Hardy saw himself as a poet by calling who wrote novels for money. In common with his other novels, Two on a Tower, a work from the middle of his career as a novelist, was originally published in serial form. This meant not only that each episode had to have a dramatic ending, but also that the standards of morality required by Victorian editors had to be upheld. The often-repeated assessment of Hardy that his plots were contrived is therefore less a criticism of his natural style than of the expectations of the times. In any case, the ability to contrive an exciting story is arguably more of a benefit than a hindrance to a writer. In Two on a Tower, the plot practically  Read the complete review