Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy :: Thomas Hardy

Far From the Madding Crowd is considered the introductory great allegory of Thomas Hardy. Margaret Drabble, editor and novelist, cites the novel as the first of Thomas Hardys great novels, and the first to sound the tragic note for which his fiction is best remembered (Hardy xiii). Hardy was born in 1840 and began life as an architect. He wrote his first novel, The Poor Man and the Lady, in 1867. It was not received well. Four years later he wrote three more novels, two anonymously and one bearing his name they were received fairly better then the first. His popularity and fame did not bloom until the release of his fifth novel, Far From the Madding Crowd. This novel launched him into the public eye and helped him to become the amazing writer and creator of the Wessex novels, as we know him today. The major turning point in Hardys life was the reception of his novel, Jude the Obscure. Because of the major conflict concerning the book and its readers, Hardy swore to never write fic tion again. some thirty years later, after writing some poetry and short stories, Hardy dies and is buried next to Dickens in Westminster Abbey. His heart is buried in the Wessex countryside in the parish churchyard at Stinsford.Far From the Madding Crowd is the first of Hardys notorious Wessex novels. The main characters in the novel are Bathsheba Everdene, Gabriel Oak, Sergeant Troy and Farmer Boldwood. The novel begins with Oak and Everdene being introduced and Oak asking for Everdenes hand in marriage. She, of course, says no. After Oaks sheep are killed in a freak accident, he must pretend out and look for new work and winds up on Everdenes farm in Weatherby where he becomes head shepherd. Everdene continues to flirt with Oak and also with the neighboring landowner, Boldwood, whom ends up proposing to her as well. Again, her reply is, no. Finally we are introduced to the young Sergeant Troy, who also asks for Bathshebas hand in marriage and this time we are shocked to drive out the her reply was, yes Towards the end of the novel we find out that Troy has also seduced and impregnated a young milkmaid who has died in childbirth. Boldwood goes crazy and kills Troy because of his animosity for Bathsheba and her refusal of him, and Bathsheba ends up betrothed to Oak.