Introduction and Notes by Jane Thomas, University of Hull.
The Well-Beloved completes the cycle of Hardy´s great novels, reiterating his favourite themes of man´s eternal quest for perfection in both love and art, and the suffering that ensues. Jocelyn Pierston, celebrated sculptor, tries to create an image of his ideal woman - his imaginary Well-Beloved - in stone, just as he tries to find her in the flesh.
Powerful symbolism marks this romantic fantasy that Hardy has grounded firmly in reality with a characteristically authentic rendering of location, the Isle of Slingers, or Portland as we know it. Overt exploration of the relationship between erotic fascination and creativity makes this novel a nineteenth-century landmark in the persistent debate about art, aesthetics and gender.
This volume breaks new ground by including in full the1892 serialised version of the novel - The Pursuit of the Well-Beloved.