Life’s Little Ironies

short stories by Hardy

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July 20, 2026

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Life's Little Ironies is a collection of short stories by Thomas Hardy, published in 1894. The stories, like much of Hardy's work, often explore themes of fate, social constraints, and the often-unforeseen twists of life. They typically feature characters from rural England, grappling with personal desires and societal expectations, where outcomes are frequently ironic and unexpected. Hardy is known for his novels, such as Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure, which also delve into the hardships faced by working-class individuals and challenge societal norms.12

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Thomas Hardy
Middle period
…Group of Noble Dames (1891), Life’s Little Ironies (1894), and A Changed Man (1913). Hardy’s short novel The Well-Beloved (serialized 1892, revised for volume publication 1897) displays a hostility to marriage that was related to increasing frictions within his own marriage.
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…Group of Noble Dames (1891), Life’s Little Ironies (1894), and A Changed Man (1913). Hardy’s short novel The Well-Beloved (serialized 1892, revised for volume publication 1897) displays a hostility to marriage that was related to increasing frictions within his own marriage.
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