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Hardy's works reflect the profound changes in social economy, politics, morality, customs and other aspects caused by the invasion of capitalism into rural towns and cities in England, as well as the tragic fate of the people (especially women), and expose the hypocrisy of bourgeois morality, law and religion. His works are a link between past and present, not only inheriting the excellent tradition of British critical realism, but also paving the way for British literature in the 20th century. "Waste of Effort" is his first published work.

"Jude the Obscure" is Hardy's masterpiece. The novel mainly describes the study experience of a young man named Jude and his short life encounters. It also depicts the customs and folk customs of the British countryside at the end of the 19th century, presenting a picture of secular customs in front of readers.

"The Mayor of Casterbridge" is one of Hardy's masterpieces. This is his only novel not set in a rural setting. Henchard, an unemployed haymaker, sold his wife and daughter after being drunk. He woke up regretful and became angry. He became a grain merchant and a mayor. His wife returned with her daughter, but he soon had a quarrel with his partner. His wife died. The scandal of selling his wife was exposed. His career failed. His daughter was taken away by her biological father. He died alone in a hut in the wilderness. The author uses the story's various mishaps and dramatic conflicts to express the sentiment that "character is destiny" and "happiness is just an accidental episode." Among Hardy's fourteen novels, "The Mayor of Casterbridge" not only embodies Hardy's consistent creative style, but also creates unique artistic features, which also shows the essential difference between a great artist and a mediocre prolific writer. As for the content of this novel, it still has vivid significance today, both in terms of history and current social cognition.

"Tess" is one of Hardy's important masterpieces. The novel takes the experiences of the heroine Tess as the main line, describing the conflict between the beautiful poetic image and the surrounding gloomy reality. It vividly describes the disintegration of the small-scale peasant economy after capitalism invaded the British countryside at the end of the 19th century and the painful process of individual farmers heading towards poverty and bankruptcy. Through the description of the double persecution suffered by a pure woman both mentally and physically, it reveals the rich and profound spiritual world of a woman, and boldly and ruthlessly exposes and accuses the laws, religion, ethics, marriage system and the essence of capitalism in capitalist society.

"Tess" is the author's best work. Tess, a simple and beautiful rural girl, was raped by a rich man. On the wedding night, she told the groom about her misfortune, but the groom could not forgive him for abandoning her. Forced to make a living, Tess had to live with the rich. Later, the groom changed his mind and reconciled with Tess. In despair, Tess believed that the rich man had ruined her happiness in life, so she killed him and was sentenced to death herself. The work profoundly reflects the social reality at that time and reveals that it was the hypocritical bourgeois morality that caused Tess's misfortune.

Tess, a declining aristocratic girl, is pure and kind. Unexpectedly, she was raped by Eric, a young man from a wealthy family, and her life changed drastically from then on. Tess regained her strength and met a new love in the dairy farm, but was abandoned by her lover Angel because of her bad past. Tucked by fate, the desperate Tess finally ended her short life in a tragic way.