History Literature / FarFromTheMaddingCrowd

Creator/ThomasHardy's first big literary success, ''Far from the Madding Crowd'' (1874) is the story of the honest young shepherd Gabriel Oak and the object of his affection Bathsheba Everdene in the quiet fictional English countryside of Wessex. Bathsheba and Gabriel first meet when she is a poor woman staying with her aunt. Astounded by her beauty, Gabriel proposes to her but she rejects him.

Several film adaptations have been made, most notably a 1967 version directed by Creator/JohnSchlesinger and starring Creator/JulieChristie, Creator/TerenceStamp, Peter Finch and Creator/AlanBates. Creator/{{Granada}} made a television adaptation in 1998 starring period drama stalwart Paloma Baeza, Creator/NathanielParker, Jonathan Firth and Nigel Terry, while another big-screen version was released in 2015, directed by Creator/ThomasVinterberg and starring Creator/CareyMulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Creator/MichaelSheen and Tom Sturridge.

Several film adaptations have been made, most notably a 1967 version directed by Creator/JohnSchlesinger and starring Creator/JulieChristie as Bathsheba. Granada Television did its own adaptation in 1998 starring period drama stalwart Paloma Baeza, while another silver screen version was released in 2015 directed by Creator/ThomasVinterberg and starring Creator/CareyMulligan.

* MeaningfulName: Lots. The steady, gentle hardworking Gabriel Oak (who is also always there steadfast for Bathsheba whether she wants him to be or not), the unlucky in marriage Bathsheba, the resolute and determined Boldwood.

Several film adaptations have been made, most notably a 1967 version directed by Creator/JohnSchlesinger and starring Creator/JulieChristie as Bathsheba. Granada Television did its own adaptation in 1998 starring period drama stalwart Paloma Baeza, while another silver screen version was released in 2015 directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Creator/CareyMulligan.

** A male example in Boldwood, who is initially reserved and even uninterested in woman but then becomes frightfully jealous and possessive of Bathsheba.

* AwesomeMcCoolName: Bathsheba Everdene (whose name was [[Literature/TheHungerGames recently borrowed for a new female hero]]), William Boldwood, Gabriel Oak, and Frank Troy.

* BittersweetEnding: By Hardy's standards, this novel ends almost cheerfully. [[spoiler: A lot of people die -- it's still Creator/ThomasHardy we're talking about here -- but Bathsheba and Gabriel eventually find happiness and contentment with each other.]][[spoiler: Contentment maybe, but in the second to last paragraph “Bathsheba smiled (for she never laughed readily now)”]]

Several film adaptations have been made, most notably a 1967 version directed by Creator/JohnSchlesinger and starring Julie Christie as Bathsheba. Granada Television did its own adaptation in 1998 starring period drama stalwart Paloma Baeza, while another silver screen version was released in 2015 directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Creator/CareyMulligan.

* BittersweetEnding: By Hardy's standards, this novel ends almost cheerfully. [[spoiler: A lot of people die -- it's still Creator/ThomasHardy we're talking about here -- but Bathsheba and Gabriel eventually find happiness and contentment with each other.]]

* [[BitchInSheepsClothing Bastard In Sheep's Clothing]]: Freaking Boldwood, who is initially reserved and even uninterested in woman but then becomes frightfully jealous and possessive of Bathsheba
** Troy far moreso. At least Boldwood has some positive qualities- Troy is pretty much a sociopath.

* DoggedNiceGuy: Gabriel

* [[spoiler: FirstGuyWins]]: eventually.

* NeverMyFault- Oh, wow! Apparently,Fanny's death isn't the fault of Troy for his cruel and selfish abandoning of her- no, it's Bathsheba's fault for tempting him away. There is a such thing as self-control, Troy...

* WrongGuyFirst: Gabriel Oak proposes to Bathsheba within the first few chapters of the novel. [[spoiler: Of course, they marry in the final pages of the book]]

* BettyAndVeronica: The dashing, loquacious Sergeant Troy is certainly a Veronica. While Boldwood might appear to be Betty because he is a quiet and hardworking farmer, he is revealed to be incredibly jealous and demanding. Gabriel is a better fit.
** The poor, simple, blonde Fanny (she's so simple she gets lost on her way to the altar for her own wedding for heaven's sake) might be the Betty to the wealthy and independent Veronica of Bathsheba. At least, perhaps, in Troy's mind.

