When Gabriel was on his way to Weatherbury, he had wanted to sleep in what he assumed to be an abandoned wagon. But, when he was sleeping, the wagon had started moving and he had heard the men who were driving it talking. They were talking about a lady. “Yes- she’s very vain. ’Tis said that every night at going to bed she looks on the glass to put on her nightcap properly.” At hat moment of time, Gabriel had already suspected that this woman could be Bathsheba. If this wagon hadn’t been driven to Weatherbury, Gabriel would have never got off at where he did, thus, he wouldn’t have spotted the fire. “Oak watched it, and the glow increased. Something was on fire.” And therefore, he might not have seen Bathsheba for the rest of her life and his. Here the minor characters, Joseph Poorgrass and Billy Smallbury, have played a big part in bringing Gabriel to the scene of the fire, albeit without their knowledge.
Also, Boldwood’s obsession with Bathsheba had been sparked off by Liddy’s suggestion: to send the valentines card previously intended for Teddy Coggan to Boldwood. “What fun it would be to send it to the stupid old Boldwood and how he would wonder!” By saying this, she had directly led to the devastating effect it had on Boldwood. Had that valentine been sent to Teddy, the string of reactions that followed it would not have had a chance to happen. Boldwood would still have been a well-respected and successful farmer, and Bathsheba would not have been riddled with guilt for sending that valentine. Boldwood wouldn’t be caught up in this obsession about Bathsheba that caused him to neglect everything else.
When Fanny Robins died, Joseph Poorgrass was given the task of getting the coffin from the union back to Weatherbury. But on his way to Weatherbury, her stopped for a drink with Mark Clark who persuaded him to have more drinks till he was almost totally drunk and had forgotten the task set for him. “All’s the matter with me is the affliction called an multiplying eye, and that’s how I look double to you- I mean, you look double to me.” Because of this, Fanny Robin’s coffin had to be kept in Bathsheba’s house for the night. If Fanny Robins had been buried without Bathsheba ever having the chance to find out who was in the coffin with her, she would never have found out that Troy had actually slept with her before.
Act as confidantes.
When Bathsheba was really confused about what to believe about Troy, she couldn’t tell anybody because she didn’t want people to talk behind her back. So to relive her emotions, she poured out her feelings to Liddy instead of letting it stay cooped up instead her. She says to Liddy. “I must let it out to somebody; it is wearing me away!” Through her talking about how she feels about Troy to Liddy, the author shows very clearly what her dilemma about Troy is all about. “But Liddy, he cannot be bad, as it said. Do you hear?” Also, through this conversation, we also see Liddy through new eyes as Bathsheba calls Liddy her companion. “You are not as a servant – you are a companion to me.” At the beginning, Liddy is seen as somewhat silly and fickle with her opinion. “” But now, the reader sees that she is a great friend to have and admires her.
Overhear or observe the major characters’ actions.
At one point of the story, Bathsheba went off with Boldwood and was afraid of what the men would think of her. She asked Gabriel “if the men made any observations on my going behind the sedge with Mr Boldwood yesterday.” This shows that what the workers think of her matter quite a lot as if they thought that she was a frivolous woman, they might not work as well for her.
Boldwood’s workers overhear him speaking to himself before the Christmas party at which he would have Bathsheba’s answer on whether she would marry him after seven years or not. Through the workers, the readers realise the full extent of Boldwood’s obsession about Bathsheba. ”I hope to God she’ll come, or this night will be nothing bit misery to me! O my darling, my darling, why do you keep me in suspense like this? ” Also, one of his workers said: “I thought that fancy of his was long over.” This tells us that to the outside world, Boldwood seems fairly normal and he seems to be getting on with his life quite well, while in actual fact, he is still in the clutches of his craze about Bathsheba.
Show off the charms of simple country life.
Thomas Hardy described the malt house as a place where there was great hospitality and cosiness. “The room inside was lighted only by the ruddy glow from the kiln mouth”. Gabriel also brings the lamb ether. This shows us the hospitality of the old malter. “If twasn’t for your place here old malter, I don’t know what I should do” The author shows us that although life in the country is simple, it has all the aspects of how comfortable it is there.
The other country folks also show respect to the malter by agreeing with him when he thinks that he is a hundred and seventeen years old even though his son rightly said: “You turnip hoeing were in the summer and you malting in the winter of the same years and ye don’t ought to count both halves, father” We approve of the compassion that these characters show to the old malter by agreeing with him instead of starting a huge debate on his age.
