Hardy, Thomas 1840-1928 creator text utu 2002 monographic en 1 online resource : multiple file formats "Wessex Tales" by Thomas Hardy is a collection of short stories published in 1888. Set in nineteenth-century England, these tales explore the constraints of marriage, rigid class structures, and the limited position of women in society. Hardy examines how social expectations force individuals into unwanted marriages, suppress genuine emotions, and trap people within the narrow confines of Victorian respectability. Each story reveals how these pressures diminish human contentment and freedom, painting a portrait of lives shaped—and often constrained—by the era's strict social codes. (This is an automatically generated summary.) An imaginative woman -- The three strangers -- The withered arm -- Fellow-townsmen -- Interlopers at the Knap -- The distracted preacher. Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wessex_Tales Release date is 2002-02-01 David Price Original publication data not identified England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction Wessex (England) -- Fiction PR Original publication data not identified https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3056 https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3056 UtSlPG 260607 20260610133107.0 3056