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Thomas Hardy was born at Higher Brockhampton, a hamlet to the east of Dorchester.
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Thomas was tutored by his mother, who was well read and knowledgeable, until the age of 8.
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With little money left to support Thomas, and because the family was not of enough stature to allow him to continue on in college, Thomas returned home and became apprenticed to James Hicks, a local architect.
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Hardy moved to London in 1860, enrolled in a local Architect office, and began writing in his spare time. He also enrolled in King's College around the same time, to further his education.
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First Novel written. Was written anonymously, but Hardy failed to find a publisher and later destroyed a large part of the novel.
He was encouraged to try another atempt at writing by a fellow friend and poet George Meredith. -
Began to create Wessex, an imaginary county based on his life expiriences.
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Just as with Desperate Remedies, this novel wa published anonymously. 1st big writing success, this novel made his career pick up pace.
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His firsted novel published under a true name, this novel drew upon Hardy's expiriences courting his wife. It is also known for the first ever recorded use (and possible invention) of the "cliffhanger" in which one of Hardy's characters is literally left hanging off a cliff at the end of a chapter.
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Appeared anonymously as part of the Comhill magazine, and was received with praise. Hardy recieved enough income from his writing that he soon quit architecture and pursued a literary career.
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A more controversial novel, Hardy had some trouble finding publisher for the book. It was still received with acclaim, and was published in the magazine Belgravia.
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A tragedy, and considered one of his best books.
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The beginnings of controversy in Hardy's writings. At this point he was already a well established writer, so he knew that he could take risks and venture into genres that few others dared to do.
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Appeared first in a censored version. Even though now it is held in higher regard, at the time it was very controvesial because it challenged sexual ideals of the time.
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Hardy's most criticized and controversial novel, it centers around criticism of revered institutions such as marriage, Christianity and education. Often called "Jude the Obscene"
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