Customer Reviews

A Pair of Blue Eyes (Oxford World's Classics)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had forgotten Hardy's unique way of making my jaw drop in the last few pages of his novels. If it's been a while since you've treated yourself to his unrelenting destruction of any hope you may be harboring for his characters, indulge. The man never disappoints a cynic.

Blue Eyes describes the love triangle between a young woman and her two suitors. One is the socially inferior, but upwardly striving young man who adores her and connects her with her country past, while the other is the respectable, established, older man who represents London society. The heroine is caught between multiple expectations (those of the men, her parents, and society)and the desires of her own heart, which she does not always seem to know. The story is told lightly, however, never burying the reader with a gloomy shroud (until the very end). This is a good read for someone who enjoys Hardy and wants to sample his early works.

This book was recommended by Amazon.com and I threw it in my shopping cart for fun. I found it surprisingly compelling. I do not remember ever reading Hardy before. His writing is wonderful and not at all old-fashioned, in fact, it is a modern book in sensibility. If you like books that care about characters and place, read it!

I've loved every Hardy book, poem, and short story that I've ever read. He reminds me of our own William Faulkner who surely must have read Hardy because he patterned his style in the same manner (Yoknapatawpha County versus Hardy's Wessex, etc.). The blue-eyed girl, Elfride, reminds me of the main character in a book I'm reading now: Clyde Griffiths in Theodore Dreiser's An American Tragedy, also a book describing the conflicts of class and love and, since it's set in the US, lust for money. A long suit of Hardy's is his wonderful quotes from the peasants ("I have no use for a flower that neglect won't kill," and "dead, but wouldn't drop down." The other thing I like is his many references which enrich the story and educate the reader. Therefore I look for editions that have explanatory notes. Then too I like to have a pile of reference books on hand to get his fuller meaning: the Bible, Shakespeare, books on English literature, etc. And last, like all Hardy novels, A Pair of Blue Eyes has plenty of sex (if you can read between the lines). Hardy recognized that strongest of all drives beside the basic ones of survival, and despite what he called the Grundyism of the period, he conveyed that truth in his books. Read this book and any other by Hardy. A lifetime of pleasure awaits you. But of course that's just my opinion.

This is Hardy's third novel (1873), and is set in the southwest area of England (Cornwall), where he met his first wife. It is the story of young, impetuous Elfride, and her romance with two men: the young architect Stephen Smith and the urbane, educated lawyer, Henry Knight. As common with his other novels, it reflects elements of tragedy, irony, and class advancement. Elfride and Knight are low middle-class persons trying to advance in society and in love. Though not as intricate and challenging as his later novels, it is an entertaining and illuminating read nonetheless.

Thomas Hardy's first two published novels, Desperate Remedies and Under the Greenwood Tree, were flawed but interesting works with significant promise, but A Pair of Blue Eyes was a quantum leap. It would be hard to find a greater improvement from one book to the next. Where the first two suggested that Hardy might someday be a notable writer, it proved him a great one. It has some similarities with the first two but essentially points at the great novels to come. The latter are so excellent that Hardy is still best known for them. This is deserved but a true shame for A Pair of Blue Eyes, which has been overshadowed to the extent that it is now Hardy's most underrated novel and his most undeservedly underread. As Hardy's reputation remains high, this will hopefully soon be corrected, as it deserves to take its long-awaited place near his best work.

The novel has much in common with most of Hardy's fiction before and after, not least very strong sense of place. Perhaps no other novelist equals him here. He not only has interesting, detailed, and often beautifully lyrical descriptions of his settings but also makes them an integral part of the story as few writers can. His settings are never mere backdrop. Wessex - the part-real, part-dream area based on his native Southwest England that he made world famous - was not formally launched until his next novel, but he is well on his way toward it here. This is a proto-Wessex novel with many of the elements so loved and acclaimed in more famous works. The setting is closely based on his wife's native Cornwall, notable as the farthest west Hardy ever set a novel. It is easy to see from the loving, luscious descriptions that the area had a near-sacred significance for him. These elements were present in the first two novels but are significantly more developed here.

