Thomas Hardys Philosophy Influences His Writing Essay -- Biography Bi

Thomas robusts Philosophy Influences His WritingIn a earn written in 1920, Thomas barefaced comments, it is my misfortune that people forget treat my mood-dictated writing as a single scientific system (Hicks 111). Hardy did not write under the pretenses of a single ruling system, but was so often misunderstood that he had to try and reelect some clear and precise statement of his beliefs (Hicks, 110). Although he did not accomplish the role of philosopher, often these statements were read as Hardys philosophy. According to Jacobson, the task of a philosopher is to develop articulate, settled systems of thought about the nature of the world, about the honorable constitution of mankind, and about the grounds and modalities of knowledge itself. He continues to explain that these ideas must(prenominal) be coherent, not just within themselves . . . but also with those come in forward in the opposite twosystems of thought (115). While Hardy explores the ideas of nature, morali ty, and knowledge in his writings, he focuses on the multi-faceted aspects of each idea, not on any habitual conclusions about each idea. Although Hardy did not support an individual or personal philosophy, echoes of the late nineteenth century philosophers, including Nietzche, Comte, and Schopenhauer, are found in his works. Nietzche comments on the nature of human drives, arguing that one could understand shade by studying the conflict between the Apollonian and Dionysian drives. The Apollonian drive, according to Nietzche, strives to bewilder order in a confused, chaotic, and cruel world. The Dionysian drive, on the other hand, desires to break down that artificial order. An example of these opposing drives is found in Hardys short story The Fiddler of the Reels. Ned, ... ...eas represent a powerful compounding of the philosophies introduced by contemporary thinkers. BibliographyBailey, J. O. Thomas Hardy and the Cosmic Mind A New Reading of The Dynasts. Chapel Hill The Univ ersity of North Carolina Press, 1956. Baybrook, Patrick. Thomas Hardy and His Philosophy. Philadelphia J. B. Lippencott, Co., 1927. Drabble, Margaret, ed. The Genius of Thomas Hardy. NY Alfred A. Knopf, 1976. Hicks, Granville. Figures in Transition A Study of British Literature at the end of the Nineteenth Century. New York McMillan, Co., 1939. Jacobson, Dan. Thomas Hardy The Poet as Philosopher. American Scholar, vol. 65, no. 1, Winter 1996, pp. 114-19. Millgate, Michael. Thomas Hardy A Biography. New York Random House, 1982. Orel, Harold, ed. Thomas Hardy Personal Writings. Lawrence The University of Kansas Press, 1966.