Thomas Hardy, OM, was an English novelist and poet. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced by Romanticism, including the works of William Wordsworth. Hardy was highly critical of Victorian society, especially concerning the declining status of rural people in Britain, such as those from his native South West England.

While Hardy wrote poetry throughout his life, he considered himself primarily a poet. His first collection was not published until 1898. He initially gained fame as the author of novels such as Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895). Hardy's novels often feature tragic characters struggling against their passions and social circumstances, set in the semi-fictional region of Wessex.

Hardy's poetry was acclaimed by younger poets, including the Georgians, who viewed him as a mentor. After his death, his poems were lauded by notable figures such as Ezra Pound, W. H. Auden, and Philip Larkin. His work has left a lasting impact on literature, with novels like Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Far from the Madding Crowd being listed in the top 50 on the BBC's survey The Big Read.