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Far from the Madding Crowd
by Thomas Hardy, Rosemarie Morgan , Shannon Russell
by Thomas Hardy, Rosemarie Morgan , Shannon Russell
I don't quite know what to make of the character of Bathsheba Everdene. She vexes me as I have rarely been vexed by literary characters. She is independent, strong and fearless. The she meets Francis Troy and everything that we like about her is lost. She becomes this unappealing character that you root against. There are other mitigating factors that make her a bit more wretched, but it is how easily she is duped into loving Troy that makes the reader want to reject her. I had qualms with Troy at first, but he is just who he is. I don't blame him for his personality as much as I blame Bathsheba for succumbing to his transparent charms. It was almost as if she identified the right choice and then purposefully chose the wrong one. It bothered me because she didn't seem to be that stupid. However, I can't help but like Troy. He is shallow and flighty, but he knows he is shallow and flighty. He rather embraces it rather than labors upon it. Then we have the weird character of Boldwood. I do not know what to think of this guy. He isn't really a man, but more of a shell of a man. He lives as a bachelor for 40 years and then because of a foolish prank becomes enamored with Bathsheba. He is not only enamored, but obsessed. His obsession is his ultimate undoing, and I didn't feel sorry for him. All right, I did feel a little sorry for him because he was so darn pathetic. I mean he bought her clothes to be opened in six years time when she might be his wife. That's just sad I don't care who you are. The steadfast character in this novel is Gabriel Oak. He is passionate about Bathsheba, but he is not obsessed or flighty. He is just a constant. He is not flashy or crazy. He is just a good guy. He is not rich and Bathsheba is which is really the obstacle of him effectively courting her. However, if he could, there would be no story. The tragedy centers on Bathsheba, Troy and Boldwood. It is not quite a good as Jude the Obscure or Tess of the D'urbervilles, but still a decent tragedy. I was slightly off-put by the happy ending, but sometimes you need that. Hardy is so much better when he is bleak.
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Quotes Brad Liked
“Indifference to fate which, though it often makes a villain of a man, is the basis of his sublimity when it does not.”
― Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd
― Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd
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Jan 23, 2011 07:57pm
I have not finished this book yet but I find your review interesting. I guess it's the male perspective but I think Troy is the one that's completely irksome. When a man like that enters the life of a character like Bathsheba it's understandable that she would lose all sense of reason and act in a irrational way. So far, this is a fascinating read and it's great how Hardy can write a female character so well.
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I haven't finished this yet either. After Bathsheba dumped Oak in the beginning, I knew she was foolish. Oak was foolish too. He called her vain when he first met her and she didn't pay the toll. Yet, you knew immediately that Oak would always be there. He's an oak.I just finished Casterbridge, Tess and. Jude.. It's nice to see Hardy's lighter side. I love his descriptions of people and places; they're poetry. I guess I'll read the poems next.
I agree with you, Brad. And I can't help but find though Hardy does create a singularly "feminist for the time" sort of character, he seems to begrudge her every positive characteristic. He has to foil her success at every turn by making her rash, flighty and vain. She's almost a cipher unless she's suffering or causing suffering.
