Far From the Madding Crowd - examining Bashebia and her suiters.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD IN THIS ESSEY I WILL EXAMINE BASHEBIA EVERDENE AND HER 3 SUITERS Thomas Hardy born 1840 and died 1928 and he lived through the industrial revolution; he lived a poor child hood, as his father was a stonemason his whole life was centred around the countryside, as were his novels. Hardy started his carrier not doing novels but doing poems. The novel Far from the madding crowds main theme is the way that Bathsheba Everdene copes with her 3 suitors. Gabriel Oak - The novel's hero, Gabriel Oak is a farmer, shepherd, and bailiff, marked by his humble and honest ways, his exceptional skill with animals and farming, and an unparalleled loyalty. He is Bathsheba's first suitor, later the bailiff on her farm, and finally her husband at the very end of the novel. Gabriel is characterised by an incredible ability to read the natural world and control it without fighting against it. He occupies the position of quiet observer throughout most of the book, yet he knows just when to step in to save Bathsheba and others from catastrophe. William Boldwood - Bathsheba's second suitor and the owner of a nearby farm, Boldwood, as his name suggests, is a somewhat wooden, reserved man. He seems unable to fall in love until Bathsheba sends him a valentine on a whim, and suddenly he develops feelings for her. Once he is convinced he loves her, he refuses to give up his
The strengths and weaknesses of Bathsheba.
The Strengths And Weaknesses Of Bathsheba Throughout the course of 'Far From The Madding Crowd', Bathsheba undergoes multiple changes in her character, radically changing her behaviour and overturning her personality during her increasingly turbulent life. While Bathsheba has many good qualities and pleasant aspects to her character, she also possesses a number of weaknesses that dramatically affect her life. One of Bathsheba's most notable strengths is her courage. It is this bravery coupled with Bathsheba's quickthinking, that enables her to save Gabriel Oak' life. Having realised that Oak has left the ventilation holes in his hut closed along with his door, and knowing that the outcome would be Gabriel's suffocation, Bathsheba saves Oak. After she has dragged him outside and revived him, Oak asks Bathsheba her name. Flirtingly she challenges Oak to find out for himself. This in itself is Bathsheba's central weakness and brings about terrible consequences throughout her life: immaturity. In a way the book revolves around Bathsheba's immaturity and its price, and how Bathsheba overthrows her irresponsible nature when she finally grows up. Another of Bathsheba's faults is haughtiness. In the first chapter, we read of Bathsheba refusing to pay the man at the tollgate enough money. This haughtiness, derived from some sense of superiority in Bathsheba mars her character for the
Character Sketch of Bathsheba
FMC-BATHSHEBA CHARACTER SKETCH-DO HER VIRTUES OUTWEIGH HER FAULTS? Bathsheba is the heroine of the novel who is depicted as a continually growing and changing character. She is not a perfect or ideal woman and has her faults but overall her accomplishments and virtues definitely outweigh the shortcomings of her personality. Bathsheba is first portrayed as a poor attractive cottage girl admiring herself in a mirror. This vanity, Gabriel Oak is quick to observe is her chief fault. At the tollgate too she does not consider it necessary to thank Gabriel for paying the additional two pence she had refused to pay the gatekeeper to allow her to pass. Vanity was indeed a part of the innermost core of her being. She had a vain woman's desire to be looked at and admired and felt ignored when Farmer Boldwood was indifferent to her beauty and looks when she first visited Casterbridge market. However despite her self-confidence and independence she was an extremely jealous and possessive woman. It was this weakness that made her succumb to Troy's charms and agree to marry him when he tells her that has met another woman more beautiful than her. Initially she also feels jealous of the dead Fanny Robin when she sees Troy kissing her and proclaiming his true love for her and calling her his very own wife! She claims her love and right as his wife and when he rebukes her it leads to an
How is Gabriel Oak portrayed to the reader as a heroic character in the opening chapters of the novel?
Emmily Nonas 10W Coursework 22.10.2004 How is Gabriel Oak portrayed to the reader as a heroic character in the opening chapters of the novel? In the novel Far from the Madding Crowd written by Thomas Hardy, I will be observing in detail the main character, Gabriel Oak a young, sheep farmer. I am going to determine how he is described as a heroic character in the first seven chapters. Gabriel Oak is portrayed to the reader as a heroic character in several different ways. In chapter one, there is no action or events. Alternatively, in the first paragraph, there is a description of Oak, which is mainly focused on his broad smile. His smile is compared using a simile, 'like the rays in a rudimentary sketch of the rising sun.' This immediately implies that he is a cheerful, good-natured character. Secondly, he is referred to with many different names. Farmer Oak illustrates his status, respect and authority. His Christian name, Gabriel has a reference towards the bible, as Gabriel was the good angel of God. Lastly, his surname, Oak, this may refer to wood as Oak is strong and durable which may represent his strength and durability. This is stressing the positive quality of Oak's character. The reader starts to get an encouraging image of Gabriel once reading the first two paragraphs. Farmer Oak's background is rather straightforward although he has had many jobs. He is
How do you account for Bathsheba's choice of husband when she could have married either Gabriel Oak or William Boldwood?
