Final answer:
The two important themes of Thomas Hardy's poetry are Nature and societal change, mirroring Romanticism ideals which emphasize the beauty of nature and emotional depth amid societal transformations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Two important themes of Thomas Hardy's poetry are Nature and societal change. Hardy's work often reflects the Romantic ideology that celebrated the beauty of the natural world and the individual's emotional experience within it. This movement, known for its focus on emotion and imagination, promoted the themes of nature and the ordinary person but also showed concern for the effects of urbanization and industrialization on both people and the environment. Hardy's poetry, while not strictly Romantic in its timeframe, carries the ethos of the Romantic movement in its profound engagement with natural settings and the transformative effects of societal progress, often displaying an adversarial relationship between humans and the encroaching industrial landscape. Furthermore, the reflection of Romantic values can be seen in the recurrent themes of love and suffering, which are integral to Hardy's poetry and the broader literary landscape of the era.
Literary works from this period, including Hardy's, often portrayed the tension between the pastoral ideal and the rapid advance of technology and industrialization—captured by the metaphorical conflict between 'the machine' and 'the garden.' The Romantic era's literary productions also commonly addressed themes involving characters who express ideas or opinions about their environments, thereby representing various cultural, social, or political values. Therefore, the correct answer to the thematic question is A. Nature and societal change.