Thomas Hardy, "On the Western Circuit"

Discussion Questions

Find textual evidence for every argument.

1. What does the carousel represent when we first see Anna riding it? Look for how Hardy describes it. How does it help establish the story's themes?
2. How does Hardy show the differences between Anna's rusticity and Charles's urban sophistication? What attracts Charles to Anna initially?
3. Why does Edith agree to help Anna with the letters? Is this decision purely altruistic? Find evidence for Edith's initial motivations.
4. How does the letter-writing change each character? Track how the correspondence affects Anna, Charles, and especially Edith.
5. Compare the two marriages in the story: Edith's existing marriage and the impending Charles/Anna union. What does Hardy suggest about marriage as a social institution?
6. Which character can be considered the most tragic? Is anyone truly at fault for the story's outcome?
7. How do Charles and Edith represent "modern" sensibilities while Anna represents rural tradition? What is Hardy saying about the clash between these worlds?
8. How does Hardy's narration shift between omniscient commentary and free indirect discourse? Find moments where the narrator seems to adopt a character's perspective without explicitly marking it. How does this technique differ from straightforward omniscient narration (e.g. Middlemarch)?