TY - BOOK AU - Hardy,Thomas TI - The Hand of Ethelberta: A Comedy in Chapters AV - PR PY - 2002/// CY - Salt Lake City, UT PB - Project Gutenberg KW - Humorous stories KW - Impostors and imposture -- Fiction KW - Courtship -- Fiction KW - Wessex (England) -- Fiction N1 - Release date is 2002-10-01; This eBook was produced from the 1907 Macmillan and Co. edition by Les Bowler, St. Ives, Dorset; Original publication data not identified N2 - "The Hand of Ethelberta: A Comedy in Chapters" by Thomas Hardy is a novel written during the late 19th century. The story revolves around Ethelberta, a young widow of complex background and cleverness, who seeks to navigate societal expectations and her own aspirations while dealing with her past love and current relationships. The book promises a mix of social commentary and character-driven humor. The opening of the novel introduces us to Ethelberta as she steps out of the Red Lion Inn in a Wessex town, showcasing her charm and the attention she garners from local men, despite being a widow. The narrative hints at her intriguing history, including her rise from a governess to marrying into a nobler family, and her complex relationship with her mother-in-law. As Ethelberta enjoys a walk, she encounters various local characters who speculate about her past and current circumstance, establishing her as a figure of curiosity. The beginning sets the stage for her re-encounter with Christopher Julian, an old acquaintance, hinting at unresolved past feelings and the complexities that surround her life as she balances between her past and the challenges of her present. (This is an automatically generated summary.) UR - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3469 ER -