Thomas Hardy is often regarded as a transitional writer. Some critics believe that he is emotionally traditional and intellectually advanced. How do you understand this idea?
A.In Hardy's novel, there is an apparent nostalgic touch in his description of the simple and beautiful though primitive rural life, which was gradually deelining and disapearing in England at the time. He is always sympathetic with those traditional characters and moums over their failure and misfortune.
B.On the other hand, he was greatly influenced by Darwin's theory of "survival of the fittest",and other modem philosophical thoughts, which led to the pessimistic determinism or naturalism in fiction.
