The Life of Thomas Hardy
Franco-Prussian war. Hardy seemed almost unconscious of the very deep-seated strain of disillusionment and pessimism which runs through the greater part of early Greek literature. A short monograph by Dr. Anton Baumstark, for instance, takes the very fragmentary remains of Greek lyric poetry still extant, and turns up an amazing display of melancholy utterances. Herbert L. Stewart has likewise taken exception to Hardy's attitude here, and has noted that he is sometimes unfortunate in his Greek allusions. In calling attention to the statement in one of the novels, that "ideal Greek beauty went with Greek sanguineness of temperament," Mr. Stewart noted that there was a deep tone of sadness in the temperament which Hardy thought so sanguine, and referred to Professor Butcher's essay, The Melancholy of the Greeks, for confirmation of this statement.
The second pronouncement which must be disposed of is the following:
The scheme of contrasted choruses and other conventions of
this eternal feature was shaped with a single view to modem ex¬
pression of a modern outlook, and in frank divergence from
classical and other dramatic precedent which ruled the ancient
voicings of ancient themes.
The field of investigation opened by this quotation is a large and many-sided one, and cannot be discussed in great detail here. It might be well to point out, however, that one who attempts to compare the form of The Dynasts with that of the Greek drama need not be disturbed or embarrassed by Hardy’s repudiation of Greek influence. His choruses, though transfigured, still remain
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