On Boldwood’s first visit to Bathsheba’s farm, she refused to see him because she was in a dishevelled state and didn’t want him to see her that way. Thus, she told Mrs Coogan to tell Boldwood that to “say that I can’t see him- that will do.” Instead, Ms Coggan says that and then adds a little more information to justify the reason. She tells Mr Boldwood that “Miss is dusting bottles, sir, and is quite a object- that’s why ’tis.” This makes us smile, and at the same time admire the frankness of country folk at that time.
When Boldwood had been convicted, they all hoped that he wouldn’t be given the death sentence although he had killed Troy. They still respected him for what he was before the whole affair with Bathsheba happened. Also, they understood Boldwood enough not to go to the trial. Jan coogan says that “Twill disturb his mind more than anything to see us there staring at him as if he were a show.” We admire the way they understand basic manners and respect towards this man while in the city, there would probably be a big ado about it. Thomas Hardy shows us that country folks are more well mannered inside while the city folk have manners only for show.
Reveal the attitude of author.
In Far from a Madding Crowd, the author has made it clear that he treats city life with disdain and admires the simple rural life that can be found in the country. To show this, he has added several characters who are meant to be the embodiment of everything simple and rustic. Examples of these characters include Liddy, Bathsheba’s servant but also confidant and friend. Joseph Poorgrass, who seems to have a great love for drink, Jan Coggan also, has that particular characteristic. ”And so you see ‘twas beautiful ale, and I wished to value his kindness as much as I could, and not to be so ill-mannered as to drink only a thimbleful, which would have been insulting to the man’s generosity.” This makes the reader laugh because we think that drinking that much would be rude and Jan Coggan is trying to prove otherwise.
Cainy Ball seems to be an unfortunate creature who always manages to do everything wrong or get into a scrape or another. Even his name was an unfortunate accident. “his pore mother, not being a Scripture-read woman, made a mistake at his christening, thinking ‘twas Abel killed Cain and called en Cain meaning Abel all the time.” We can’t help but laugh at the funniness of the situation he is in.
Laban tall seems to be a very hen-pecked husband and someone who can’t speak for himself. Again, this character was created to make us laugh. His is constantly referred to as “Susan Tall’s husband” when the usual way to address his wife if her name wasn’t used was to be “Laban Tall’s wife”. Thus, there seems to be a reversal of roles here which we find amusing.
The author has written about these characters in such a way that we are meant to be fond of them as they make us laugh. In contrast, the way Troy is portrayed makes him ‘the bad guy of the story’. Troy is meant to represent the ways of country life and they’re superficies.
Represent values of which the author approves.
Gabriel is shown by the author as the epitome of goodness and in Gabriel he has instilled all the values which he thinks that all people should hold true. Even Gabriel’s name, shows that Thomas Hardy regards Gabriel with high esteem. Gabriel’s name was from God’s most trusted angel, Gabriel. This is how we are meant to look at Gabriel, someone who was to be trusted. The word Oak makes associates him with the strong and study oak tree, never shaken by any set-backs and he could be depended upon for consistency.
At the start of the book, Gabriel was being described through the opinion of others in his neighbourhood. The author used impressions he made on other people to show the reader what he was like. “In his face one might notice that many hues and curves of youth had tarried on to manhood: there remained in his remoter crannies some relics of the boy.” This helps us to form a visual image of him in our minds. We can see Gabriel Oak as someone who is mature, yet not too old. By doing it this way, the other has managed to show us that in the countryside, the opinions of the people around you are highly valued.
Also, at the fire, all the people co-operated. It seemed like the whole village was there to try to help. Everybody lent a helping hand. “On the ground, the groups of villagers were still occupied in doing all they could to keep down the conflagration” Again, Thomas Hardy emphasises the pureness of country life and how everybody sets other people before themselves.
At the end of the story, the country folks appeared outside Gabriel’s house, after his wedding. “their ears were greeted with the firing of a cannon, followed what seemed like a tremendous blowing of trumpets.” This showed us that the country folks had placed their stamp of approval on them.
Others
Gabriel strived to be accepted by the people in Weatherbury by trying to conform to what their society was like. Although he wasn’t used to drinking and eating things with layers of ash and grime on them, he pretended that he didn’t really mind so as to make the villagers believe that he didn’t think that it was beneath himself to do such things. “I never fuss about dirt in its pure state, and when I know what sort it is.” This shows that the opinion of people at that time did indeed matter a lot to individuals just as it does in our own society today. If Gabriel hadn’t acted in the way he did, he probably would have never had been accepted into this circle of workers and instead would be isolated from the rest of them.
