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A review by sidharthvardhan
Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy
4.0
I like the atmosphere Hardy buids - the rural surroundings, characters hardened by lots of daily hard work but still having a naivete. That said, there was something lacking toward the end of book - toward the point when Bathsheeba's husband Troy decided to come back. Until then, Hardy seems to be doing an incredible Hardy job but the later chapters seemed to me a bit forced- it was like Hardy didn't know what to do with extra two lovers so let one of them kill another and then himself. I didn't particularly like the happy ending. I probably would have liked it more if Bathsheeba had realized her love for Gabriel after he had left and it was too late. I'm sadistic that way but given Bathsheeba's character that ending would have made more sense because that's how Bathsheeba realizes her blindspots - too late. The mistakes she committed in sending the letter to Boldwood and in falling from Troy were results of such blind spots in her knowledge of how her mind works.
Unlike Tess, which was a tragedy, Far from Madding Crowd is more of a caution tale on vanity. Easily admirable as Bathsheeba is, her good qualities are undone by her vanity and her, what Milan Kundera would have called, 'inexperience'. It is because of this naivity that she is unable to see through tricks Troy plays. Her naivete doesn't excuse what she did to Boldwood either, although later is probably culprit of a lot of stocking and guilt tripping. Still, I mean reverse their genders and I don't think I would have faulted a woman for guilt tripping a man who evoked her emotions like that.
Two things that are important to Bathsheeba that I don't think get remarked enough are - 1. She has a desire to be strong desire to be true to her word (which is how Boldwood holds her prisoner to her words) and 2. Loyalty (she stays loyal to her apparently dead terrible example of a husband until she is sure about his death).
Third thing is that she has a way of getting used (addicted) to people around her; that's really only reason she decided to marry Gabriel - she was just used to his company. While Gabriel does look after her, he probably would have left her service long ago if he hadn't been so financially strained. To want to leave her alone at her weakest moment (toward the end) hardly does him credit - but it is this threat that works on Bathsheeba. And you could bet, had he never thought of leaving and instead always stayed loyal servant, he would never have got her to marry him.
All affairs Bathsheeba had seemed to be toxic in one particular way - her suitors are more likely to be rewarded by their flaws (Boldwood for emotional blackmail, Troy for lies and Gabriel for wanting to leave a friend in weak moment) than when they are acting decently (atleast Boldwood and Gabriel did; Troy didn't, he didn't love her and never suffered for her, only made her suffer- making him Bathsheeba's favorite) but then I guess that's what normal people are like.
Unlike Tess, which was a tragedy, Far from Madding Crowd is more of a caution tale on vanity. Easily admirable as Bathsheeba is, her good qualities are undone by her vanity and her, what Milan Kundera would have called, 'inexperience'. It is because of this naivity that she is unable to see through tricks Troy plays. Her naivete doesn't excuse what she did to Boldwood either, although later is probably culprit of a lot of stocking and guilt tripping. Still, I mean reverse their genders and I don't think I would have faulted a woman for guilt tripping a man who evoked her emotions like that.
Two things that are important to Bathsheeba that I don't think get remarked enough are - 1. She has a desire to be strong desire to be true to her word (which is how Boldwood holds her prisoner to her words) and 2. Loyalty (she stays loyal to her apparently dead terrible example of a husband until she is sure about his death).
Third thing is that she has a way of getting used (addicted) to people around her; that's really only reason she decided to marry Gabriel - she was just used to his company. While Gabriel does look after her, he probably would have left her service long ago if he hadn't been so financially strained. To want to leave her alone at her weakest moment (toward the end) hardly does him credit - but it is this threat that works on Bathsheeba. And you could bet, had he never thought of leaving and instead always stayed loyal servant, he would never have got her to marry him.
All affairs Bathsheeba had seemed to be toxic in one particular way - her suitors are more likely to be rewarded by their flaws (Boldwood for emotional blackmail, Troy for lies and Gabriel for wanting to leave a friend in weak moment) than when they are acting decently (atleast Boldwood and Gabriel did; Troy didn't, he didn't love her and never suffered for her, only made her suffer- making him Bathsheeba's favorite) but then I guess that's what normal people are like.