Described by Hardy as a tale of "mystery, entanglement, surprise and moral obliquity", his first published novel violated the literary decorum of its day with blackmail, murder, and romance. It relates the story of Cytherea, a maid to the eccentric arch-intriguer Miss Aldclyffe, and the man she loves, Edward Springrove. Upon discovering that Edward is already engaged, Cytherea comes under the influence of Miss Aldclyffe's fascinating, manipulative steward, Manston.
Aeneas Manston, as physically alluring as he is evil, fascinates the innocent Cytherea, even though she is in love with another man. When he cannot seduce her, Manston resorts to deception, blackmail, bigamy, murder and rape.
Hardy described "Desperate Remedies" as a tale of 'mystery, entanglement, surprise and moral obliquity'. Cytherea has taken a position as lady's maid to the eccentric arch-intriguer Miss Aldclyffe. On discovering that the man she loves, Edward Springrove, is already engaged to his cousin, Cytherea comes under the influence of Miss Aldclyffe's fascinating, manipulative steward Manston. Blackmail, murder and romance are among the ingredients of Hardy's first published novel, and in it he draws blithely on the 'sensation novel' perfected by Wilkie Collins. Several perceptive critics praised the author as a novelist with a future when Desperate Remedies appeared anonymously in 1871. In its depiction of country life and insight into psychology and sexuality, it already bears the unmistakable imprint of Hardy's genius.
Desperate Remedies is Hardy's first book, which he published anonymously. It foreshadows many of Hardy's favorite themes including the predominant role played by nature in all of his work. It tells the story of a lady's maid who marries a charismatic and manipulative steward only to discover her true love was free to marry. And that her husbands first wife still lives.
Desperate remedies : novel
Desperate remedies : a novel / Thomas Hardy
Desperate remedies : a novel. With a map of Wessex
Desperate remedies. A novel
Desperate remedies : a novel ; in three volumes
After the sudden death of their father, pretty Cytherea Graye & her brother Owen are forced to find employment. Cytherea meets a talented young architect, who is unable to declare his love for her, & finds herself being courted by her employer's steward.
Desperate remedies : a novel
Desperate remedies a novel. With a map of Wessex
The anti-hero, Aeneas Manston, as physically alluring as he is evil, fascinates the innocent Cytherea, even though she is in love with another man. When he cannot seduce her, Manston resorts to deception, blackmail, bigamy, murder and rape to achieve his ends.
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Historical fiction
Desperate remedies. a novel
Desperate remedies a novel
Desperate remedies : a novel : in three volumes
Thomas Hardy's breakthrough novel from 1871. Cytherea Graye becomes maid to the eccentric Miss Aldclyffe.
Desperate remedies : a novel : with a map of Wessex
Desperate Remedies
With an introduction by Michael Irwin. The young Thomas Hardy was working as an architect, but fired with literary ambition, tried for years to get into print. He finally succeeded with Desperate Remedies, a sensation novel in the mode of Wilkie Collins. Here was a racy specimen of the genre, replete with sudden death, dark mysteries, intriguing clues, fire and storm, flight and pursuit. Anyone who enjoys The Woman in White is likely to enjoy Desperate Remedies. But that is only half the story. Hardy contrived also, in this unlikely context, to give a first airing to various of the ideas and technical experiments which were to characterise his later fiction. The result is an exhilaratingly uneven work: at any point in the narrative some brilliant passage of description or metaphor may burst out like a firework. Desperate Remedies can be relished both for what it is and for what it promises.
Desperate remedies : a novel ; with a map of Wessex
Fiction
Estremi rimedi
Desperate remedies a novel. In three volumes
Hardy's first published work, Desperate Remedies moves the sensation novel into new territory. The compelling story and the machinations of the evil Aeneas Manston also raise the great questions underlying Hardy's major novels, and this edition shows for the first time that the sensation genre was always Hardy's natural medium. Based on first edition text, and includes later prefaces and the Wessex Poems 'dissolved' into prose. - ;'She was swayed into emotional opinions concerning the strange man before her; new impulses of thought ... entered into her with a gnawing thrill.'Hardy's first publis.
Hardy's first published work, Desperate Remedies moves the sensation novel into new territory. The anti-hero, Aeneas Manston, as physically alluring as he is evil, even fascinates the innocent Cytherea, though she is in love with another man. When he cannot seduce her, Manston resorts to deception and blackmail, and ever more desperate measures to achieve his ends. Yet this compelling story also raises the great questions underlying Hardy's major novels, which relate to the injustice of the class system, the treatment of women, probability and causality. This edition shows for the first time that the sensation novel was always Hardy's natural medium. - Back cover.
Desperate remedies : a novel : The Greenwood edition
Desperate remedies
Desperate remedies; a novel
Love stories
Desperate remedies, pt. 1
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Published in 1871, this novel of mystery, entanglement, surprise and moral obliquity'" as the author himself later described it launched Hardy's literary career . . . though, because of the scandalous subject matter, including blackmail, murder, and forbidden sexuality, the novel appeared anonymously.
Desperate remedies; a novel. With a map of Wessex
Hardy's first published work, Desperate Remedies moves the sensation novel into new territory. The anti-hero, Aeneas Manston, as physically alluring as he is evil, even fascinates the innocent Cytherea, though she is in love with another man. When he cannot seduce her, Manston resorts to deception and blackmail, and ever more desperate measures to achieve his ends. Yet this compelling story also raises the great questions underlying Hardy's major novels, which relate to the injustice of the class system, the treatment of women, probability and causality. This edition shows for the first time that the sensation novel was always Hardy's natural medium. Book jacket.
The anti-hero, Aeneas Manston, as physically alluring as he is evil, fascinates the innocent Cytherea, though she is in love with another man. When he cannot seduce her, Manston resorts to deception and blackmail, and ever more desperate measures to achieve his ends.
When Cytherea discovers that the man she loves is already engaged to his cousin, she is influenced by her employer's steward, and blackmail, murder, and romance ensue.
When Cytherea Graye takes a position as lady's maid at Knapwater House, she discovers that her new mistress, the eccentric Miss Aldclyffe, was the woman her father had loved so desperately, and who broke his heart by running away from him.
The new Wessex edition / Desperate remedies : a novel
Desperate remedies: a novel; edited with an introduction and notes by Mary Rimmer
Desperate remedies, a novel, by Thomas Hardy
Desperate remedies : a novel, by thomas hardy
The new Wessex edition / Desperate remedies : a novel / introd. by C.J.P. Beatty
Described by Hardy as a tale of "mystery, entanglement, surprise and moral obliquity", his first published novel violated the literary decorum of its day with blackmail, murder, and romance. It relates the story of Cytherea, a maid to the eccentric arch-intriguer Miss Aldclyffe, and the man she loves, Edward Springrove. Upon discovering that Edward is already engaged, Cytherea comes under the influence of Miss Aldclyffe's fascinating, manipulative steward, Manston. Published anonymously in 1871, Desperate Remedies already bears the unmistakable imprint of Hardy's genius.
Desperate remedies : a novel. Introduction by C.J.P. Beatty