Laura Horgan How do you account for Bathsheba's choice of husband when she could have married either Gabriel Oak or William Boldwood? Bathsheba married Troy because he offered her an exciting lifestyle full of lust and venture. On the other hand, she rejected Oak and Boldwood because they offered her a secluded life of security in a traditional living. The book was written in episodes for a Victorian magazine. People of the times expected a happy ending, Hardy wanted to please his readers but incorporate the hardships of life at the same time. He structures the book so that Bathsheba is dragged through her misfortunes and undeserving men, whilst throughout the duration of the book the readers still feel that Bathsheba should ultimately be in wedlock with Gabriel. This is clever of Hardy because despite the tragedy of death there is love to sooth the mind. In the time in which the book was written, men and women were only allowed to be together if the Lady has a chaperone, this was the socially accepted thing. Therefore, if a man got a woman pregnant it would be unacceptable of him not to marry her. Hardy felt that women were treated badly in the eyes of society. He felt that when women were married, the behaviour and character of the man they were married to shaped their lifestyles. In the Victorian period, women who did not marry found it very hard in society. They
Far from the madding crowd - How does Hardy present the idea 'the pain of love' in his depiction of the relationships between Bathsheba Everdene and Sergeant Troy, and Bathsheba and Farmer Boldwood?
How does Hardy present the idea 'the pain of love' in his depiction of the relationships between Bathsheba Everdene and Sergeant Troy, and Bathsheba and Farmer Boldwood? Thomas Hardy, born in 1840, divided his works into character and environment, romance and fantasies and novels of ingenuity, in which case Far from the Madding Crowd is in the first category. The original works were in the form of a series in the Cornhill magazine, which was so successful he was able to give up his job (as an architect) and devote his time entirely to writing. Hardy is known for his controversial novels such as Jude the Obscure, but his best work is the world renowned Far From the Madding Crowd, which expresses the journey of Bathsheba Everdene and her loyal farmer, Gabriel Oak, who encounter love but at the terrible price of death and despair. This, perhaps reflecting the tragic loss of his own wife in 1912, sixteen years before his own death, in 1928. Bathsheba and Sergeant Troy's first meeting outside the Fir Plantation, Troy flirts and compliments Bathsheba, by taking more time then is necessary to untie the knot that binds them. Bathsheba, however she appears to be quite uncivilized towards him, "Thank you for the sight of such a beautiful face! He said. 'Twas unwillingly shown" she replied, stiffly. This unkind manner attracts Troy to her and ignites a relationship between them,
Consider the validity of the statement 'Bathsheba Everdene is an effective feminist'.
Consider the validity of the statement 'Bathsheba Everdene is an effective feminist'. Far From The Madding Crowd was set in the 1840s, at a time when women had very few rights. The Married Women's Property Act was not brought in until the 1870s, which meant that all women's earnings went to their husbands, and if they owned any property before marriage it would legally be transferred to her husband upon matrimony. Divorce laws heavily favoured men and a divorced wife could expect to lose any property she had brought into the marriage. When the act was introduced in 1870 it meant that women where allowed to keep up to 200 pounds of their earnings and to inherit personal property and small amounts of money, everything else belonged to their husband. Although not liberating in terms we understand today, the Married Women's Property Act represented a huge step forward for the women of the 19th century. When Thomas Hardy wrote this novel in 1872 these laws had already become the custom, but he deliberately set the novel before these laws came in. He set the novel in this time because the people who read this book would have known what life was like before the act. In doing this Hardy is trying to get across how much of a feminist Bathsheba is and how defiant she is. Bathsheba is seen as a woman of the 1870's set in the 1840's. It is clear that Bathsheba Everdene is an
Describe the character of Troy. What is his significance in the novel?
Describe the character of Troy. What is his significance in the novel? The character of Sergeant Frank Troy in Hardy's novel Far From the Madding Crowd is first introduced in chapters 11 and 16 before more about him is discovered in chapter 24. In this chapter he meets Bathsheba in the woods at night, her dress becomes entangled in the soldier's spur. Troy's appearance and personality are thoroughly described in the novel to give the reader a clear insight into his character. Troy is a handsome man who is often highlighted by the red uniform he wears; he is described as a "bright scarlet spot". Bathsheba notices the "three chevrons upon his sleeve," indicating that he is a sergeant. He has a moustache and is also described as "young and slim". Hardy states that Troy's "sudden appearance was to dark what a trumpet was to silence." This adds effect to Troy's portrayal as a flamboyant character. After being in just a few chapters, some clear ideas on Troy's personality and traits can be found. In chapter 11, a careless side to Troy is seen. He is in the barracks where he is met by Fanny at the window; he leaves her outside in the dark and cold to find her own place to stay the night. He will be "moderately truthful" to men but to women he would lie "like a Cretan". It is described that he would waste time on "trivialities," this is further illustrated by him being shallow and
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
Far from the maddening crowd
Far From the Maddening Crowd Bathsheba Everdene is the main character in a Thomas Hardy novel called "Far From the Madding Crowd". Which is set in Wessex. Bathsheba's character is along with many other things decisive, brisk, vain, businesslike, and independent. However you see her evolve throughout the book, mainly as a result of her marriage to Frank Troy. At the beginning of the story Hardy seems to focus on her bad qualities, though you still see people wishing to be married to her. Some good qualities are shown as well like her thoughtful response to save Gabriel's life. Her first fault is vanity. This trait is mentioned in chapter one, almost everything else follows on from this. Vanity affects the way she behaves in a powerful way. Her vanity makes her annoyed and angry at not attracting Boldwood's attention. When she meets Frank Troy he plays up to her vanity by paying her compliments and showing her flirtatious affection. By the end of the story she shows that she has grown out of or overcome her vanity. Instead of wanting to stand out and have everyone looking at her, at Boldwood's Christmas party, she dresses down and wants to merge into the background. You can also see she is not vain because when Boldwood praises her beauty the comments have no effect. Her life experiences have caused this change in her. The main life experience is her marriage to Frank