"8:30. I finished writing "The Woodlanders", I do not feel regret, on the contrary, now I feel relief." Hardy left this note after finishing his work. The novel was rewritten 8 (!) times, its themes stirred up the centuries-old foundations of the country.

The novel takes the reader to the very depths of rural England. The village of Little Hintok is so small that it’s difficult to find in the woods. But it is here that tragedies of "truly Sophocles grandeur" are played out. What is the reason for these tragedies?

Illustrations by Elena Odarich.