Some Victorian readers condemned Bathsheba as a ‘hussy’ who did not deserve to win Gabriel as a husband. Do you agree?
Rachael Crewe 11Mt Some Victorian readers condemned Bathsheba as a 'hussy' who did not deserve to win Gabriel as a husband. Do you agree??? In the dictionary, a 'hussy' is defined as: "woman of light or worthless character; pert girl." This definition, though being from a modern dictionary, I do not believe describes Bathsheba at all. Her character, being far from worthless, is strong, determined and often very stubborn. At the beginning of the novel, Bathsheba is naïve and childish, thinking only of herself and her immediate future. She shows this in her rejection of Gabriel Oak in the fourth chapter: 'I hate to be thought of as men's property in that way, though possibly I shall be had someday.' She does not think of Gabriel's feelings when she chases after him, but her own reputation. Not noticing his feelings and trying desperately to clear her name. Her lack of forward thinking is apparent and she later realises what she has done, trying to correct herself: 'There was no harm in hurrying to correct a piece of false news that had been told you' She is trying to excuse her rashness in chasing Gabriel up the hill. Although she meant no harm, she realises what she has done. Bathsheba may, in this case be thought of as slightly to free willed for society's liking, as she shows throughout the novel. However, she is merely strong willed and passionate about her beliefs:
Themes Presented In Far From The Madding Crowd
Themes Presented In Far From The Madding Crowd Thomas Hardy was born on 2nd June 1840 in Higher Bockampton, Dorset. His father was a builder and mason and his mother a former servant was a well read intelligent woman with a strong personality. Hardy was impressionable from a young age and as a country boy was surrounded by the traditional aspects of rural life with it's superstitions, folk lore, culture and past times. In 1856 Hardy worked with an architect and continued his studies under the guidance of a parish rector. This friendship has been thought to affect to the tone of "Far From The Madding Crowd". The book was published in 1874 and is one of his most well-known novels. His unique style is never more apparent in this novel with the focus on relationships in a rural community. In this essay I will be discussing the power of love as it is portrayed in "Far From The Madding Crowd". I will be discussing different aspects of love and themes which affect the key theme love in the novel. These themes include character and developement, atmosphere, language and authorial intrusions. From the start of the novel it is noted that Bathsheba is a very vain and unconventional character. Right from the start while on horseback she proved this. "A small swing looking glass was disclosed, in which she proceeded to survey herself attentively. She parted her lips and smiled". It is
Discuss how the two writers engage the Reader’s interest in their short stories.
Discuss how the two writers engage the Reader's interest in their short stories. Both authors use their titles as a way of drawing in the reader by making them ask questions right from the start. Lively chose the title "The Darkness Out There" and this poses the question, "What is "The Darkness?" The word darkness foreshadows that the story is about the unexpected and evil. In the same way, Thomas Hardy's title "Old Mrs Chundle," immediately begs the question "Who is Old Mrs Chundle?" Already the reader is picturing an old lady in their mind and wants to find out more about her. Like Lively, Hardy engages the reader by posing questions through the title. Titles are a very effective way of engaging the reader right from the outset. Also, both authors use stereotypes to engage the reader. Lively stereotyped the three main characters, Sandra, Kerry and Old Mrs Rutter. Sandra has been stereotyped as a "girly girl" who likes a "good giggle." Kerry is depicted as "one of the lads," he has "explosive acne" and "black slicked down hair." Finally Mrs Rutter is also stereotyped as "a dear old thing." The effect of Lively stereotyping her characters engages the reader even further. The reader is able to easily identify with the characters and in this way quickly becomes involved with them. As well as stereotyping the characters Lively chooses to stereotype the surroundings. "She
The Mayor of Casterbridge
Kate Alexander The Mayor of Casterbridge Essay The novel is set in about 1830 "before the nineteenth century had reached one third of its span." The events I am studying take place in the large village of Weydon-Priors in Upper Wessex in a tent at the fair; where furmity is sold. There are two main characters called Michael and Susan Henchard, they have a baby daughter called Elizabeth Jane who is about six months old. Michael Henchard is a poor man; you can tell this because him and his family are walking everywhere and they're plainly dressed in working clothes "They were plainly but not ill clad." His relationship with his wife, Susan, appears to be a quiet one, with neither of them showing obvious signs of affection towards each other "Sometimes the man's bent elbow almost touched her shoulder, for she kept as close to his side as possible without actual contact." There seems to be complete silence between the couple, the only noise from the family was the whisper of Susan to her daughter "If any word at all were uttered it was an occasional whisper of the woman to the child." Once at the fair Michael Henchard and his family go into a tent where furmity is sold. It is whilst in this tent that Michael sells his wife. The family have furmity, Michael has his furmity laced with rum to add flavour to the mixture "He winked to her, and passed up his basin in reply to
In 'Far From the Madding Crowd', Thomas Hardy examines different types of love. Consider the relationships Bathsheba has with Gabriel, Boldwood and Troy; consider also Troy's relationship with Fanny Robin.
