“Liddy looked at me at the words of the seal and read – MARRY ME” Bathsheba has just sent a Valentines card as a joke to Boldwood. Boldwood has been hurt in the past before. Bathsheba has written the Valentine card. She has taken it one step further by stamping MARRY ME on the seal of the envelope. Bathsheba has got caught up so must in this trick that she is not thinking about the consequences, this shows her immaturity. Bathsheba needs to learn to put others first rather than satisfy herself. She needs to control her impulsiveness by thinking before she acts.
Bathsheba is also very independent; this sometimes makes her immature by being very headstrong at times. Her willingness to be independent will help with her managing the farm.
“I shall be up before you are awake; I shall be afield before you are up; and I shall have breakfasted before you are afield. In short, I shall astonish you all.” Her determination and independence will make her a good leader.
Bathsheba has grown in the novel she is managing her farm well, but unfortunately she is facing the consequences of her past actions. Mr Boldwood is coming to terms with the valentine’s card that Bathsheba sent, but unfortunately does not know that it is a prank. His love has grown for Bathsheba under false pretences. This is will show Bathshebas immaturity, she cannot handle the emotions of real love. She is not successful in getting her point across to Boldwood. He now confronts Bathsheba about the valentine’s card and she reacts emotionally.
“Don’t say it: don’t! I cannot bear you to feel so much and me to feel nothing. I am afraid they will notice us, Mr Boldwood. Will you let the matter rest now? I cannot think collectedly. I did not know that you were going to say such things to me. O, am wicked to have made you suffer so! Bathsheba was frightened as well as agitated at his vehemence…
I may speak to you again on the subject?
Yes
I may think of you? And hope to obtain you.
No – do not hope! Let us go on.” Boldwood now really loves Bathsheba every time he sees her, his love grows, but it is an obsessive love. At first Bathsheba does not give too much leeway to Farmer Boldwood. She asks him not to love her as she does not love him back. This is good as Bathsheba is being honest to Boldwood, but Boldwood is blinded by the love that he has gained for Bathsheba. Boldwoods emotional balance is precarious. He has not handled love for a long time and he had done so before he was deeply upset. Boldwood might also see this as a chance to redeem himself for past mistakes. Bathsheba is now facing the consequences that have developed from her actions. She is feeling sympathetic towards Boldwood as she calls herself wicked for sending the valentines card.
At this point Bathsheba is frightened by Boldwood’s love. At the beginning she only wanted some attention from the bachelor – but now she is overwhelmed. Bathsheba is too sympathetic at this point by giving Boldwood just the tiniest bit of hope. Bathsheba allows him to do this because she feels so responsible but this will make Boldwood love her much more.
Oak and Bathsheba have a strong and constant relationship unlike her attachment to Boldwood. It shows affection and they both give attention towards each other.
“You don’t hold the sheers right miss – I knew you wouldn’t know the way – hold like this…
Hands and sheers were inclined to suit the words and held thus for a peculiarly long time by the instruction as he spoke.
That will do, exclaimed Bathsheba. Loose my hand. I won’t have them held! Turn the winch.” Oak and Bathsheba are working well along side each other. They usually do have these private talks, which adds to their relationship. This shows that attention is given both ways (it’s received and give). Oak holds her hands to show her how to sheer; Oak does this to show her how to sheer and to show his feelings. Bathsheba knows thins and blocks it out at once. She does not love Farmer Oak and knows her responsibility as the mistress of her farm. She also cannot handle emotion or awkwardness, showing that her immaturity is still here. She can stop Oak and that is enough, but is unable to do so with Farmer Boldwood. This shows that she can now handle somethings, showing that she is maturing, but is not consistent.
Bathsheba has too much pride and this she needs to learn to swallow. She has so much as she has to manage the farm and has men chasing her. Here is proof of her pride:
“Did the men think it odd? She said again.
Odd was not the idea miss.
What did they say?
That Farmer Boldwood and your name were likely to be flung over pulpit together before the year was out.
I thought so by the look of them! Why there’s nothing in it. A more foolish remark was never made, and I want you to contradict it: that’s what I came for. Gabriel looked incredulous and sad, but between his moments of incredulity, relieved.
They must have heard our conversation she continued.
Well, then, Bathsheba! Said Oak stopping the handle and gazing into her face with astonishment…
I said I wanted you just to mention that it was not true I was going to me married to him, she murmured with a slight decline in her assurance.
I can say that to them if you wish, Miss Everdene. And I could likewise give an opinion to’ee on what you have done.
I dare say. But I don’t want your opinion.” Farmer Oak was clearly asked by Bathsheba, what he and people think of her and Boldwood. At the end of that scene she then said to Oak that she did not ask him for his opinion. This clearly shows that she has a lot of pride and does not like what she has heard. After Oak has dismissed from the farm the sheep fall ill. The only person who can make the sheep better is Oak. Bathsheba does not want Oak; she hated the ideas of asking Oak. Until she realises that she will lose her source of livelihood, she will not call Oak back. This shows her immaturity and arrogance. Oak rejects her offer and asks her to ask in a polite way, for he refuses to be manipulated by her. Bathsheba then swallows her pride to give Oak his job back. Her pride shows that she is still immature.
