H05076 CURRENT EVENTS IN HARDY'S NOVELS- 9/21/05 - HARDY FORUM ARCHIVES ____________________________________________________________________________
From: DDent@mail.MaconState.edu
Subject: RE: Current Events
Date: September 21, 2005 9:46 AM PDT
I'm searching for clues regarding "current events" or events of
historical significance that may have been influential in Hardy's
novels I'm familiar with some of the legal changes, but I'm more interested in cultural or historical happenings. I know it's a vague question, but I would appreciate any ideas. Thanks
Debra.
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From: hardycor@owl.csusm.edu
Subject: RE: Current Events
Date: September 21, 2005 8:07:52 AM PDT
Debra, the telegraph would have been a fairly recent invention when Hardy
wrote about it in *A Laodicean.* Is this the kind of thing you are
looking for?
Betty Cortus
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From: DDent@mail.MaconState.edu
Subject: RE: Current Events
Date: September 21, 2005 8:54:19 AM PDT
Yes, that is exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for. I'm attempting
to make a thematic connection between a certain historical event or
cultural practice (like pop culture).
Thanks,
Debra
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From: jacky@wilkibob.me.uk
Subject: Re: Current Events
Date: September 21, 2005 8:44:50 AM PDT
I think that most of Hardy's novels, but particularly
*Far From the Madding Crowd*, reflect the demise of the country fairs
following The Fairs Act of 1870, after which, over a ten year period
approximately 700 fairs, wakes, and hiring fairs were abolished - an
integral part of the disappearing rural world in the nineteenth century.
Accompanying this was the invasion of machinery into rural farming,
particularly evidenced in *Tess*, and, of course, the arrival of the
railways which totally changed the static nature of rural life, a fact much
in evidence in *Jude the Obscure*.
Hope this helps, Debra
Jacky
Post grad. student
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From: DDent@mail.MaconState.edu
Subject: RE: Current Events
Date: September 21, 2005 9:08:55 AM PDT
To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
Reply-To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
Very helpful! I'm particularly interested in exploring the Fairs Act
further.
Thanks.
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From: goldie.morgentaler@uleth.ca
Subject: Fairs Act of 1870.
Date: September 21, 2005 9:19:37 AM PDT
I've never heard of the Fairs Act of 1870. Why were the fairs abolished?
Goldie
--
Goldie Morgentaler
Dept. of English
University of Lethbridge
4401 University Drive
Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1K 3M4
goldie.morgentaler@uleth.ca
(403) 329-2365
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From: Rosemarie.morgan@yale.edu
Subject: RE: Current Events
Date: September 21, 2005 9:32:44 AM PDT
Here are a few off the top of my head:
Lifeholder leases (is this up your street Jacky?) -- (Woodlanders)
Matrimonial Causes Act/Amendment to, (ditto)
Deceased Wife's Sister Act (Tess)
Fertility rites/ May Day (Woodlanders, Tess)
Communistic leanings (RN)
Women's Property Acts (FFMC)
Gothic revival (PBE- must be others-- scratching ..)
Marriage Licenses (PBE, RN)
Forster's Education Act (Tess)
Astrophysics (TT)
Corn Laws (MC)
I'll think of some more on the road -- out of the door
Rosemarie
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From: robert_goddard@hotmail.com
Subject: RE: Fairs Act of 1870.
Date: September 21, 2005 9:51:33 AM PDT
To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
Reply-To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
Dear All,
I think the correct reference is the Fairs Act (1871). Although I'm unaware of the background to the passing of this Act, its purpose was set out as follows: "Whereas certain of the fairs held in England and Wales are unnecessary, are the cause of grievous immorality, and are very injurious to the inhabitants of the towns in which such fairs are held, and it is therefore expedient to make provision to facilitate the abolition of such fairs".
With best wishes,
Robert Goddard
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From: jacky@wilkibob.me.uk
Subject: Re: Fairs Act of 1870.
Date: September 21, 2005 9:48:43 AM PDT
Sorry, that was a misprint there, it should read The Fairs Act of 1871.
