Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) was an English poet and novelist who wrote during both the Victorian and Modernist periods. A realist influenced by Romanticism, he is the author of numerous short stories, a wealth of poetry, and fourteen novels, including Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Far from the Madding Crowd, and Jude the Obscure. Known for his investigation of tragic characters, difficult circumstances, and fate, he used his writing to critique the Victorian societal conventions that created an array of social constraints.
