Hardy`s tragic vision: A study of `The Mayor of Costerbridge`, `Tess of the d`Urbervilles` and `Jude the Obscure`

Abstract

Hardy sees life as a tragedy. According to Hardy's tragic vision the seed of tragedy lies everywhere; in the character, in the physical world and in society. Hardy experiments with Aristotelian and Shakespearean tragic models in novel form so as to convey the tragic possibilities of the actual life of his age. His experiments on the Greek and Shakespearean tragic models helped him to develop the modern tragic novel and to universalize the tragic suffering of the common man. The novels examined in this study have been chosen among Hardy's fourteen novels so as to iMuminate his contribution to the development of the modern tragic novel as well as his treatment of subject-matter and character. The three novels which are examined in this study centre around different tragic conflicts. The Mayor of Casterbridge is based on a self-made tragic conflict which blinds the protagonist and consequently leads him to his inevitable destruction. The social and physical forces and the people around the character interact with the protagonist's blindness and hasten his tragic end. The fall of the protagonist and his rise to tragic stature is similar to that of traditional tragic figures. An examination of the second novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles has displayed that the tragic conflict is generated by both man-made and natural circumstances. The protagonist is forced to fight against various social and physical circumstances in an effort to realize her ambitions. Hereditary elements and personal qualities interact with the outward forces and finally destroy the protagonist.Finally, in Jude the Obscure which is Hardy's last tragic novel the origin of the tragic conflict lies in the society and its social institutions. The character has some sort of hereditary and personal weaknesses. The pressure of society and its institutions come between the protagonist and his desires, generating his ultimate defeat. When the three tragic novels are examined various images, themes and techniques are examined with a view to assessing how far and in what way Hardy has contributed to the development of the tragic novel from its traditional form to a genuine modem form. An examination of Hardy's tragic vision together with the technical and thematical elements in the three tragic novels have led us to the conclusion that Hardy did indeed manage to contribute to the development of the modem tragic novel. Moreover, Hardy's tragic vision gave him a special understanding of the individual's psychology and assisted him in the treatment of issues of modem man such as the liberation of the individual; particularly of womankind, which is still an important issue in our time. This is where Hardy's modernity and greatness lie.