Particularly in England, but in Ireland and Europe as well, attempts to
abolish fairs occurred over quite an extensive period of time, mainly
because they were seen as riotous and unruly affairs where drink, violence,
and sexual diseases were rife, they were in fact viewed as sites of public
disorder. Peter Stallybrass and Allon White's book 'The Politics and
Poetics of Transgression' gives excellent accounts of the demise of fairs
and the political and social reasons surrounding these moves.
It was thought a most unsuitable place for a respectable young woman to be
seen, particularly alone, thus Bathsheba's reticent behaviour at Greenhill
Fair in 'Far From the Madding Crowd'.
Jacky
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From: hardycor@owl.csusm.edu
Subject: Re: Fairs Act of 1870.
Date: September 21, 2005 12:10:02 PM PDT
To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
Reply-To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
Jacky's message reminded me of a song I learned eons ago in school which
began, "Oh dear what can the matter be, Johnny's so long at the fair." In
the, I would imagine Victorian, song the speaker is a young maiden who must
be fearing that her beau has succumbed to the disreputable enticements
prevalant at the fair. I can now see why she did not accompany her Johnny
on this junket--not a suitable place for a respectable young woman to be
seen.
Betty
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From: tomlessup@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: Fairs Act of 1870.
Date: September 21, 2005 12:16:15 PM PDT
Particularly in England, but in Ireland and Europe as well, attempts to
abolish fairs occurred over quite an extensive period of time, mainly
because they were seen as riotous and unruly affairs where drink, violence,
and sexual diseases were rife, they were in fact viewed as sites of public
disorder. <
Governments always hate to see the poor having fun.....
Tom Lessup
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From: robert_goddard@hotmail.com
Subject: Hang-fairs
Date: September 21, 2005 12:34:15 PM PDT
To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
Reply-To: HARDY-L@csusm.edu
"Oh yes. Ancient days, when there was battles, and famines, and hang-fairs, and other pomps, seem to me as yesterday" (Mr Creedle, near the start of Chapter 10 in The Woodlanders).
Best wishes,
Robert Goddard
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From: Rosemarie.morgan@yale.edu
Subject: RE: Current Events
Date: September 21, 2005 1:25:43 PM PDT
Back again and see you don't need legislation -- sorry!
Also for communistic leanings it should be Tess of course, not RN -- though Clym was -- so to speak-- "in Paris" at the time of the Communist Manifesto when I think -- memory fading here -- Engels was there researching for it Much of this activity (the Paris Communes) must have been in the groundswell of current thought in periodicals when TH was writing RN. I know he was reading Sand at this time - and also the Saturday Review in which Victor Hugo's obit was published. All interelated stuff
For a more general, pervasive influence the fin de siècle (Jude) remains a relatively under-developed topic. Roger Ebbatson, in "The Authorial Double: Hardy and Florence Henniker" (An Imaginary England: Nation, Landscape and Literature. 1840-1920. Ashgate, 2005), touches on this obliquely with the notion of Doppelgänger -- all rather suffocated by theory and you'll be asking a lot of questions as you read but it may fire the odd synapse.
Rosemarie
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From: jacky@wilkibob.me.uk
Subject: Re: Fairs Act of 1870.
Date: September 21, 2005 1:31:06 PM PDT
Very true, Tom. Their jollity always frightened the wealthy in case it went
to extremes, always the possibility of biting the hand that feeds them!
Jacky
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From: Rosemarie.morgan@yale.edu
Subject: Re: Hang-fairs
Date: September 21, 2005 1:38:17 PM PDT
Next in line has to be "Fiddler of the Reels" ?
Best
Rosemarie
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From: wesspix1@btinternet.com
Subject: Current Events
Date: September 21, 2005 3:19:17 PM PDT
Definitely:
The Great Exhibition (Fiddler of the Reels)
More vaguely:Darwin's theory of evolution, and related evolutionary/"modern" views of the world Feminism (The Hand of Ethelberta, and the marriage dilemma )
The Oxford Movement (Parson Maybold) Liberal Theology (Tess's brothers-in-law)
Gary Alderson
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From: DDent@mail.MaconState.edu
Subject: RE: Current Events
Date: September 23, 2005 6:16:57 AM PDT
Rosemarie, and all others who have sent leads for my research. Many thanks!!
Debra
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