1 Thomas Hardy：the biographical sources MICHAEL MILLGATE 1
CONTENTS 11
Notes on contributors 11
Preface 15
A chronology of Hardy's life and Publications 18
2 Wessex SIMON G ATRELL 19
List of abbreviations and texts 23
3 Art and aesthetics NORMAN PAGE 38
4 The influence of religion，science，and philosophy on Hardy's writings ROBERT SCHWEIK 54
5 Hardy and critical theory PETER WIDDOWSON 73
6 Thomas Hardy and matters of gender KRISTIN BRADY 93
7 Variants on genre：The Return of tbe Native，The Mayor of Casterbridge，The Hand of Etbelberta JAKOB LOTHE 112
8 The patriarchy of class：Under the Greenwood Tree，Far from the Madding Crowd，The Woodlanders PENNY BOUMELHA 130
9 The radical aesthetic of Tess ofthe d'Urbervilles LINDA M． SHIRES 145
10 Hardy and readers：Jude the Obscure DALE KRAM ER 164
11 Hardy as a nineteenth-century poet DENNIS TAYI OR 183
12 The modernity of Thomas Hardy's poetry JOHN PAUL RIQUELME 204
Index 224