What made Thomas Hardy the realist he was?

Question

I'm looking for information about his personal life that may have explained why he was so frank in his works about human sexuality. Any ideas or opinions? Besides telling me to go to a website. I'm looking for people who have read his works.

Answer 1

The death of his first wife had a profound influence on his life , outlook and in his writings . So much so that her death altered his behavior , even with a wife a number of years his junior , for the rest of his life .

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