life,which was gradually declining and disappearing as England was marching fast into an industrial country.And with those traditional characters he is always sympathetic and mournsover their failure and misfortune Far from the Madding Crowd,1874 The Return ofthe Native,1878 The Mayor ofCasterbridge,1886 Tess ofthe d'Urbervilles,1891 Jude the Obscure,1896 VI.Literary themes Hardy criticises certain social constraints that hindered the 10 lives ofthose living in the 19th century.Considered a Victorian Realist writer,Hardy examines the social constraints that are part of the Victorian status quo,suggesting these rules hinder the lives of all involved and ultimately lead to unhappiness.In Two on a Tower,Hardy seeks to take a stand against these rules and sets up a story against the backdrop of social structure by creating a story of love that crosses the boundaries ofclass.The reader is forced to consider disposing of the conventions set up for love.Nineteenth-century society enforces these conventions,and societal pressure ensures conformity.Swithin St Cleeve's idealism pits him against contemporary social life, which was gradually declining and disappearing as England was marching fast into an industrial country. And with those traditional characters he is always sympathetic and mourns over their failure and misfortune. Far from the Madding Crowd, 1874 The Return of the Native, 1878 The Mayor of Casterbridge, 1886 Tess of the d'Urbervilles, 1891 Jude the Obscure, 1896 VI. Literary themes Hardy criticises certain social constraints that hindered the lives of those living in the 19th century. Considered a Victorian Realist writer, Hardy examines the social constraints that are part of the Victorian status quo, suggesting these rules hinder the lives of all involved and ultimately lead to unhappiness. In Two on a Tower, Hardy seeks to take a stand against these rules and sets up a story against the backdrop of social structure by creating a story of love that crosses the boundaries of class. The reader is forced to consider disposing of the conventions set up for love. Nineteenth-century society enforces these conventions, and societal pressure ensures conformity. Swithin St Cleeve's idealism pits him against contemporary social 10’