Hellenism, paganism and aestheticism: Arnold’s influences on Hardy’s later novels

Abstract

The nineteenth century was characterized by important changes in society following the Industrial revolution and in this transformation era great personalities arose from the midst. This dissertation will consider one of the most prominent figure, Matthew Arnold, and his influence on Thomas Hardy, especially on his later celebrated and controversial novels. Firstly, the dissertation will explore the Victorian frame of mind in the light of some of the themes which both Arnold and Hardy dealt with, particularly, Religion, the Hellenism and Neoclassicism and the idea of Culture. To investigate the values which gave shape to the Victorian frame of mind a few influential essays will be discussed in the first chapter, written by Carlyle, Mill, Huxley and Pater. These outstanding intellectuals and man of letters influenced the work of Thomas Hardy, who will be discussed in the following chapters. Starting with Tess of the D’Urbervilles, this dissertation will analyse the connections and influences of Matthew Arnold and his idea of Hellenism and Paganism especially in the character of Angel. The following chapter will deal with the other great and controversial novel by Hardy, Jude the Obscure who might remind the readers of Arnold’s The Scholar-gypsy. Hardy developed in the novel contentious themes such as a critique of marriage, religion and sexuality. The last chapter of this dissertation will focus on Hardy’s last novel, The Well-Beloved which is a more conscious novel on the artistic process and production, and it deals with the aestheticism, Neo-Platonism and the revival of the classical-Hellenic art which were part of the late nineteenth century Neo-paganism. To conclude, this works will argue that the great novels of Hardy gather features and themes exposed and discussed throughout the XIXth century by the major philosophers and intellectuals. But Hardy, with an acute critique towards society and his eccentric vision of life, explored and developed the common Victorian themes looking and reshaping them with a modern outlook.