Meanwhile, Bathsheba fears apologising to Boldwood as it could damage his pride, or make her appear too forward. She does not know that madness that is dwelling within him, and that had she apologised at this moment it might not have been too late to bring Boldwood back to normal.
In Chapter eighteen Boldwood is feeling restless, pacing around his house. The author describes Boldwood’s feelings in this chapter, “If an emotion possessed him at all, it ruled him”. This follows on from the line “His equilibrium disturbed, he was in extremity at once”. These sentences give useful insight into Boldwood’s thoughts and emotions. Boldwood is also summed up as “a hotbed of tropic intensity”. He is like a firework that Bathsheba has set off; Bathsheba has no idea what she has done, as Boldwood is able to mask the raging torment inside him with his usual passive expression. This shows that Boldwood seldom, or never shares his emotions and he is a very private person, no one ever knows what he’s thinking.
In this chapter Boldwood ventures out to Bathsheba’s farm where he sees her, Gabriel Oak and Cainy Ball, a farm worker. He then sums up the courage to talk to her and goes to do so in chapter nineteen.
In this chapter, Boldwood manages to get Bathsheba alone and, mustering all the dignity he can manage, proposes to her. Bathsheba feels very bad about this, because she feels nothing for Boldwood and the whole situation is her fault. The proposal does not go well for Boldwood and when Bathsheba declines his offer he begins to ramble about how he would “protect and cherish her” and how she would “have no cares”.
Because Bathsheba feels so guilty about turning him down after sending the valentine, she tells him that she will give him her answer at a later date. This ends up causing far more havoc than if she had just flatly refused, but again, she is completely unaware of this. She was scared of his vehemence and wanted to get the conversation over with quickly and so did not completely refuse.
In this chapter we see how persistent Boldwood is, his feelings are so deep that he could not handle Bathsheba’s refusal to marry him, and so would not take no for an answer. He seems undignified when talking to Bathsheba, and this is unlike Boldwood’s character when we first read of him. It is obvious now that he is descending deeper into madness.
For ten chapters we read nothing of Boldwood, aside from a brief conversation between him and Bathsheba in chapter twenty-three He then returns in chapter thirty-one. During the time since his proposal Boldwood’s feelings have been allowed to stew, but shortly before this chapter Bathsheba wrote Boldwood a letter explaining that she could not marry him. Despite the plainness of the letter, he cannot fully accept that he has been turned down. When the two characters meet in chapter thirty-one Boldwood at first seems calm and accepting of her refusal, but when she bids him “Good evening” and then confirms that her decision is final, he suddenly reverts to his passionate and undignified state. “O Bathsheba - have pity upon me!”
Boldwood then brings up the subject of Sergeant Troy, whom Bathsheba had fallen in love with between chapters 24-30. “Why did Troy not leave my treasure alone?” he says, showing that he is becoming increasingly detached from reality, as Bathsheba was never his. He begins to get very irate and blames her for not feeling anything for him. “Heaven –heaven-if I had got jilted secretly, and the dishonour not know, and my position kept! But no matter, it is gone, and the woman not gained. Shame upon him – shame!” Although Boldwood is extremely angry, it seems at this point that he is healthily coming to terms with being turned down, but this is revealed not to be true. He is still being unreasonable, and tells Bathsheba to keep Troy away from him for fear that he might attack or even kill him. His reaction is very illogical, and he has progressed a long way towards insanity.
In chapter 34 we see that Boldwood is now a completely different man, he is truly unstable. He visits Bathsheba’s house because he wants to apologise, but is told my Liddy that she cannot see him. He starts to walk home, but then Sergeant Troy arrives. Boldwood introduces himself and when Troy tries to walk away Boldwood becomes menacing and states firmly that Troy is going to have a conversation with him whether he wants to or not. Because of the lateness of the time, and the fact that Boldwood seems an imposing figure with his “stalwart frame” and the “thick cudgel he carried in his hand”, Troy decides to oblige him. Boldwood proceeds to offer a business transaction where he will pay Troy fifty pounds if he will marry Fanny Robin. Shortly before this we can see that Boldwood is completely delusional when he says to Troy “If you had not come I should certainly-yes, certainly- have been accepted by this time”. Boldwood truly believes it is Troy’s fault that he is not married to Bathsheba, and not that fact that Bathsheba does not love or even like him. Troy then plays Boldwood, pretending to accept his proposal until Bathsheba comes out of the house. Their conversation makes it obvious to Boldwood that they are a couple and when Troy returns to him under the pretence of gathering his things, Boldwood becomes angry and grabs Troy by the throat.
