[Hardy-l] Father Time

[Will Stevens]

It would be interesting to know why you see him as a symbol/metaphor, rather
than as a character. Or, rather, why he's _more_ a symbol/metaphor than many
other characters in Hardy, for like many novelists of his time, Hardy quite
often makes his characters, to some extent at least, personify abstract
qualities. (Think of Gabriel Oak, whose very name is a give-away - or,
indeed, Jude or Sue themselves.)

I'd suggest that what's striking is that Hardy should, in 1895, introduce
such a child into one of his books. Compare him with the children in Kenneth
Grahame's 'The Golden Age' (1895) or E Nesbit's 'The Treasure Seekers'
(1899)! 'Father Time' is certainly a very strange child, but many of Hardy's
adult characters are very strange too.

Will