Figures de l’analogie chez Thomas Hardy : lecture écocritique de The Woodlanders et autres romans

Hardy’s lifetime spanned a time of intense technological, societal and sociological change. Pushed away from pollution-saturated urban centres, the wealthiest classes sought to create an idealistic version countryside. A novelist like Thomas Hardy contributed, albeit unwittingly, this myth-making; he also, in what one might call counter-text, fiercely criticised system producing commodification It is counter-text his novels that I propose examine paper; more specifically, will focus on rhetorical device recurring prose works which instrumental elaboration counter-text: analogy between human non-human. The likening former latter contributes creation timeless rural countryside also underlies capitalistic, hierarchical relationships within community men with Nature. This naturalisation completed by its opposite, namely anthropomorphic treatment Nature: it undoes Nature as enforced Wessex but real areas England. Complementary process, interrelatedness living world whole evidenced ethical dimension developed posits man’s stewardship not only morally justified strongly recommended if survival be secured. Eventually, text emerges eco-conscious resonates our contemporary preoccupations solutions are put forward.