An analysis of Hardy's characterisation, through proposals of marriage, shows how he views marriage
"Far from the Madding Crowd" by Thomas Hardy is set in a rural community in 1874.
Farmer Gabriel Oak has just acquired his own sheep farm; as we meet him first, we the readers are inclined to believe that he is the hero of the novel.
His name "Gabriel Oak" symbolises the strength and solidarity of a tree, as well as the angelic intentions in his biblical name "Gabriel".
The next character we are introduced to is Miss Bathsheba Everdene, whom Gabriel sees on a wagon at the tollgate. Bathsheba is a young and attractive woman, dressed in a 'crimson' coat, which signifies her confidence in her appearance and need to be noticed. Farmer Oak sees her most prominent flaw, vanity, as she disregards the countryside and objects around her, all except for a mirror in which she admires herself. Unbeknown to her, Farmer Oak observes this whole charade from where he was standing. He walks down to where the wagon is residing to pay the toll, and overhears Bathsheba refusing to pay the price. Oak offers to pay the extra two pence for her; Bathsheba then acknowledges him with a slight glance, confirming to him that she does not find him remotely attractive in any way. The gatekeeper and Gabriel discuss Bathsheba's faults, where Gabriel announces that vanity plays a big part of her character.
The next time Oak sees Bathsheba he has found her hat and picked it up. She is unconscious of his presence once again; immodestly riding astride a horse, in a way which was unusual for pre-20th century times. Oak is fascinated with this display and continues to spectate. Bathsheba is not wearing appropriate riding clothes and her seat on the horse is rather strange. When Gabriel moves to where he should stop her, he sees bare flesh on her arm and fantasises about her naked arm in the summer. When Bathsheba notices Farmer Oak, she is relatively surprised to see his head rising above the hedge.
The view with which she presented Oak with was awe invoking; making her look tall and powerful. She immediately became aware of herself and rearranged her facial expression to a look that was almost arrogant. Oak blushed, whereas Bathsheba composedly kept her facial colour under control.
When Gabriel presents Bathsheba with her estranged hat, she smiles and takes it from him. Her first introduction to him was quite informal:
"'You are Farmer Oak, are you not?'
'That or there abouts. I'm lately come to this place.' "
When they part, Bathsheba has not told Gabriel her name, which appears as flirtatious and provocative.
Their next conversation arises when Gabriel approaches Weatherbury Farm to propose to Bathsheba, but she is nowhere to be seen. Oak retreats and begins to return home, when Bathsheba comes running to catch up with ...
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When Gabriel presents Bathsheba with her estranged hat, she smiles and takes it from him. Her first introduction to him was quite informal:
"'You are Farmer Oak, are you not?'
'That or there abouts. I'm lately come to this place.' "
When they part, Bathsheba has not told Gabriel her name, which appears as flirtatious and provocative.
Their next conversation arises when Gabriel approaches Weatherbury Farm to propose to Bathsheba, but she is nowhere to be seen. Oak retreats and begins to return home, when Bathsheba comes running to catch up with him; she corrects his thoughts that she has many sweethearts.
Oak is relieved when she announces this, although when he reaches for her hand she pulls away. He lost some confidence at this error and whilst telling her about what his farm is like and how great their married life would be, Bathsheba falsely encourages Gabrial:
"'And when the wedding was over, we'd have it put in the newspaper list of marriages.'
'Dearly I should like that!'"
Bathsheba then tells him she could never possibly want to marry him. This shows Bathsheba's egotistical and stubborn characteristics, as well as Oaks honest and vulnerable traits. Bathsheba's vanity would love the attention of marriage although she has no desire for commitment.
The next significant feature of the novel is when Farmer Boldwood calls for Bathsheba. This is the first time we the reader are introduced to Boldwood; his name signifies courageousness and daring, hence the 'Bold' section, and solidarity and strength with the 'wood'.
Bathsheba's interest is aroused in Boldwood when she learns that he is a 40 year old Farmer, and more so a bachelor.
The first time Bathsheba sees Boldwood is at the corn market; she notices him, as he is the only person there who is not staring at her; she is the only female there, so curiosity is bound to be aroused. Boldwood is so unaware of Bathsheba's presence that it calls to her vanity that this man is paying her no attention.
When Liddy comments that Boldwood did not notice her in church, Bathsheba becomes annoyed and wonders why he is the only person not to have laid eyes on her. Bathsheba sends him a valentines card with the seal 'marry me', which when Boldwood receives takes very seriously. Over the next few days, Boldwood ponders on the Valentine, his imagination proving to exaggerate the facts.