Another Hardy characteristic is present - a strong heroine. His first two books had this, but he goes much further here, making the heroine the protagonist. The first two words give her unforgettable name - Elfride Swancourt -, and the focus rarely leaves her. From a later feminist perspective, she was one of the more interesting female characters to appear up to that point (1873). It is quickly clear that Hardy had a far higher view of women than most people of his time, especially men. Elfride is intelligent, educated, and generally capable - no stock Victorian angel in the house. She quickly wins our sympathy; we truly feel for and easily identify with her. That said, Hardy had no intention of painting a perfect character; she is also vain, prone to melodrama and trifling, and has a dependent streak. Above all, though, she is interesting. It has long been assumed that she is largely based on Hardy's wife, and biographers have shown how this is true to a certain extent, but those who thought her a near-exact likeness overestimated. The important thing in any case is not to look for parallels with Hardy's life but to take her on her own considerable terms.

Several other characters are also interesting. This is a strong improvement over the first two novels, which had little character development. Elfride's father is little more than a stock overbearing father/pretentious preacher, but the two main male characters are of great interest: Stephen Smith the architect and Henry Knight the scholar. Many have long assumed the former is a self-portrait, but Hardy claimed the latter was more like him. The truth is that there are elements of him in both but that neither is anywhere near an exact portrait. They are in any event interesting and sympathetic in different ways. Both have clear faults, not least a certain selfishness, but we feel for both, making their love triangle all the more dramatic and emotional.

Perhaps the biggest improvement and clearest sign of what was to come is how Hardy handles the plot. Leading Victorian critic George Meredith read his first novel, The Poor Man and the Lady, and suggested he write a book with more plot. Hardy eventually destroyed this tentative work and put some of it into Desperate Remedies, which has a sensational plot typical of the era's popular novels. It is entertaining and suspenseful but sometimes too melodramatic for its own good. Under the Greenwood Tree drops this but occasionally veers too far in the other direction, arguably becoming overly simple and not interesting enough. A Pair of Blue Eyes also has a very simple plot - essentially nothing more than a standard love triangle -, but the handling is masterful. Hardy weaves several threads together with foreshadowing and suspense to create an extremely moving and utterly engrossing story. The construction is so tight that it is nothing short of brilliant; one could almost use this as a blueprint for how to write a great novel.

Yet this is no dry realist work. Hardy indeed considered it one of his "Romances and Fantasies," and there is an air of fantasy hanging over much of the tale. The story is put forth so that it has an almost mythic quality, and Elfride has some characteristics common to these genres' heroines. However, giving the book such a cut and dried label does it a major injustice. Interestingly, it perhaps relies less on melodramatic coincidence than any Hardy novel; some who dislike his fiction do so in large part because of this and thus may prefer A Pair of Blue Eyes over more famous work. However, in striking contrast to the first two books but very much like later masterworks, the grand sweep of the story collapses in a way that leaves an overarching view of the tragedy that is humanity. Hardy had a very dark view of life that comes across very clearly here - though, unlike some later works, it is not really clear until the last few pages. His artistry is tightly controlled and immaculately executed, putting his bleak vision forth in full force. Also drastically different from the first two novels but in common with the later is Hardy's early dramatization of what he later termed the Imminent Will - an unconscious force governing human action. It is not merely that he believes the human condition is drastically dark; it is also beyond our control. We are less than insignificant on the cosmic scale, and there is no real, much less a rational, purpose to existence; at least as significantly, there is no benevolent force behind it all to help or even listen. This gives a good indication of the novel's weightier elements, but Hardy was always careful to make such things serve the story. His greatest fiction is philosophical in the broad sense but never preachy or didactic and rarely heavy-handed. This is the first time he attempted such an ambitious undertaking, and he succeeds brilliantly.

Other classic Hardy themes abound: the role of women, the nature of love, the dark side of human nature, etc. We must never forget that he wrote fiction in the Victorian era; his views were so far ahead of their time that the divergence eventually became so great that he stopped writing novels. He always struggled with censorship, and A Pair of Blue Eyes is no exception. In contrast to many of the other novels, he did not have to significantly alter original intentions after an editor's objections but, having learned from bitter early experience, took care to guard some of his more unpopular views. The novel thus makes significant use of imagery to get some of its points forth, not least sexuality; there is much treasure for Freudians. Hardy's characteristic religious criticism is also there for the discerning. It should be clear enough in the overall themes and ending for most thinking people, but there are also more direct hints - not least Elfride's dislikable preacher father.

