Product Description

Educated beyond her station, Grace Melbury returns to the woodland village of little Hintock and cannot marry her intended, Giles Winterborne. Her alternative choice proves disastrous, and in a moving tale that has vibrant characters, many humorous moments and genuine pathos coupled with tragic irony, Hardy eschews a happy ending. With characteristic derision, he exposes the cruel indifference of the archaic legal system off his day, and shows the tragic consequences of untimely adherence to futile social and religious proprieties.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25543 in Books
• Published on: 1996-04-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Customer Reviews

Where's the tragic finale?
The basic plot here is young woman has to choose between rich man and poor man. And no surprise the rich man is a liar and philanderer, whilst the poor man is modest and honourable. Which does she choose? The liar and cheat, of course. But it is not entirely Grace's fault. Indeed, she is basically told to marry the aristocrat Fitzpiers by her father, who in his obsession with social status and advancement for his daughter effectively ruins her life. The plot may not be especially original, but the story is entertaining and explores some interesting issues.

The Woodlanders is a bit different from some of the other works of Hardy I've read. I was surprised, and somewhat relieved, when I reached the end of the book that things didn't turn out as they could have done. Yes, there is tragedy as you would expect, but there are also rays of hope for the characters. The Woodlanders is also a little harder going than some of his more popular books. I found I had to concentrate quite hard with some of the earlier chapters as the language was quite ornate. However, it is typical Hardy in so far as it is a very good read, with believable characters, and some very interesting insights into life in pre-industrial times.

An exploration of social status and marriage
In 'The Woodlanders', Hardy explores the tensions between the rural working class and the educated middle class through the character of Grace Melbury, the local timber merchant's daughter. The story follows Grace's struggles to fit into a society where she is rejected by the class into which she has been educated, on account of her lowly birth. This is symbolised by her vacillations between her two suitors, the educated and intelligent Dr. Edred Fitzpiers and the simple and kind-hearted Giles Winterborne.

The woodland setting which dominates the lives of the characters is beautifully evoked by Hardy's richly detailed prose, and Hardy's sympathies clearly lie with the rural characters, in contrast with the middle classes characters of Fitzpiers and Mrs. Charmond who are often rather one-dimensional.

Grace herself is not a compelling heroine, lacking emotional depth at times and the story misses the power and emotional insight of some of Hardy's other works which tackle similar issues. However, I would still recommend it as a balanced and involving story of the interwoven lives of a remote rural community of the kind that Hardy understands as well as any other English writer.

For lovers of words and rural England
This was the first Hardy novel I read - I chose it after hearing it was his favourite.

An enthralling account of the countryside of 1880's Dorset; Hardy's descriptions - which clearly show his love for the area - have stayed with me. It focuses on a tiny community reliant on the surrounding New Forest, into which comes a young doctor. Soon discontented with the "backwardness" of the woodlanders' lives, he becomes involved in a love triangle with tragic consequences.

Any lover of the English countryside, romantic fiction or those with a passion for words, will enjoy this book, particularly if you enjoy being prompted to consider arguments such as whether education makes us more or less happy and who knows better - the modern urbanites or the settled countryfolk.