Published in serial form in 1872–73, A Pair of Blue Eyes is Thomas Hardy’s third published novel and the first that he considered truly characteristic of his mature work. Set on the rugged north Cornish coast, it follows Elfride Swancourt — a vicar’s daughter with spirit and intelligence — through a triangular romantic dilemma that Hardy handles with characteristic irony and pathos.
The novel is notable for an early appearance of Hardy’s tragic sense and for a famous scene involving a cliff face that Alfred Lord Tennyson singled out for praise. Download this free EPUB from Better Gutenberg for the complete text.