After a brief conversation Troy manages to change Boldwood’s view on the matter, and suddenly Boldwood says “Troy, make her your wife, and don’t act on what I arranged just now”. From this we can tell Boldwood is not seeing things clearly at all, his opinion changes instantly. Troy teases Boldwood and when he implies he wants more money, the author writes “Boldwood, more like a somnambulist than a wakeful man, pulled out the large canvas bag he carried by way of a purse”. This shows that it’s almost as if Boldwood is walking around in a dream, when he is awake he seems as if he is sleepwalking. At this point in the novel it is certain that Boldwood is mentally unwell.
Troy then shows Boldwood a piece of paper on which it is written that he and Bathsheba married that day. Boldwood is speechless, and Troy condescends to him about him being a hypocrite, and then throws his money back at him. Boldwood is infuriated, he has been made a complete fool of and as well as that, Bathsheba and Troy are married. Boldwood then shouts the prophetic words “You juggler of Satan! You black hound! But I’ll punish you yet; mark me, I’ll punish you yet!”
Now, Boldwood’s equilibrium is, beyond doubt, disturbed and his feelings truly extreme. “Throughout the whole of that night Boldwood’s dark form might have been seen walking about the hills and downs of Weatherbury like an unhappy shade in the Mournful Fields by Acheron.”
In chapter thirty-eight we find out that Boldwood has neglected his farm, and almost all his crops have gone to waste. After Gabriel Oak spends all night working on covering Bathsheba’s ricks, he meets Boldwood. When Oak asks if Boldwood’s ricks are covered he is completely shocked to find out that they’re not, that he has entirely overlooked them. Oak realises that this profound change in Boldwood’s priorities is largely related to Bathsheba jilting him, and once again the Author sums up how Boldwood has changed – “A few months earlier Boldwood’s forgetting his husbandry would have been as preposterous an idea as a sailor forgetting he was in a ship.” Boldwood then confides in Oak when he breaks down “O, Gabriel, I am weak and foolish”. Boldwood cannot “fend off his miserable grief”, but then suddenly he regains his composure, and, like his old self says to Oak “I do feel a little regret occasionally but no woman ever had power over me for any length of time.”
Once again we are fooled into thinking that Boldwood’s problems may be over, and his ill mental disposition recovering, but Boldwood is just covering up his true feelings, and he is feeling just as rejected and obsessed as before. This is the last we hear of Boldwood until Chapter forty-eight.
In this chapter Bathsheba is told of Troy’s death, this occurs at the corn exchange and Boldwood is there. When he learns what Bathsheba was told from another man, his buried hope is exhumed. He had been on his way to recovery, but now – “A strange fire lighted up Boldwood’s eye, and his face flushed with the suppressed excitement of an unutterable thought.” He then picks up the now-unconscious Bathsheba and deposits her on a sofa in a private room, savouring the moment and even thinking to himself how wonderful the it is despite the fact she is completely unaware of it. This illustrates that he is completely obsessed; he worships the ground she walks on.
The news of Troy’s death has once again disturbed Boldwood’s equilibrium, and new hope burns within him.
In chapter forty-nine, following the complete ruining of his crops due to his neglectful behaviour, Boldwood appoints Oak to look after his farm.
“A great hope had latterly germinated in Boldwood, whose unreasoning devotion to Bathsheba could only be characterized as a fond madness which neither time nor circumstance, evil nor good report, could weaken or destroy.”
In this sentence the Author describes Boldwood’s obsession with Bathsheba, and proves to us that although Boldwood’s hopes could be temporarily subdued, his true feelings were always there. It seems as if his feelings for Bathsheba will last his entire life. Boldwood’s hopes are encouraged when, after talking to Liddy he finds that Bathsheba mentioned remarrying in six years, giving him something to cling onto. Throughout the novel Boldwood thinks constantly about the best possible outcome of a situation. Liddy saying that Bathsheba once mentioned remarrying slowly evolves in his head into him believing that Bathsheba will marry him in six years. He always tries his best to keep himself hopeful. His waking hours once again become devoted to thinking about Bathsheba.
