At the end of the novel Bathsheba marries Oak and is perfectly happy. In some ways, she does not deserve this as she torments other men such as Boldwood with a Valentine card which she later regrets. She deserves not Oak as he is a decent man and she refuses him throughout the book, also she dismisses him from his job when he tells her of his true opinions of her. There is evidence of change in her and she is so who has been regenerated through suffering. She does realize her mistakes.
Another main character is Gabriel Oak, who is a modest, quietly courageous and reliable man. He is a farmer who knows the importance of doing the job well and is a little too honest in expressing his opinions. He is also one with nature and can read the signs extremely well. He occupies the position of quiet observer throughout the book, yet he knows just when to step in to save Bathsheba and others from catastrophe. This is shown at the time of the storm when Oak predicts a storm is coming and tells everyone they must protect the ricks. Nobody takes any notice at first, but Oak still attempts to protect them himself.
He is very hard-working, trustworthy and loyal which is shown when Bathsheba pleads with Oak to return after dismissing him when her sheep begin to die rapidly. He returns graciously as shown, “A mounted figure passed between her and the sky, and drew on towards the field of sheep, the rider turning his face in receding. Gabriel looked at her.” This is an effective style of writing of Hardy, a poetic quality in his writing. Oak is frequently shown as a man at one with nature.
At the end of the story Oak receives what he has wanted throughout the whole novel, Bathsheba. He truly deserves her for all the trouble and hard work he goes through for Bathsheba and her farm.
A character who contrasts well with Oak is Farmer Boldwood, who at first, is a quite stern, proud and private man who has had not much luck with women. He can be quite sensitive as he was when he first saw Bathsheba after he had received the Valentines card, “his heart began to move within him”.
A main characteristic in Boldwood is that he can become exceptionally jealous as he did at the market place when he saw Bathsheba dealing with a young farmer, “But Boldwood grew hot down to his hands with an incipient jealousy”. This trait was to lead Boldwood to his life imprisonment for the murder of Troy. His jealousy overpowered him when Troy tried to take Bathsheba away, and so Troy was killed, “He had turned quickly, taken one of the guns, cocked it, and at once discharged it at Troy. Troy fell.”
At the end of the novel Farmer Boldwood is sentenced to life imprisonment which in one way he deserves and in another he does not. He does deserve this due to the fact that he had murdered someone which is utterly and completely wrong. However, he does not deserve this is because if Bathsheba had not played with his emotions by sending the Valentine card, he may not have wanted her in the way he did. Another reason is because Troy had tormented Boldwood when he offered him money to marry Fanny instead of Bathsheba.
My overall thought on this is that Boldwood did not deserve his fate as he was tormented by both, Bathsheba and Troy.
Finally, there is Sergeant Troy, who is a somewhat cruel man and who is also quite a womaniser. We learn this when he opens the window and shouts, “What girl are you?” His cruelty is shown when Fanny is trying to ask him if they are still to be married as he makes her spell out what she is trying to say. Also he is not the best man for keeping a promise as he makes out to have forgotten his promise to marry Fanny, “That you promised”, “I don’t quite recollect”.
Troy is also a confident man and gets on with other men. He can be truthful with men but quite dishonest with women. Most people put up with his actions as he charming which helps him get what he wants.
At the end of the novel Sergeant Troy is murdered by Boldwood. He did not deserve this as his actions were not absolutely horrific but he did not deserve to have Bathsheba in any way if he would have lived. He was dishonest, cruel and tormented Boldwood greatly about Bathsheba which was unnecessary. Hardy throughout the novel is keen to put the message across that actions have consequences. He shows how physical attraction can be dangerous and cause individuals to neglect their duties to the community they live in. Those who suffer do so as a result of their actions.
My conclusion is that Bathsheba, Farmer Boldwood and Sergeant Troy did not deserve their fate and that Gabriel Oak did as he worked the hardest and was a trustworthy, loyal and reliable person, which the other three characters were not.
Paul Taylor 10L
