Tess of the D'Urbervilles

Victorian Era: 1837 - 1901

Thomas Hardy's life

Thomas Hardy born

1840

Born in Dorset - rural Southwestern region in agricultural England.

Hardy starts school in Stinford

1848

Continues schooling in Dorchester

1850 - 1856

Becomes an apprentice to arcitect John Hicks

1856 - 1860

Witness hanging of Martha Browne

1856

Martha Browne hung for murdering her husband

Friendship begins Horace Moule

1857

Horace Moule - son of Henry Moule, vicar of Fordington. Moule becomes Hardy's intellectual mentor, and encourages his study of Latin and Greek.

Moves to London to work for architect Arthur Blomfield

1862

Returns to Dorset, working with Hicks to restore local church

1867

Horace Moule commits suicide

1873

Inspires Hardy to write, 'Standing by the Mantelpiece'

Hardy marries Emma Gifford

1874

They move into London

Tess of the D'Urbervilles published

1891

Relationship with Florence Henniker begins

1893

Applies more strain on the already fragile relationship between the Hardy's

'Jude the Obsure' published

1895

Important victorian events

Vaccination for the poor introduced

1840

Parliament enabled local poor law authorities to provide vaccination at the expense of ratepayers. Battles over the ethical and practical issues involved lasted for the remainder of Victoria's reign. Throughout the C19th many anti-vaccination campaigns took place.

Public Health Act

1848

Parliament passed legislation to improve conditions in urban areas with higher than average death rates.

Darwin's 'On the Origin of the Species' is published

1859

The book created an immediate stir, since Darwin's theory appeared to contradict the bible's creation story and call into question ideas of divine providence. Despite the influence of Darwin's work, very few Victorian scientists took up an atheistic position as a result of reading it.

Second Reform Act

1867

Almost doubling the electorate, it gave the working man the vote and offered representation to the working classes. In a few urban constituencies working men even formed the electoral majority.

New law introduces secualr school boards

1870

Although law does not make education compulsory, it opens up schooling to children of the poor.

Woman granted limited rights to retain property after marriage