The WoodlandersSet in the secluded forest community of Little Hintock, Thomas Hardy's "The Woodlanders inextricably links the dramatic English landscape with the story of a woman caught between two rivals of radically different social statures. Grace Melbury is promised to her longtime companion, Giles Winterborne, a local woodlander and a gentle, steadfast man. When her socially motivated father pressures her to wed the ambitious doctor Edred Fitzpiers, Grace's loyalties shift--and her decision leads to tumultuous consequences. With its explorations of class and gender, lust and betrayal, "The Woodlanders is one of Hardy's most vivid and powerful works. This Modern Library Paperback Classic is set from the text of the 1912 Wessex edition and includes Hardy's map of fictional Wessex. "The finest English novel."--Arnold Bennett |
Contents
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE | 33 |
INTRODUCTION by James Wood | 82 |
A NOTE ON THE TEXT | 156 |
Copyright | |
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asked better boughs carriage Cernel Charmond cheval glass cider Creedle daugh daughter dear doctor door Dumpy level Earl of Wessex Edred eyes face father feel Felice fell Fitzpiers Fitzpiers's folding star garden gate Giles Winterborne Giles's girl gone Grace Melbury Grammer Oliver Greek mythology hand Hardy Hardy's head hear heard heart hedge Hintock House hollow-turner horse hour husband keep knew lady leaves lewth light Little Hintock live looked man-trap marriage married Marty South Melbury's mind Miss Melbury morning murmured never Niflheim night novel once passed pomace poor replied returned round scene seemed seen soon speak spot stay stood Suke suppose sure tell things Thomas Hardy thought timber-merchant tion told took trees turned voice walked wife window wish woman wood woodland words young