Thomas Hardy, sensationalism, and the melodramatic mode

Richard Nemesvari

Thomas Hardy, Sensationalism, and the Melodramatic Mode provides the first full-length study of sensationalist and melodramatic elements in Hardy's novels. Through a discussion of six of Hardy's texts it demonstrates the ways in which he uses the melodramatic mode to advance his critique of established Victorian cultural beliefs through the employment of non-realistic plot devices and sensational 'excess.' The book's three sections focus on constructions of masculinity, presentations of female embodiment, and formulations of modernity through class conflict. Additionally the study breaks down the barrier between Hardy's so-called 'minor' and 'major' novels by demonstrating that his anti-realist aesthetic is consistent across this artificially established division. The book will appeal to academic libraries and Hardy scholars, as well as advanced and postgraduate students interested in Hardy's fiction and in Victorian melodrama generally.