The Paradoxes of Children’s Images in Thomas Hardy’s Novels

Abstract

The article analyses the image of a child in T. Hardy's novels and the paradoxes associated with it. In accordance with the tragic pathos of writer's novels, the birth of a new person makes his parents vulnerable, highlights the wrong steps and mistakes they have made before, etc. The childhood years of the characters are filled with symbols of the upcoming trials and tragedies that he/she will have to go through in adulthood. Because of innocence and wisdom, a child sees unpleasant sides of life and is unable to accept them, which also leads to tragic consequences. At the same time, T. Hardy's characters, which are characterized by a cruel or indifferent attitude towards children, face retribution, the ones who help children are rewarded, and sometimes children's images in the writer's novels are symbols of hope.