Far from the Madding Crowd (Norton Critical Editions)
Thomas Hardy's impassioned novel of courtship in rural life In Thomas Hardy's first major literary success, independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, the soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy, and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. One of his first works set in the semi-fictional region of Wessex, Hardy's novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships. This edition, based on Hardy's original 1874 manuscript, is the complete novel he never saw published, and restores its full candor and innovation. Rosemarie Morgan's introduction discusses the history of its publication, as well as the biblical and classical allusions that permeate the novel. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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Community Reviews
Far from the Madding Crowd reminded me of House Hunters on HGTV.
We're going to present you with three options (houses on HGTV and men in the book). They are all going to have flaws and you may not love any of them 100%, but at the end of the day, you need to choose. Ladies, here are your options:
1. A shepherd who is loyal, patient, and good-hearted. He may not have the best sense of humor or a sparkling personality, but he does have something more important than those things: ONE OF THE BEST NAMES EVER. Gabriel Oak. Try not to swoon just hearing it.
2. A soldier - no, a Sergeant - who is young and handsome. He handles a sword like a champ. Unfortunately, he is arrogant, loves his drinking and his gambling, and carries a flame for a former lover.
3. A farmer who is older, wealthy, and handsome. He may be a stick in the mud personality wise and may also be a little bit of a controlling psychopath, but he owns a lot of good land (which happens to be adjacent to yours!) and has $$$.
These are the three contenders vying for Bathsheba's affection/hand in marriage, and you can pretty much tell from the first page who she will end up with. And you are definitely lead to root for this character to win her in the end, but that's ok because compared to the other two, he looks like a damn prince.
I don't often read classics, so I appreciated that this one was easy to read and actually had some humor throughout (mostly between the farmhands). I liked that the characters were memorable, and I liked the slightly ridiculous, almost soap-opera events.
And I could have given this more stars except for one thing: I ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT GET BEHIND BATHSHEBA.
Do not tell me how independent a woman is, have her refuse marriage (clucking and treating it like a joke all along), and then have her marry suddenly for the most ridiculous reason. Do not tell me how independent a woman is and then have her become an unreasonable wet blanket. The only thing I liked about her was that she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty (on the farm). Unfortunately, her wishy-washy nature regarding men/romance just about drove me off the deep end.
3 Stars
We're going to present you with three options (houses on HGTV and men in the book). They are all going to have flaws and you may not love any of them 100%, but at the end of the day, you need to choose. Ladies, here are your options:
1. A shepherd who is loyal, patient, and good-hearted. He may not have the best sense of humor or a sparkling personality, but he does have something more important than those things: ONE OF THE BEST NAMES EVER. Gabriel Oak. Try not to swoon just hearing it.
2. A soldier - no, a Sergeant - who is young and handsome. He handles a sword like a champ. Unfortunately, he is arrogant, loves his drinking and his gambling, and carries a flame for a former lover.
3. A farmer who is older, wealthy, and handsome. He may be a stick in the mud personality wise and may also be a little bit of a controlling psychopath, but he owns a lot of good land (which happens to be adjacent to yours!) and has $$$.
These are the three contenders vying for Bathsheba's affection/hand in marriage, and you can pretty much tell from the first page who she will end up with. And you are definitely lead to root for this character to win her in the end, but that's ok because compared to the other two, he looks like a damn prince.
I don't often read classics, so I appreciated that this one was easy to read and actually had some humor throughout (mostly between the farmhands). I liked that the characters were memorable, and I liked the slightly ridiculous, almost soap-opera events.
And I could have given this more stars except for one thing: I ABSOLUTELY COULD NOT GET BEHIND BATHSHEBA.
Do not tell me how independent a woman is, have her refuse marriage (clucking and treating it like a joke all along), and then have her marry suddenly for the most ridiculous reason. Do not tell me how independent a woman is and then have her become an unreasonable wet blanket. The only thing I liked about her was that she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty (on the farm). Unfortunately, her wishy-washy nature regarding men/romance just about drove me off the deep end.
3 Stars
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