Satires of Circumstance, Lyrics and Reveries, with Miscellaneous Pieces

Hardy, Thomas, 1840-1928Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 4.0

Word count: 139K words
Chapters: 14

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today. Satires of Circumstance, Lyrics and Reveries, with Miscellaneous Pieces by Hardy. Author: Hardy, Thomas, 1840-1928. Language: English. Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature. Release Date: Oct 1, 2001.

Editor's review

Satires of Circumstance, Lyrics and Reveries, with Miscellaneous Pieces is a poetry collection by Thomas Hardy, including satirical short pieces, lyrical poems, reveries, and miscellaneous pieces, showing Hardy's poetic side beyond his novels. The "satires of circumstance" in the title point to the tone running through the book: presenting irony arising from fate, chance, and human misalignment with concise strokes, short in length yet lingering in effect. The lyrical and reverie sections turn inward and toward nature with a calmer tone, forming a rhythmic contrast with the satirical pieces. As a free Project Gutenberg eBook, it is convenient for repeated browsing and searching, especially suitable for readers interested in Hardy's poetry who wish to start with short poems to feel his language craft. Reading need not proceed in order; one may first pick short pieces to appreciate his cold satirical style, then enter the lyrical selections; or compare this book with Hardy's novels to observe how the same author handles the theme of fate in different genres. Suitable for slow reading, excerpting, and savoring in a quiet environment.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Thomas Hardy's poetry who want to expand their reading
Poetry lovers who enjoy short and metrical poems and prefer concise expression
Students studying Hardy's work or poetry of the Victorian-to-modern transition
Readers who wish to do extensive reading of English poetry through short pieces

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting coherent plots and complete stories
Readers new to English poetry who need detailed annotations
Readers who prefer bright, light, and directly emotional expression

Reading tips

First read the short "satires of circumstance" pieces, pausing briefly after each before the next.
Keep a notebook to excerpt memorable lines and record your understanding and questions.
Read lyrical and reverie selections slowly in quiet hours, noting changes in tone and rhythm.
Can be read alongside Hardy's novels to compare the theme of fate in his poetry and fiction.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or a poetry collection?

This is a poetry collection by Thomas Hardy, containing satirical short pieces, lyrical poems, reveries, and miscellaneous pieces; it is not a novel. The pieces are relatively independent and can be read by interest, not necessarily in order from beginning to end.

Can I read it without a poetry reading background?

You can try, but the book has no modern annotations, and some wording and allusions require your own verification. It is recommended to start with short, directly worded pieces, using a dictionary and background materials for support, then gradually enter the more difficult lyrical and reverie sections.

Is it suitable as an introductory reader for English poetry?

This book is more suitable for readers with some experience in reading English poetry. Hardy's satirical short pieces are brief with clear structure and can be an introductory attempt, but the book as a whole lacks annotations, so beginners may need to use it alongside a guide or selected edition.

What are the conveniences of reading the electronic edition?

The Project Gutenberg edition is free and easy to search, suitable for repeatedly consulting specific poems, excerpting lines, or comparing different pieces. Electronic reading also makes it convenient to mark and take notes at any time, but slow reading in a quiet environment is recommended to appreciate the rhythm and tone of the poetry.

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Hardy, Thomas, 1840-1928 Author

Thomas Hardy (1840–1928) was an English novelist and poet whose career spanned the Victorian era and the twentieth century. The library holds 31 of his works, including representative titles such as Tess of the d'Urbervilles, Far from the Madding Crowd, The Return of the Native, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure, and the poetry collection Late Lyrics and Earlier, with Many Other Verses. His novels are mostly set in the rural southwest of England, portraying ordinary people struggling against fate, social custom, and emotional entanglement in a somber yet compassionate tone. After the controversy surrounding Jude the Obscure, he turned mainly to poetry. Hardy's work has had a lasting influence on later English fiction. Public information about his life and nationality is limited, so this note is based on the works held and general literary knowledge.