H.M. Daleski re-examines Thomas Hardy's novels, emphasizing the love triangles that populate his work. He also rebuts contemporary feminist criticism of Hardy by showing that Hardy actually was sympathetic to his female characters. Through careful study of these novels, Daleski refutes the generally accepted reason for Hardy's abandonment of fiction at the height of his success. The book is accessible to readers with an interest in Hardy and his novels, as well as in the study of gender in English literature.