Stephan Seiler Date: 8/05/02 Set 2 Mr. Longman English literature: Novel Assignment no: Pre-1900 'Far From the Madding Crowd' Final Draft Actual word count: 1,216 Minimum word count: 600 Date due: 22/05/02 Assignment: In 'Far From the Madding Crowd', Thomas Hardy examines different types of love. Consider the relationships Bathsheba has with Gabriel, Boldwood and Troy; consider also Troy's relationship with Fanny Robin. What conclusions does Thomas Hardy wish us to draw about the nature of love? Support the points you make with close reference to the text. You must also mention the social context of the novel and any relevant literary tradition. Bathsheba is a very vain woman who likes to think very highly of herself, in the first appearance she makes in the novel, she is admiring herself in the mirror. The last word in Chapter 1 is 'vanity'. Hardy has established some of the features of two of
Using chapters 7, 11 & 40, Discuss how Hardy Presents Fanny Robin as the Ruined Maid in the Novel
Using chapters 7, 11 & 40, Discuss how Hardy Presents Fanny Robin as the 'Ruined Maid' in the Novel Thomas Hardy uses strong imagery and description throughout the novel to reflect on his characters situations, emotions and thoughts. He does this particularly with Fanny Robin, a young maid seduced by the villainous aspects of the novel, and his intelligent descriptions of both weather and setting allow the reader a clear insight into her characters tragic existence and ultimate ruination. We are first introduced to Fanny Robin in chapter 7 when the hero of the novel, Gabriel Oak, comes across her "slim", "thinly clad" form. She is introduced during the night and the darkness of the churchyard in which she resides could possibly signify death or warn the reader of future tragic events in store for her. Gabriel's abrupt reaction towards her sudden movement shows Oak's recognition of her being a conventional unfortunate maiden, shown through his heroic need to assist her. Hardy's description also suggests she is poor as she is "thinly clad" on such a cold night. "The voice was unexpectedly attractive; it was the low and dulcet note suggestive of romance; common in descriptions, rare in experience." Fanny Robin's voice is here described as "music", that Gabriel is keen to hear more of, and "unexpectedly attractive" for someone dressed so poorly and whom he would not expect to
Chapter 5 - How does Hardy present characters and the setting in this particular chapter?
Natalie Smith 12f Chapter 5 How does Hardy present characters and the setting in this particular chapter? The central character in this chapter is Tess, and Hardy reveals to the readers how Tess's guilt leads her to Alec, who has a lot more on his mind then just helping Tess's family. Tess is very beautiful and men are always pursuing her, either for purely sexual reasons or because she represents an excitingly unformed life waiting to be molded. The landscape and Tess are often described similarly, and the seasons and the weather reflect her emotional and physical state. The naturalistic imagery that Hardy uses is an important component of his style, which is characterized both by beautiful descriptive passages and by more philosophical or abstract asides detailing the ironies of his characters' lives and fates. The countryside is almost a character in Tess. Much of the time the settings reflect what's happening to Tess and the characters that influence her life. Each station or place where Tess stops is a testing place for her soul. Nature also reflects the characters' emotions and fortunes. For example, when Tess is happy, the sky is blue and birds sing. When events turn out badly the earth appears harsh and coldly indifferent to her agony. Nature is also depicted in the many journeys that take place in Tess. Both traveling and the rhythms of nature are seen as
Half way through Chapter XX, Hardy describes the 'summer fog' that was suddenly occurring and all the activities that were taking place at the time of this fog and actually within it.
