A Group of Noble Dames

A Group of Noble Dames is an 1891 collection of interconnected short stories by Thomas Hardy, set in the fictional county of Wessex. The narratives are framed by a club of ten members who recount tales of noble women from the 17th and 18th centuries, focusing on themes such as societal expectations, gender roles, and personal choice. Central to the collection is Betty, the daughter of Squire Dornell, whose struggles with arranged marriage and familial pressures highlight the conflict between individual desires and societal norms.