Thomas Hardy: Bard of Wessex

THE SEQUEL

Tuesdays 10.30-12.30 pm

Starts 20th October

(Dr John Florance)

3 Week course £27.00

 

Following on from last term’s successful course, this new series is open to everyone—you do not need to have attended the previous course to enjoy it.

Thomas Hardy is best known today as the author of classic novels such as Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Jude the Obscure and Far from the Madding Crowd, as well as the creator of the fictional landscape of Wessex. Yet Hardy himself regarded his poetry as his greatest achievement and continued writing verse throughout his life.

Although his poetic output was vast, this course will focus on some of the finest examples of his work, exploring the themes, ideas and experiences that inspired him. From love and loss to nature, memory and the passage of time, Hardy’s poetry offers a rich and often deeply moving perspective on the human condition.

If you know Hardy only through his novels, you may be surprised by the power, originality and accessibility of his poetry—work that deserves to be far better known than it is today.

No previous knowledge is required, and all texts will be provided.