Introduction
Chapter 1 Ecocriticism and Hardy's Ecological Thoughts
1��1 An Overview of Ecocriticism
1��2 Hardy's Ecological Thoughts
Chapter 2 Spirit of Place�� Hardy's Depiction of the Natural Environment
2��1 The Quiet Pastoral Setting in Far from the Madding Crowd
2��2 Symbolic Sense of Nature in Tess of the D'Urbervilles
2��3 Nature as an Independent Entity in The Return of the Native
Chapter 3 Spirit of Place�� The Relationship between Hardy's People and Nature
3��1 Characters Close to Nature
3��2 Characters Alienated from Nature
3��3 Characters Returning to Nature
Chapter 4 Spirit of Place�� Hardy's Influence on Other British Ecological Novels Exemplified by Rebecca
4��1 The Natural World in Rebecca
4��2 The Human World in Rebecca
Conclusion
References
Appendices
Afterword