James Williams Phase the Third - The Rally January '03 Half way through Chapter XX, Hardy describes the 'summer fog' that was suddenly occurring and all the activities that were taking place at the time of this fog and actually within it. Hardy focuses mainly on the fog in two paragraphs and in each paragraph, he offers to different perspectives of the appearance of the fog which automatically suggests to the reader that this fog in the middle of summer, which is in itself unexpected, has a deeper meaning behind it. Tess and Angel are alone, due to it being "non-human hours", in the fog near the water-fowl. This is one of the first real times that Tess and Angel have been alone together and to them, spending a summer night together alone would be very special. This is why Hardy chose to have thick, dense fog on this night. Fog makes it hard to see what it ahead of you and makes everything look mysterious and uncertain, no matter which way you look. This also applies to Tess and Angel's relationship as at the moment there is a lot of uncertainly as to each others feelings even though the reader knows the truth and so they don't know what will happen between them in the very near future. So Hardy is almost using pathetic fallacy to represent a future experience. Not only does Hardy use pathetic fallacy to represent the
An analysis of the significance of chapter 37, to the novel as a whole;
English Coursework Tess of the D'Urbervilles By Thomas Hardy An analysis of the significance of chapter 37, to the novel as a whole; The setting of this chapter is within the D'Urberville mansion in the Froom Valley. Hardy uses the previous chapters to introduce the atmosphere within the mansion, making it apparent that there is an ancestral past for Tess, which makes her increasingly uncomfortable and it doesn't help that Angel keeps referring to Tess as a D'Urberville; 'The long pointed features, narrow eye, and smirk of the one, so suggestive of merciless treachery; the bill-hook nose, large teeth, and bold eye of the other suggesting arrogance to the point of ferocity, haunt the beholder afterwards in his dreams; The image of the women is not one of beauty and it is surprising to the reader that Angel should pick up on them as having similar features to those of Tess. This hints that their honeymoon may turn sour, as previously in the novel, Angel has always commented on Tess's beauty. Inevitably, Tess decides to tell Angel of her sin, which he cannot accept; hence bringing the sourness hinted in an earlier chapter, (chapter 10). Love survives on mutual trust, and since Tess has broken that trust, Angel has difficulty dealing with her. Within chapter 33, pg264, we discover Angels' sleep-walking habits. A fight occurred with Angel and a passing man, who was
According from your Reading of 'Far From The Madding Crowd' what qualities does Hardy Promote As being Required For A Successful Relationship?
According from your Reading of 'Far From The Madding Crowd' what qualities does Hardy Promote As being Required For A Successful Relationship? Thomas Hardy's 'Far From the Madding Crowd' was written in the Victorian period therefore was directed to a Victorian audience. At the time at which the novel was written society followed strict moral conventions and Hardy has promoted them in his novel. The main focus of his novel, Bathsheba Everdene begins as a fairly subdued character however develops into a much more complex character in ways in which her job, social status and love life change. A modern audience would see women as equals however the Victorian audience expects the women to be a second class citizen not capable of doing or gaining things for themselves. A typical Victorian novel follows the same pattern of love of when the female, in this case Bathsheba, makes two mistakes and finds the right man on the third attempt. Hardy follows this pattern in his novel and incorporates twists and turns until Bathsheba is satisfied. I imagine Hardy followed the typical order of events where the female makes mistakes to promote the idea that to have a successful relationship you must have made mistakes in the past. What people used to seek then in a successful relationship people still seek the same qualities today. Throughout my essay I will discuss how Bathsheba gained a