a fatalistic outlook against the dark and rugged landscape of his native, Dorset. His style is highly original, combining a variety of meters and stanzaic forms, often combined with rough-hewn rhythms and colloquial diction.