In chapter fifty-one Bathsheba goes on a ride with Boldwood in his cart to Weatherbury after finding herself unable to refuse because Oak, her usual driver, was too busy and Boldwood her only alternative. After awkwardly chatting about mutual interests, Boldwood, unable to resist, bluntly asks “Mrs. Troy, you will marry again some day?” She is taken aback and a long pause ensues before she says she has not seriously thought of such a subject. Boldwood continues to press her, and is clutching for reassurance when he says, “You never liked me”. Bathsheba then talks about seriously regretting her treatment of him, and Boldwood is desperate and shameless enough to say to her “Bathsheba, suppose you had real complete proof that you are what, in fact, you are-a widow-would you repair the old wrong to me by marrying me?”
These are the words of a truly desperate man; he does not care at all if Bathsheba loves or even likes him, but just wants her to marry him. His current mental state is worse than ever before. He keeps pressuring her about marrying him in six years’ time and when it seems as if she might decline, he prays on her ill treatment of him in the past, a desperate and dishonourable act. “But do give it, remember the past and be kind” Bathsheba eventually ends up being telling Boldwood she will tell him of her decision at Christmas.
This act of Bathsheba’s subdues Boldwood, and as before in this situation he leaves her alone until the promised time because those simple words of hers are enough to comfort him into believing that she will eventually marry him. It is as if his life itself is centred around Bathsheba, but I think Bathsheba only promised to consider his proposal because she feared for his sanity.
In chapter fifty-two Boldwood holds a grand Christmas party, something that is, evidently from the Author’s words, extremely out of character. But Boldwood has sunk so fast towards insanity that his “character” itself has changed dramatically. Boldwood is very expectant of Bathsheba’s answer, and deliriously happy in the build-up to the party. Bathsheba fears the party and having to give Boldwood an answer, and deliberately wears mourning clothes to it. Boldwood’s cheerful disposition will not be dampened, even when Oak tries to make him more realistic about the situation, to stop him getting his hopes up. But, as has been consistent throughout the novel, Boldwood’s moods and feelings are completely uninfluenced by anyone’s words but Bathsheba’s.
Because of Boldwood’s cheerful mood, he increases Oak’s salary, this is mainly due to his knowledge of Oak’s interest in Bathsheba and seems to me like a consolation prize, because through the mental haze that obscures his judgement, he truly believes Bathsheba is his.
It is in chapter fifty-three that Boldwood is finally pushed over the edge. After being verbally beaten into submission, Bathsheba gives her word to marry Boldwood in six years if Troy does not return. Still, this is not quite enough for Boldwood and he requests that she wear a ring he bought for her. The demonic force that appears to be gripping Boldwood as he almost forces the ring onto her finger is too much for Bathsheba, and she begins to cry.
Soon after this, Troy arrives at the house and tries to take Bathsheba away and it is at that moment that Boldwood simply erupts – he shoots troy with one of the guns on his gun rack. The old Boldwood is now completely gone – replaced by a hysterical madman. “When Bathsheba had cried out in her husband’s grasp, Boldwood’s face of gnashing despair had changed. The veins had swollen, and a frenzied look had gleamed in his eye.” Able to take no more, Boldwood readies himself to commit suicide with the same gun, but is prevented by Samway.
In chapter fifty-five the true extent of Boldwood’s obsession with Bathsheba is revealed. He had bought a large number of gifts for he labelled “Bathsheba Boldwood” and dated six years in advance. His very soul was completely consumed with the idea of marrying her. Boldwood is sentenced to life imprisonment.
This novel describes the degeneration of a quiet, reserved and proud man into a crazed, violent and obsessive maniac. Throughout Boldwood’s life a certain equilibrium was preserved, and Bathsheba’s arrival and sending of the valentine disturbed it. He truly was “in extremity at once”. His mental state became more and more unstable until he finally exploded and shot Sergeant Troy. I believe this was the end of Boldwood’s equilibrium, and he would remain mentally ill and preoccupied with the woman he would never have.
