Hardy Women: Mother, Sisters, Wives, Muses | Paula Byrne

Paula Byrne offers a fresh perspective on Hardy’s life, exploring it through the lens of the women who shaped him—his formidable mother, devoted sisters, first loves, long-suffering wives, and inspiring muses. Through their eyes, we see the man behind the novels, a figure both enthralled by and at odds with the women around him.

Hardy Women reveals how the strength, struggles, and spirit of the real women in Hardy’s world fueled his literary genius. Without their influence—whether as sources of inspiration or sources of pain—his unforgettable female protagonists might never have come to life. Only by understanding these “hardy women” can we truly grasp the depth of Hardy’s imagination, his contradictions, and his enduring legacy as both a novelist and a poet.

You may also like the following events from Dorset Museum & Art Gallery:

• Next Wednesday, 28th May, 02:00 pm, Store Tour in Dorchester
• Next month, 7th June, 10:00 am, Quiet Opening in Dorchester
• Next month, 26th June, 06:00 pm, No ice in Weymouth! - Eating ice cream with Jane Austen (and a bit beyond) | Dr Annie Gray in Dorchester

Also check out other Arts events in Dorchester, Literary Art events in Dorchester.