The Romance of a Milkmaid

Author: (English) Thomas Hardy / Wang Yiqun / Shen Pei'an
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: A beautiful landscape of southern England's nature, a romantic love story full of folk song charm. The novel depicts the natural scenery of southern England, portrays the pastoral life in the countryside, and shares the characteristics of the Dutch school of rural painting. Although the scope of life in the novel is not broad, it deeply observes the secrets of human nature. The dairy girl possesses both innate innocence and a complex inner life. The author vividly portrays her spiritual activities, presenting this inner life to us. The novel also uses symbolic techniques to show the impact of bourgeois relationships on "natural" life, reflecting the author's nostalgia for the feudal rural life. The language of the novel is simple and fluent, with an engaging and interesting story, making it one of the more outstanding works among Hardy's early short and medium-length fiction.