There are many other reasons to read this book, especially for fans. I would not recommend starting with it, as Hardy was still developing what became his characteristic prose style. Many signs of it are here, including a highly atypical vocabulary, but the prose is still awkward in some places. Hardy soon ironed out these minor flaws, but the enthusiastic lack of polish has its own charm. Fans and critics familiar with his best work will enjoy seeing it at a stage well beyond embryo but less than full fruition. Those conversant with Hardy's life and thought will find much else to appreciate and enjoy. First and foremost, the novel is autobiographical to a large extent, based partly on Hardy's then-ongoing courtship with what became his wife. The degree of this has often been exaggerated, but there is more than enough crossover to interest the dedicated; indeed, the topic is still popular with Hardy scholars. Of particular significance are the many architectural references. Hardy left school at sixteen to become an architect, practicing for over a decade, and this book gives great evidence of his knowledge. As in much of his other work, many architectural terms are thrown about, and A Pair of Blue Eyes stands out for focusing specifically on neo-gothic church restoration. This parallels most of Hardy's own architectural work, and he met his wife in a manner very similar to how Stephen meets Elfride. All this and much more will fascinate fans and scholars and likely lead relative newcomers to discover more about Hardy's work and life.

One cannot review A Pair of Blue Eyes without mentioning its most famous scene - Knight and Elfride's literal cliffhanger. It got the book much attention and continues to be its focal point and was also highly influential. Novels were then serialized in periodicals before being published in book form, and writers taxed their ingenuity to keep readers interested enough to continue reading. Hardy's drastic and novel solution spawned many imitations continuing to this day, and the word "cliffhanger" itself apparently derives from reference to it. Separating it from the many imitations is how arises naturally from the story. The cliff is a natural feature of the scenery - indeed based on a real one -, there is significant foreshadowing, and the event is precipitated plausibly. Most importantly, it is not just an excuse for cheap thrills - is in fact secondary to Hardy's prime purpose of writing about individual lives' insignificance. The passage describing Knight's thoughts as he hangs is among Hardy's best writing - philosophical yet suspenseful. Less plausible is how Knight is saved, but even here Hardy has an ulterior motive - not least sexual imagery, as who could forget his description of Eflride wearing only her "diaphanous exterior robe"? The minor controversy over this last hinted at the full-blown attacks he would endure for transgressing his era's strict sexual propriety.

Hardy wrote better novels than A Pair of Blue Eyes - ones with more complicated plots, more grandly sweeping execution, etc. It thus does not belong with his three or four best, but that still makes it better than nearly any other writer's masterpiece. It is an absolute must for fans and critics, and while others should not start here, they should not wait long.

***Possible Spoilers***

I admit that this is a slightly lesser novel than many of Hardy's other masterpieces, but the overall quality of the prose is so high that I have to give it a 5-star rating.(Especially when you consider the junky popular fiction that surrounds us). Hardy is a developing novelist in "A Pair of Blue Eyes" and the Oxford edition has an interesting essay about the autobiographical elements of the text. The story of Elfride, Stephen and Henry is moving and at times quite mesmorizing. Although the story doesn't carry the same level of passionate angst between Eustacia and Wildeve in "The Return of the Native", this fine novel is obviously an exercise for Hardy to hone those writing skills that later left us some of the greatest novels in the English language. For me, the famous "cliffhanger" scene lived up to my expectations, although I was surprised that it does not occur near the novel's end. Then I learned that the novel first appeared in serialized form, so Hardy literally left English readers "hanging", not knowing what was going to happen to Henry who was hanging off a cliff while Elfride looks on. The final 10 or 15 pages made me hold my breath as I waited to see the conclusion of the novel, even though Hardy doesn't make great efforts to hide the outcome from the reader. A great book is one in which we feel compelled to finish as quickly as we can, even though we may already know the outcome of the story. For me, then, this is a great book!
Recommended!

