Customer Reviews

Far from the Madding Crowd

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In Far from the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy introduces us to the precarious "love square". At the core of all the turmoil is beautiful farm girl, Bathsheba Everdene - spirited, vain, intelligent and adept at toying with the hearts of men. Inevitably beguiled by her charms a humble and kind farmer, Gabriel Oak, fervently attempts to win Bathsheba's affections. Enter the competition: (suitor#2) Farmer Boldwood - a wealthy and temperate middle-aged man respected in the community, eventually plunges into maniacal obsession at the mere possibility of making the beloved Miss Everdene his wife; and (suitor#3) Sergeant Francis Troy - a dashing young philandering soldier, with his share of inner demons, ruthlessness and vanity, vies for Bathsheba's hand in marriage. Bathsheba's ultimate decision, and the cataclysm it evokes, lies at the epicenter of Hardy's unforgettable ambivalent story.

Far from the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy's fourth novel, saw publication in 1874 and earned him widespread popularity as a writer. A delicately woven tale of unrequited love and regret, set in the mid-19th century, Far From the Madding Crowd is a masterpiece of pure story-telling. Hardy's classic style is a pleasure to read as he masterfully brings his characters and their dealings to life. I would not hesitate to say it definitely captured my heart as another favourite.

Having rediscovered Thomas Hardy only recently, I am simply entranced by his excellent prose, his keen powers of description and observation and his spellbinding characters. This is a classic love story about Bathsheba Everdene and her three suitors. A tale which will delve into tragedy before Bathsheba finds salvation at the hands of one of suitors. Many regard this as the first great novel in his "Wessex" series, which includes the "Mayor of Castlebridge". Those interested in reading Hardy's work will find "Far From The Madding Crowd" a splendid introduction.

A beautifully written, well-crafted novel of love and passion among the farming folk of Wessex. A thoroughly enjoyable book that evokes the atmosphere of 19th Century England and explores the relationships between men and women during this time.

This is a fantastic introduction to Hardy's work for those who have not yet plunged into his more serious (and tragic) novels -- it's the only Hardy I've read thus far that actually has a happy ending. In Far From the Madding Crowd, Hardy creates two of his most pure characters: Gabriel Oak and Sergeant Francis Troy. Oak is a shepherd with a good heart and impeccable morals, someone to be counted on in all cases great or small, and someone who will always give an honest account of a particular situation. Troy, on the other hand, is seductive and deceptive to the last -- the perfect villian. It is interesting that Oak and Troy never deviate from their pureness of character, and they are a delight to "watch" as the novel progresses.

Although I think Jude the Obscure and Return of the Native were structurally superior works, I cannot rate this work as less than "excellent" because it has that certain Wessex charm from which I can't seem to break away.