Thomas Hardy has often been described as an extremely pessimistic and morbid individual.

Most of, if
not all of Hardys work is inclined towards negative thinking of events occurring around him and lifes
experiences in general. Hardy often engaged in combat with the view of him being pessimistic, stating
that he was in fact a realist and that such questioning is the exploration of reality. Hardy lived a long
life and witnessed many changes taking place before his eyes, however, he did not adapt well these
changes.He was critical in thought and input into the Victorian Society in which he lived to see the
beginning of.

Hardys poem The Darkling Thrush was composed in the 1900s and is believed to be on the last day of
the 1900th century. This change sparked Hardys creative expressive format resulting in its composition.
Since the poem is being written at the beginning and end of something great significant, the readers/
audience may have expected a piece more complimentory and welcoming of the new century. Instead,
Thomas writes about the last moments of the 1900 th (dregs of a drink) century as if it were dying. The
use of his comparison of the sharp features of the landscape and the extended metaphor of the death of
the century through the usage of the winter season both unite to form Hardys usual outlook, being
pessimistic. His attraction to the morbid scene also paints a clear picture of his pessimistic perspective on
life.

Another of Hardys poems that cause him to stand out as very dark and morbid is his composed piece
pertaining to the death of his wife Emma, Gods Education. In this poem Hardy speaks to God about
some impolite action taken upon him, being the removal of the breath of his wife. Hardy is recognized
not to have instead composed a piece of appreciation of the life of his wife, but to instead mull over her
death and seek out someone to cast the blame about on for what in his mind would have been an
untimely death, as he was bitter about it even though she had lived to see an acceptable amount of
years. Hardys use of literary devices in this poetic piece brings out his harsh and again pessimistic
outlook on life. Hardy uses alliteration with letters harsh to the human ear in describing the death of his
wife. (cold control) The example should be fully explained

Lastly, but not limited to of Hardys poetic pieces which bring him to being widely viewed as dark and
morbid is Hap of the Wessex group of poems. Similarly to Gods Education, Hardy questions Gods
treatment of man. Hardy has convinced himself over a few select poems that God is indifferent to man
and does not care about their suffering. In this poem also, his view is seen. Hardys dark and morbid
characteristics come out when, considering the amount of years that he has been allowed by this very
God and the privilege of having not only one wife, but two, that he does not fail to recognise that
everything must eventually die and be replaced with something else, or even better in some cases as
Henry King highlighted in his poetic piece A Contemplation Upon Flowers.

Hardy was an individual trapped within life. An individual that seemed more likely to prefer being free of
capture of his physical body and wander about spiritually with the power and respect of a God. His
complex thinking and exploration of reality as defined by himself, cause critics from his time to until
even today, to have the general idea that Hardy is of pessimistic nature. He is truly a topic to be studied
and serves mainly as an example to those that do not appreciate what they have.