Realism of Hardy or Hardy as realist.

The novelist of 18th century, particularly Henry Fielding gave a new theory that a novel is comic epic poem in prose. Realism was made the greatest characteristic of novel by Fielding. 
In his all novels, particularly “Tom Jones” and “Joseph Andrews”, he pictured a real and faithful account of contemporary English life. After Fielding Realism and Romanticism walked hand-in-hand. It was only in the hands of Charles Dickens that it flourished.
In the hands of Thomas Hardy it also became a greater force. Hardy has so realistically pictured the rivers, oceans, lakes, trees, plants, mountains, animals, birds, villages, towns, men and woman that many of reader of his novels find themselves there. Hardy paints his characters in a very few words that it becomes easy to distinguish one from another. 
The greatest expression of Hardy’s Realism can be found in the portrayal of his low characters. He knows that they are conventional, superstitious, gamblers and given to easy way of life. He does not caricature these characters but presents both men and women as they are.
In the “Mayor of Casterbrdige” he has presented the problems of labour and capitalism beautifully. His expression of Realism is found in the treatment of nature. Nature has its own cause and effects and it influences human life by bringing happiness and unhappiness. It has its own way and mood and works according to its own fixed mechanical laws.
To conclude, Hardy was realist in the sense that he had the force of personal wisdom and insight and they were expressed with perfect fidelity and sincerity. He not only gave the photograph of things, men and manners but a lively speaking picture which was a real work of literary art.