symbolism in Hardy's 'Far from the madding crowd'

of Norcombe hill. The stately progress of the earth is contrasted to oak’s special power of quiet energy. The innocent and helpless stirrings of the new-born lamb and the movements of the stars and the earth  are contrasted to symbolize the frailty of human existence. In chapter 5, The landscape of  Norcombe Hill seems symbolize Gabriel’s utter despair. The moon takes the form of an attenuated skeleton and the pool shimmers like ahead man’s eye-nature seems to intertwine with Gabriel’s despair. Against the colorless background of the river and the wall. Fanny is contrasted as a mere shade upon the earth. This symbolizes her nullity and despair. Hardy also uses the framing device to symbolize Fanny’s weakness. She gazes up to converse with Troy’ framed in a window of his barracks .The white color of the snow mixing  with the sky  symbolizes  the obsession of Boldwood’s passion .The queer  preternatural inversion of light and shade  reflects the absurdity of his intense emotional state. The sheep-shearing scene at the barn abounds in rich symbolism. The  shearing operations  that have not been mutilated for long years are contrasted to the adapted to changes coming to the lives of the main characters of the novel. The detailed descriptions of the activities done in the great barn for each sheep symbolizes the declining prospects of Oak, the rising hopes of Boldwood’s mind and the comments made by the rustics –all basing on the same lady. There is also sexual symbolism in this same chapter. The appalled ewe is subdued by Oak and Bathsheba regards  the ewe’s sheared pink skin resembles a lady who blushes at the insult .the ewe emerging from the its fleece is compared to the Goddess  of love which symbolizes the sexual intensity of Oak’s violent passion. Gabriel, piqued by Bathsheba’s growing intimacy with Boldwood, injures  a sheep in the groin-the entire scene symbolizes Oak’s harmful sexual impulses toward Bathsheba. Troy’s spur entangles with Bathsheba’s dress-it symbolizes  the trap of flattery which would be prepared by Troy  for her. The spur is  the symbol of sex and the dress of Bathsheba is a symbol of femininity –the male aggressive masculinity has trapped femininity. However, the scene of the sword play contains the greatest symbolism in the novel. The hollow in which the sword  play is performed evokes the sexual  potential of the relationship between Troy and Bathsheba. The setting  is described with  rich  feminine imagery  that  sets up the erotic tone of the entire tone of the entire scene  while Bathsheba herself is passionately excited .Time and place are made clear at once  and so is Bathsheba’s desire  for male domination .The sword is used here as a symbol of male virility . At different points ,Hardy  uses striking  imagery  to link man and sword –Troy raises the sword  amid the fading sunlight , which gleamed a sort of greeting, like  a living thing Troy is methodical and controlled ,the whole atmosphere is turned meteoric and charged .Troy demonstrates the murderous  and blood-thirsty cuts  of which  the sword is capable . Then he splits  a caterpillar  upon her bosom which glisten towards her bosom and ,seemingly entered it . Troy wins and Bathsheba  is quite overcome having her passions spent . Troy takes off her lock  of hair as a trophy. Troy departs in a flash , like  a brand . The simile symbolizes the harmful nature of the passion he has  aroused. The storm scene in chapter 36-38 contain rich symbolism. The flashes symbolize the blinding truth of Bathsheba’s predicament and her womanish folly. But the relation between her and Oak strengthens as the thatch begins to conceals the Ricks. And when the storm comes, it is described with extended imagery ,the mailed army of lightning springs like a serpent  , with  the shout of a fiend . Hardy uses such imagery to convey  the forces of nature hostile to human beings .The scene of chapter 44  is significant  as it indicates Bathsheba’s return to the same hollow where sword-play  was performed  by Troy. The aforesaid hollow is now turned into a malignant swamp. The swamp is the symbol of utter despair into which Bathsheba has fallen . The symbolism goes far deeper as Bathsheba had seen the place before  when   she was captivated by Troy at the  sword play. At that time , the ferns were soft , feathery arms caressing her feet  but now they are withering fast and the hollow is a nursery of pestilences .The two  different states of the hollow reflects the two  opposing states of mind and suggests the outcome of  marriage with Troy .Now she has understood the implications of her marriage and she herself  and Nature are fused as the leaves rush away in the breeze. This symbolizes  Nature as a stark force and implies that the parallel between Nature and human mood should not be pursued by man.