Thomas Hardy shows us Boldwood's obsession on Bathsheba and we the reader fear where this will lead. He becomes jealous when she pays him no attention and she considers apologising to him. She begins to regret sending the card, as he becomes persuasive and although Bathsheba has acted flirtatious, Hardy points out that she is not intentionally trying to mislead him.
The next proposal Bathsheba receives is from Boldwood. He began to follow her when she was watching the sheep dipping. He gets straight to the point and Bathsheba is slightly taken aback, although attempts to look unchanged.
"My life is not my own since I have beheld you clearly, Miss Everdene - I come to make you an offer of marriage."
He comes across as desperate and pleading, and refuses to listen to her apologies. His proposal continues until Bathsheba agrees to talk again on the subject.
A few chapters later and Boldwood proposes again, and this time Bathsheba does not fully decline again, although she would like to:
"I don't promise yet"
Once again, he persuades her to talk again on the matter.
Bathsheba soon meets Sergeant Troy, who when he meets her calls her 'beautiful'. Hardy states how Boldwood made this mistake:
"It was a fatal omission of Boldwood's that he had never once told her she was beautiful."
Sergeant Francis Troy is a handsome and physically attractive man, who comes across as mystical and dashing. His speech is flirtatious and charming, which helps with his need to be liked.
Troy and Bathsheba exchange flirtatious conversation several times, Bathsheba receiving the name 'Queen of the Corn Market'. He soon declares his love to Bathsheba, and although he does not love her, is surprised by how much he actually does like her. He tells her that he is leaving Wessex in a month, and asks her not to ignore him while he stays, but to converse with him and not be affronted by his behaviour.
The next time Bathsheba and Troy meet, he helps her with the bee keeping. Bathsheba rearranges her dress and hair whilst Troy is retrieving the bees, which implies that she does like him and her vanity gets the better of her.
Bathsheba is persuaded to watch Troy's sword practice, and is persuaded to go alone. Pre 19th century women should have had a chaperone if they were not married.
When Bathsheba is on her way to the clearing where she shall watch Troy's sword practice she is rather excited. After she has almost been sliced into thousands of pieces, Bathsheba is impressed by the dexterity and swiftness of Troy's sword skills.
The next significant feature is Boldwood's desperate, passionate plea to Bathsheba to take back what she said in her letter of refusal. Boldwood, also, is in love with Bathsheba as he declares it to her at this particular meeting:
"I am beyond myself about this..."
This is prophetic as it is accurately predicting the future.
Bathsheba and Troy marry, as Troy told Bathsheba that he had seen a woman more beautiful than her that day, and would leave her if she did not marry him. Bathsheba's vanity and jealousy allowed her to be fooled by this statement and therefore they were married that same day.
On the night of Bathsheba and Troy's wedding, a storm threatens to blow away the hayricks. When Bathsheba runs out to see, Farmer Oak is already tying them down. It is ironic that Bathsheba is grateful to Oak for trying to retrieve the hay, as she did not wish to marry him. Hardy confirms this by saying:
"The contradictoriness of that feminine heat which had caused her to speak more warmly to him tonight than she ever had done whilst married and free to speak as warmly as she chose."
Boldwood confides in Oak that he wishes to die, as Bathsheba did not marry him, but Sergeant Troy. He also neglected the hayricks, and therefore lost a considerable amount of money.
When Troy disappears, Boldwood pleads with Bathsheba that if he does not return in 7 years that she will marry him. Boldwood once again declares his love for Bathsheba.
Boldwood forces Bathsheba to promise to marry him and calls her beautiful, which echoes Hardy's statement that his mistake earlier was not saying this. Bathsheba, however, is too distressed to react to this compliment in her usual way and does not respond in the desired way.
When Boldwood gets killed, Oak is to have his farm which would put him on a more equal footing with Bathsheba socially, although Bathsheba speaks standard English, whereas Oak is more colloquial:
"'Marrying of 'ee in plain British'
'I have thought so much more of you since I fancied you did not want to even see me again'"
This shows Bathsheba's fickle nature, and that she has matured and can see past public status and looks.
Oak calls her 'My beautiful Bathsheba'; all three of the men have now commented on her beauty, which Bathsheba seems to like.
Hardy concludes the novel by summing up his notion of a truly successful relationship:
"Theirs was that substantial affection that arises... when the two who are thrown together begun first by knowing the rougher sides of each others character."
By Kelli Hopkinson 10 E
Kelli Hopkinson 10E 9:03 PM16/05/200716/05/2007
