HARDY'S PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE ____ ‫ہارڈی کا فلسفہ زندگی‬

• Hardy's vision of life is purely tragic. Do you agree?

ANS: Hardy's view of life is tragic (‫پرسوزوگداز‬،‫)المناک‬. He presents a view of life which reflects his
disillusionment (‫ )غلط فہمی سے ٓازادی‬of the modern life from religion and science alike. He sees mankind
helpless and believes that man is busy in fighting an unequal combat ( ‫ )جنگ کرنا‬against the unknown
dark forces. Man, according to him is fascinated by the ideal of fulfillment (‫ )تکمیل‬in life, but he does not
know the dark powers are at work against him. All the time man thinks that he is trying to get the
maximum benefit from the material life by his efforts, but he does not know that forces far greater are
planning otherwise. What seems to be predestined ( ‫ )پہلے سے فیصلہ ہوجانا‬for mankind is failure,
disappointment (‫ )مایوسی‬and certain doom.

Hardy's novels, stories and sizable amount of verse produced during his life time bear witness to
this. He puts his finger on the essential tragic aspects of things. Man may consist of an excellent ( ‫نہایت‬
‫ دلفریب‬،‫ )عمدہ‬set of qualities of head and heart. He may have the best motives. He may employ the
highest reserve and caution in his action; the sense of fulfillment is not and cannot be his. In the
ultimate analysis (‫)حتمی تجزیہ‬, tie is not destined to achieve success or happiness. It is clear from the
above discussion that Hardy takes a solid view of life. More than the joys of life, he was impressed by its
sorrows, more than the elements of success he was impressed by the element of failure. The
philosophers and thinkers of Victorian era emphasized on one point; that man was a puppet in the hand
of destiny (‫مقدر‬،‫)نصیب‬. The evolutionist (‫ )نظریہ ارتقاء کا ماننے واال‬and the psycho analysts on the one hand
and the disciples of Schopenhauer, Malthus or Comte on the other all were united in affirming ( ‫تصدیق‬
‫ تائید کرنا‬،‫ )کرنا‬one thing, that man was playing in the hand of unknown factors. Hardy called these
unknown factors fate, chance or immanent will.

Hardy does not accept the view that life is governed by good and evil forces and that good will
ultimately win. He is not with Browning who believes "God is in his heaven. All's right with the world"
Hardy does not believe in the possibility of perfection ( ‫)نقص کے بغیر‬. However, he is of the view that life
must be spent bravely and truly.

Harold says that one of Hardy's unique gifts as novelist and dramatist is his double vision. "If he
sees the littleness, he also sees the greatness of life. Watching from infinity, he shows human life as
futile and trivial. But looking out of the very heart of some farmer or milk maid, he shows human life
heroically grand. All may be futile in the long run, but all are engrossing to the interest and compel
admiration". In this consciousness of man's greatness and man's futility lies the secret of Hardy's
tragedy.

The tragic act in Hardy's novel emanates (‫ )ظاہرہونا‬from three sources. In the first place, an
individual encounters tragedy owing to his limited vision and limited knowledge of good and evil.
Henchard in a drunken fit sells his wife. Had he realized the consequences ( ‫ اثرات‬،‫ )نتیجہ‬of this action, he
would have trembled at it. Thus, Hardy ascribes the defeat and disappointment or destruction of an
individual due to a tragic weakness of his character. In this sense, he resembles Shakespeare. We are
filled with pity at the catastrophe ( ‫ تباہی‬،‫ )ٓافت‬that an individual of his novel suffers. This is after all, is the
essence (‫ )خالصہ‬of a tragedy. Secondly, his men and women put up a brave resistance ( ‫ مزاحمت‬،‫)مخالفت‬
against their circumstances (5‫مقدر‬،‫)قسمت‬. The sufferings of human life are touched with magnificent ( ‫عظیم‬
‫ )الشان‬qualities of endurance (‫)بقا‬, bravery and heroism. Jude does indeed ache; but his resistance is
magnificent, so also his tragedy. And tragedy plainly requires that the resistance be of some nobility (
‫ روشن خیال‬،‫ )اشرافیہ‬and dignity, for tragedy must be something enjoyable in itself.

A life abject in sorrow is nothing enjoyable; therefore nothing tragic. Henchard suffers but there
is a quality of heroism ( ‫ بہادری‬،‫ )جرٔات‬in his suffering. Henchard, Sue and Jude are splendid (‫شاندار‬،‫)دلکش‬
tragic characters. They suffer hardships ( ‫ شدت پسندی‬،‫ )کٹرپن‬in a heroic (‫عالیشان‬،‫ )شاندار‬manner. Thirdly, like
Shakespeare, Hardy believes that man is a pitiable puppet ( ‫)قابل رحم کٹ پتلیاں‬. Like Shakespeare, he has a
sympathetic vision for his tragic heroes. He feels for them at their loss or defeat. We can say that like
Shakespeare, he has a comprehensive ( ‫ وسیع‬،‫ )جامع‬soul.

To conclude, Hardy's novels are not pessimistic ( ‫ )قنوطیت پر مبنی‬because they are based upon an
epic conception of an elemental struggle, the conflict of the two sources. Lucetta is a typical example of
it. She has a will to enjoy life. Her sense of enjoyment is a part of her nature. But circumstances conspire
(‫ سازش کرنا‬،‫ )سازباز کرنا‬against her. This is an ironic view of life. It lessens the sombre ( ‫ تاریک‬،‫)کم روشنی‬
gloom of pessimism.

Note: taken from “PACE classical Novels” by prof. Ch Tariq