‘Scholarly, ambitious and scrupulous’—Matthew Beaumont, Times Literary Supplement

Norman Page, with the help of his team of expert contributors, presents here in one volume a unique synthesis of understanding and insight into the life and works of Thomas Hardy. By incorporating different national interests and traditions of scholarship, The Oxford Reader’s Companion to Hardy gives the assurance of sound knowledge, which is indispensable for students and general lovers of Hardy’s work.

Interest in the writing of Thomas Hardy never seems to falter, not just in scholarly circles but also among readers of Victorian fiction. Hardy was a prolific writer of both prose and poetry, he started writing in his teens and continued literally until the day of his death. His work is valued not only in terms of literature, but also in terms of the history, sociology, philosophy, folklore, and religion of his times.