Bathsheba is also very impulsive by dismissing Oak for personal comments that she had invited in the first place, which was her fault. Oak has always been truthful to Bathsheba and guiding her towards maturity. Bathsheba must realise to stop going to Oak about personal issues; she is the one who makes Oak call her ‘Miss Everdene’, then mixes up roles herself.
Bathsheba is vulnerable when she meets Troy, who is a young soldier, quite handsome and does not know an end to flattery. He has a reputation of not treating women well, unfortunately Bathsheba does not know this, and Oak though does.
“ Are you a woman? A lady I should have said.
It doesn’t matter.
I am a man.”
Troy has already started to flatter Bathsheba by calling her a woman and correcting it with lady. Bathsheba is enchanted by Troy and is enjoying the attention from him. He is young, dashing and a soldier. Troy is very much like Bathsheba, he teases her.
“She withdrew her hand, but, whether by accident or design he touched it. Bathsheba was vexed, she hardly knew why.” Troy has just touched Bathshebas dress and he enjoys this, Bathsheba wants it to happen, but does not like it. This maybe because she does not want Troy to take to much advantage of her or by her need to be independent. Troy is teasing Bathsheba. Troy comes back the next day found helping out with the hay by Bathsheba. Troy unlike Oak and Boldwood keeps up the flattery with Bathsheba. She likes it. Troy is the only one Bathsheba likes, we can see this as she responds to Troy in a different way.
“But Miss Everdene – you do forgive me?
Hardly.
Why?
You say such things.
I said you were beautiful, and I’ll say so still, by you are! The most beautiful every I saw, or may I fall dead this instant! Why upon my –.” Troy continues with the flattery. Bathsheba is still vain and so she takes the complements. She is particularly vulnerable to flattery from Troy because neither Oak nor Boldwood have spoken to her of her beauty. Although Bathsheba has made a decision not to marry Troy she soon falls prey to his manipulation and agrees to marry him through jealousy and distraction not love.
After the marriage Troy and Bathsheba are growing apart each day. Troy and Bathsheba are both expressing regrets for getting married in the first place. The arrival of Fanny Robins breaks Bathsheba and Troy for good. Troy is distraught over Fanny Robins death. Bathsheba finds out about Troy’s child with Fanny and this makes her jealous of Fanny and angry at Troy. Troy is full of remorse when he sees the child and Fanny. He then takes it out on Bathsheba showing his insensitive side.
“You are nothing to me – nothing, said Troy heartlessly. A ceremony of a priest doesn’t make a marriage. I am not morally yours.” Troy has just admitted that he has never loved Bathsheba and has always loved Fanny. This shows that Troy is insensitive. Bathsheba then runs outside. Troy then buries Fanny properly, again showing his love towards her. Troy goes out and swims and is supposedly dead. Bathsheba stays awake all night this is a rebirth to show that she has grown and learnt from her mistakes. She has learnt to become less self-centred as a consequence of this awful experience.
Six years after Bathsheba has become more stable. She is not teasing or flirting with men or attention seeking, which is has got her into to trouble in the past. She is managing her farm well. All of this is showing her maturity. Boldwood has asked once again to marry her. Bathsheba like before has given Boldwood too much leeway. Bathsheba accepts his marriage proposal, not because she loves him, but because she had said no then Boldwood would go mentally unstable. She is thinking about Boldwoods state of mind. She is now learning to think of others and being less selfish, which shows her maturity.
In the next scenes Bathsheba handles all the traumatic problems that are thrown at her in dignified manor, this shows her development from immaturity to maturity. Troy shows up. Bathsheba will not be able to marry Boldwood any more; Boldwood knows this and shoots Troy. Oak then asks Boldwood to plead insanity to allow Boldwood to be kept alive. This is so that Bathsheba does not lose her sanity. After the entire trauma she has had to cope with. Oak is there again as he has been there so many times throughout the novel guiding Bathsheba and making her life better.
Bathsheba has got on with her life and is managing well until her life and is managing well until Oak decides to leave. Bathsheba then hurries to his house and then asks Oak to marry her. Oak accepts and stays in England.
Bathsheba has grown into an adult throughout the course of the novel. She started out as an insensitive flirtatious girl. Her independence and willingness to remain headstrong allowed a success in her farm. She became sensitive after she had learnt from her suffering and thought more about her actions. She has become less arrogant and impulsive. Bathsheba has found out what true love is, in the end she has made a sensible and good choice in Oak for she can see that he cares for her emotionally and selflessly unlike Troy who wanted to dominate and Boldwood who wanted to possess.
