{"id":13355,"date":"2024-12-12T06:07:04","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T13:07:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/?p=13355"},"modified":"2024-12-12T06:07:06","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T13:07:06","slug":"the-story-of-thomas-hardys-wife-from-edmonton-a-not-so-childlike-tale-of-a-childrens-author","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-the-story-of-thomas-hardys-wife-from-edmonton-a-not-so-childlike-tale-of-a-childrens-author","title":{"rendered":"The Story of Thomas Hardy&#8217;s Wife from Edmonton: A &#8220;Not-So-Childlike&#8221; Tale of a Children&#8217;s Author"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>When thinking of famous children&#8217;s authors, names like Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, Lewis Carroll, and Astrid Lindgren often come to mind. Their works continue to captivate readers worldwide. However, some authors are remembered not for their literary contributions but for their extraordinary personal lives. One such figure is Florence Emily Dugdale, a children&#8217;s author whose legacy is closely tied to her relationship with the renowned Victorian writer Thomas Hardy. More on <a href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/\">iedmonton.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a139c97a7e01\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a139c97a7e01\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-the-story-of-thomas-hardys-wife-from-edmonton-a-not-so-childlike-tale-of-a-childrens-author\/#Early_Life_of_Florence_Emily_Dugdale\" >Early Life of Florence Emily Dugdale<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-the-story-of-thomas-hardys-wife-from-edmonton-a-not-so-childlike-tale-of-a-childrens-author\/#Thomas_Hardy_A_Literary_Giant\" >Thomas Hardy: A Literary Giant<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-the-story-of-thomas-hardys-wife-from-edmonton-a-not-so-childlike-tale-of-a-childrens-author\/#A_Relationship_That_Defied_Conventions\" >A Relationship That Defied Conventions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-the-story-of-thomas-hardys-wife-from-edmonton-a-not-so-childlike-tale-of-a-childrens-author\/#A_Life_of_Dedication\" >A Life of Dedication<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/eternal-the-story-of-thomas-hardys-wife-from-edmonton-a-not-so-childlike-tale-of-a-childrens-author\/#A_Legacy_Beyond_Childrens_Literature\" >A Legacy Beyond Children&#8217;s Literature<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Early_Life_of_Florence_Emily_Dugdale\"><\/span>Early Life of Florence Emily Dugdale<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Florence Emily Dugdale was born on January 12, 1879. Her father, a school principal, instilled in her a deep respect for education, reflecting his profession\u2019s values. As a child, Florence and her sister attended a girls&#8217; school, where Florence excelled and eventually became a teacher at the age of 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During her early twenties, Florence demonstrated a talent for writing, particularly children&#8217;s stories. However, her life took a dramatic turn when she met Thomas Hardy at the age of 26.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Thomas_Hardy_A_Literary_Giant\"><\/span>Thomas Hardy: A Literary Giant<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thomas Hardy, born in 1840, was already a towering figure in Victorian literature when he met Florence. Known for works like <em>Jude the Obscure<\/em> and Tess of the d&#8217;Urbervilles, Hardy\u2019s novels often explored themes of morality, fate, and human struggles. By the time Florence entered his life, Hardy was not only married but also grappling with the societal and literary pressures of his fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"660\" height=\"440\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092639\/1-11.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13356\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092639\/1-11.jpg 660w, https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092639\/1-11-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Relationship_That_Defied_Conventions\"><\/span>A Relationship That Defied Conventions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Their initial meeting marked the beginning of a complex relationship. Florence, enchanted by Hardy&#8217;s intellect and literary stature, became his confidante and assistant. After the death of Hardy&#8217;s first wife, Emma, in 1912, Florence\u2019s role in his life expanded. The two married in 1913, despite a 39-year age difference, which drew criticism from Hardy&#8217;s social circle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Florence often struggled with Hardy&#8217;s lingering affections for his late wife. Hardy wrote numerous poems dedicated to Emma, which Florence reportedly found deeply painful. Nonetheless, she remained devoted to him, supporting his work and maintaining his literary legacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092638\/2-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092638\/2-3.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092638\/2-3-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092638\/2-3-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.iedmonton.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2024\/12\/17092638\/2-3-696x465.jpg 696w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Life_of_Dedication\"><\/span>A Life of Dedication<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After Hardy&#8217;s death in 1928 at the age of 87, Florence faced profound grief. Her devotion to him culminated in her most significant work: The Life of Thomas Hardy. This biography, considered a vital piece of literary history, is believed to have been partly authored by Hardy himself but primarily completed by Florence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Legacy_Beyond_Childrens_Literature\"><\/span>A Legacy Beyond Children&#8217;s Literature<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While Florence Emily Dugdale began her career as a children\u2019s author, her life story transcended her literary contributions. She is remembered not only for her children\u2019s books but also for her unwavering love and support of one of England&#8217;s greatest literary figures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her story is a testament to the timeless nature of love and the courage required to pursue happiness despite societal judgment. As the saying goes, &#8220;Love knows no bounds,&#8221; and Florence\u2019s life with Thomas Hardy remains a poignant reminder of this truth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When thinking of famous children&#8217;s authors, names like Hans Christian Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, Lewis Carroll, and Astrid Lindgren often come to mind. Their works continue to captivate readers worldwide. However, some authors are remembered not for their literary contributions but for their extraordinary personal lives. One such figure is Florence Emily Dugdale, a children&#8217;s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":520,"featured_media":13362,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4818],"tags":[5896,5895,5892,5894,5891,5888,5893,5899,5889,5890,5902,5900,5901,5897,5898],"motype":[4825],"moformat":[88],"moimportance":[32,35],"class_list":{"0":"post-13355","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-cultural","8":"tag-age-gap-relationships","9":"tag-childrens-authors","10":"tag-emily-dugdale-biography","11":"tag-florence-emily-dugdale","12":"tag-life-of-thomas-hardy","13":"tag-literary-legacies","14":"tag-tess-of-the-durbervilles","15":"tag-thomas-hardy-biography","16":"tag-thomas-hardy-poems","17":"tag-thomas-hardys-wife","18":"tag-unequal-marriages","19":"tag-victorian-authors-wives","20":"tag-victorian-literary-figures","21":"tag-victorian-literature","22":"tag-victorian-romance","23":"motype-eternal","24":"moformat-copywriting","25":"moimportance-golovna-novyna","26":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatory"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13355","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/520"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13355"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13355\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13365,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13355\/revisions\/13365"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13362"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13355"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13355"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13355"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=13355"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=13355"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iedmonton.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=13355"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}