Велики утицај на Хардија имао је трагичан живот његовог оца, архитекте који је радио као зидар, те његова дела одишу песимизмом.
Први роман је написао у 27. години. Писао је романе о Весексу, свету који је био полустваран, полуизмишљен. Од 1898. године пише само поезију. Активно је писао до дана своје смрти.
Важио је за најбољег енглеског писца свога времена, називан „последњим великим викторијанцем“, али је због слободумног става о љубави и браку долазио у сукоб с друштвеним конвенцијама ("Под зеленим дрветом“, „Далеко од разуздане гомиле“, „Повратак домороца“, „Теса од Д'Убервила“, „Незнани Џуд“, „Судија из Кастербриџа“).[2]
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