Why was Far from the Madding Crowd first published anonymously?

Question

I recently learned that Thomas Hardy's novel [*Far from the Madding Crowd*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_from_the_Madding_Crowd) was first published **anonymously** in *Cornhill Magazine*. As far as I know, publishing novels as monthly serials was reasonably common in those days (see Dickens, for example), but why wouldn't he put his name on it? Unlike [Marian Evans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Eliot), who used a male pseudonym for her novels, Hardy didn't have to struggle against the sexism of the day. Was there another reason for him not to use his real name?**Why did Hardy publish *Far from the Madding Crowd* anonymously?**

Answer 1

I don't have a truly definite answer to your question. Let me say that honestly to start.

Having told you that, let me present some possible reasons. One reason to publish anonymously especially in Great Britain seems related to the idea of writing or authorship as an embarrassing work or career.

Another reason some say relates to trying to achieved more universality in the subject matter because knowing the author's name some readers may see the writing as more provincial and more local.

Virginia Woolf wrote that “For most of history, anonymous was a woman." Of course, as you mentioned, Hardy, a man, seemed to have no reason to publish anonymously. Alternatively, perhaps some of his viewpoints, ideas, and works put forth unique views for which he might receive readers' taunts, and perhaps he didn't want to endure those.

Again, I regret I cannot provide a definitive answer but I hope these suggestions prove helpful to you and others.