Hardy, Thomas: - Prominent English novelist and poet Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) is renowned for having had a significant influence on Victorian and early 20th-century literature. Hardy, who was born in Dorset, England, on June 2, 1840, came from a working-class family to become one of the greatest writers of his day. Hardy explored themes like love, fate, and the conflict between old and modern values in his works, which frequently portrayed the harsh reality of rural life. "The Mayor of Casterbridge" (1886), "The Return of the Native" (1878), "Far from the Madding Crowd" (1874), and "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" (1891) are a few notable works. His writing was distinguished by a close relationship to nature and a sharp understanding of human nature. Hardy was a talented poet in addition to his novelist, as evidenced by collections like "Wessex Poems" (1898) and "Poems of the Past and Present" (1902). Hardy's writings were increasingly more well-known throughout the 20th century for their realistic and profound psychological depth. Thomas Hardy's literary talents have ensured his enduring legacy as a master poet and storyteller, notwithstanding some debate around the seeming pessimism in his latter novels.