Hard Times is a concentrated social novel set amid the industrial towns of 19th-century Britain. It examines the collision between rigid rationalism and human feeling by following a small cast of memorable figures: the stern politician Thomas Gradgrind, his children Louisa and Tom, the warm-hearted Sissy the circus girl, the honest worker Stephen Blackpool, and the bombastic mill owner Josiah Bounderby.
Compressed and fable-like in shape, the narrative explores themes of utilitarianism versus imagination, the limits of measured progress, and the social costs of treating people as statistics rather than individuals. The novel balances moral argument with vivid character portraits and sharp social observation.
Readers interested in Victorian social critique, debates over industrialization, or tightly constructed novels of ideas will find much to consider here. The book pairs analytical focus with sympathy for its characters, making political questions feel personal and urgent.
- Publisher: Broadview Press
- Binding: Paperback • Pages: 460
- ISBN-10: 155111075X • ISBN-13: 9781551110752
