Hardy’s native Dorset, especially his birthplace in Higher Bockhampton of Dorchester, the county town of Dorset, was the inspiration for his ancient Kingdom of Wessex, the setting for “The Withered Arm” and “The Three Strangers”. Hardy drew on scenes familiar to him in his childhood and incidents recounted to him by his mother to create a realistic picture of country life, its dialect and the inhabitants of those who lived in this place. The …showed first 75 words of 1805 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1805 total…illigitimate child. In “The Three Strangers” it is fate that both the criminal and the hangman are friendly together at the party, and that the criminal’s brother should also happen to stop by at the house and save his brother’s life. The beliefs and ideals of the inhabitants of rural Dorset are perfectly captured in these short stories, so that many years on, we can still enjoy the genius of Hardy’s storytelling.