"I was court-martial in my absence, and sentenced to death in my absence, so I said they could shoot me in my absence"

This quote by Thomas Hardy is a humorous way of revealing his frustration with the unfairness of the situation he was in. He was court-martialed and sentenced to death without existing, so he sarcastically recommended that they could just shoot him in his absence also. This quote shows Hardy's sense of oppression and his desire to be heard. It also shows his resilience and decision to combat for what he believes in, even in the face of difficulty. Hardy's quote is a pointer that we need to never ever quit in the face of injustice, and that we must always aim to make our voices heard.