A Pair of Blue Eyes is one of Thomas Hardy's lesser known novels. As with this other works of fiction it is set in the Wessex region of England (essentially the southwestern part of the country) and relates to the efforts of ordinary people to find happiness in love and life. The book centers around three characters. Elfride Swancourt is a young (18) girl who lives with her vicar father in Endelson Vicarage in Lower Wessex. Stephen Smith is a young (21) architect who comes to the vicarage to make some drawings preparatory to his firm doing some architectural work. As we might expect he and Elfride fall in love but their marriage is opposed by the vicar because of Stephen's low social standing--his parents live in the area and his father is a mason. The couple pledge their love for each other and after an abortive elopement attempt Stephen goes off to India to seek his fortune.

The widowed, socially ambitious vicar marries a much older (and richer) woman and together they aspire for Elfride to marry into a higher social status. At this point a relative of the new Mrs. Swancourt, Henry Knight, comes to visit. Knight is older (32) and more sophisticated, working as a lawyer and literary reviewer. He is also the mentor of Stephen who has told Efride of his admiration for the older man. Efride soon comes to be attracted to Knight, who is naïve in love affairs but comes to return her love. Events lead to the inevitable tragic climax in Hardy's novels when Stephen returns from India hoping to gain the hand of Elfride.

In my view Elfride is not a tragic heroine because she brings about her downfall by her own acts. A true tragic hero or heroine suffers because of the acts of others or because of circumstances beyond his or her control. In Jude the Obscure, for example, what happens to Jude is not of his doing and thus what happens to him is truly tragic. But Elfride is unfaithful, deceitful and immature and it is these attributes that lead to her final consequences.

One of the joys of reading Hardy is his portrayal of ordinary people in Wessex. For example, when Stephen returns from India his parents have a pig killed and plan a party for him. The professional pig killer comes to the Smith household, as do another couple, William Worm, a jack of all trades who hears a constant buzzing in his head and his new bride. Mrs. Worm and Mrs. Smith get into a discussion over growing flowers, while the men talk about local matters. In particular the pig killer describes some pigs he has killed including one that was deaf (but tasted good!) and one with rheumatism. The book also displays the cultural values of the time and place as well as the physical beauty of the countryside.

A Pair of Blue Eyes is an early work of Hardy's and thus lacks the depth of his more developed works--Far from the Maddening Crowd, Jude the Obscure, Tess of the D'Urbervilles, to name but three. Still, it is worth reading if you understand that the ending will be tragic.

Published in 1873, A Pair of Blue Eyes is Thomas Hardy's third novel, and the first to carry his real name. He is believed to have drawn from his own experiences during his courtship of his wife, as he formulated this novel of romance and social restrictions. Less dense and melancholy than his later work, this book is set in Cornwall, and, as always, the setting plays a definitive role in the story. Budding young architect Steven Smith is hired to consult on the renovation of Endelstow Church, where the Reverend Swancourt is pastor. When Steven meets his daughter, Elfride, he is instantly smitten, and within a few days, they decide to marry. But her father objects and sends him back to London, when he learns that Steven is the son of the local mason, too lowly a status for his only daughter. The pair pledges undying love and devotion, as Steven departs for India to make his name and fortune. During his lengthy absence, Elfride meets an older man, Henry Knight, and when she is obliged to rescue him following a fall from a cliff, they become romantically attached, with the blessing of Rev. Swancourt. Better a Mrs. Knight than a Mrs. Smith. What she doesn't know is that Mr. Knight was once Steven's mentor. What Knight doesn't know is that Steven was once Elfride's suitor.

By far the most richly developed of the characters is Elfride, who, at 19, is on the verge of womanhood. She is intelligent, educated, and well intentioned, but, in the struggle the ensues between her principles and her emotions, she desperately needs a mother's good counsel. But her mother died when Elfride was a child, and now she makes many mistakes in judgement.

Hardy's considerable poetic talents are evident throughout the novel, in his descriptions not only of the landscape and the people, but also of the inner lives of his characters. Nature is viewed as "as a person with a curious temper... who does not scatter kindness and cruelties alternately, impartially, and in order, but heartless severities or overwhelmng generosities in lawless caprice." While all of the characters make some bad decisions, in the end, it is circumstances that determine their fates.

One of the least known of Hardy's novels, it is a good one. Good twist at the end, too. The scenarios and scenes were all quite good.