* [[spoiler: FirstGuyWins]]: eventually.

Creator/ThomasHardy's first big literary success, ''Far from the Madding Crowd'' is the story of the honest young shepherd Gabriel Oak and the object of his affection Bathsheba Everdene in the quiet fictional English countryside of Wessex. Bathsheba and Gabriel first meet when she is a poor woman staying with her aunt. Astounded by her beauty, Gabriel proposes to her but she rejects him.

Several film adaptations have been made, most notably a 1967 version directed by John Schlesinger and starring Julie Christie as Bathsheba. Granada Television did its own adaptation in 1998 starring period drama stalwart Paloma Baeza, while another silver screen version was released in 2015 directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Creator/CareyMulligan.

Several film adaptations have been made, most notably a 1967 version directed by John Schlesinger and starring Julie Christie as Bathsheba. Granada Television did its own adaptation in 1998 starring period drama stalwart Paloma Baeza, and another silver screen version was released in 2015, starring Creator/CareyMulligan.

* BeamMeUpScotty: Far from the ''madding'' crowd, which just means frenzied or busy and references the quiet country setting of the novel. Not ''maddening.''

* {{Jerkass}}: Frank Troy [[spoiler: who convinces Bathsheba to stay away from Boldwood and marry him, gambles away huge sums of Bathsheba's money, impregnates his former lover, tells Bathsheba he never loved her, then fakes his own death, only returning when he finds out [[CrazyJealousGuy Boldwood]]intends to marry Bathsheba.]]

* NamesTheSame: Yes, [[http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/suzannecol637286.html Suzanne Collins]] ''did'' name [[Literature/TheHungerGames Katniss Everdeen]] after Bathsheba Everdene.

Thomas Hardy's first big literary success, ''Far from the Madding Crowd'' is the story of the honest young shepherd Gabriel Oak and the object of his affection Bathsheba Everdene in the quiet fictional English countryside of Wessex. Bathsheba and Gabriel first meet when she is a poor woman staying with her aunt. Astounded by her beauty, Gabriel proposes to her but she rejects him.

Several film adaptations have been made, most notably a 1967 version directed by John Schlesinger and starring Julie Christie as Bathsheba. Another version was released in 2015, starring Creator/CareyMulligan.

* AwesomeMcCoolName: Bathsheba Everdene (whose name was [[Literature/TheHungerGames recently borrowed for a new female hero]]), William Boldwood, and Frank Troy

* BreakTheHaughty: [[spoiler: Happens to Troy on two levels: He first starts to crack when he discovers his old lover, Fanny, whom he spurned at the offer because of a simple mixup, destitute and struggling while with child along the road, and later he breaks completely when he finds out they didn't make it.]]

Several film adaptations have been made, most notably a 1967 version directed by John Schlesinger and starring Julie Christie as Bathsheba.

The novel deals with the value of independence versus marriage as well as the passage of time. Bathsheba recognizes that marriage is unfair to women and is averse to the very concept of being possessed by another man, especially considering she barely knows the men who can't help but fall in love with her. Gabriel's ancient, oversized pocket watch is one of the first things described. The watch counts the minutes accurately but the hour hand is broken and always displays the wrong hour. Time is said to move slower in the country, where decades and generations are thought of as the present while a mere five years ago in the city is considered ancient history. Though at least six or seven years pass between when Gabriel first proposed and when Bathsheba accepted his hand, patient, country-born Gabriel is in no great hurry. Her relationships with Troy and Boldwood are merely false strikes of the hour.

* BreakTheHaughty: [[spoiler: Happens to [[Jerkass Troy]] on two levels: He first starts to crack when he discovers his old lover, Fanny, whom he spurned at the offer because of a simple mixup, destitute and struggling while with child along the road, and later he breaks completely when he finds out they didn't make it.]]

* {{Jerkass}}: Frank Troy [[spoiler: who convinces Bathsheba to stay away from Boldwood and marry him, gambles away huge sums of Bathsheba's money, impregnates his former lover, tells Bathsheba he never loved her, then fakes his own death, only returning when he finds out [[ CrazyJealousGuy Boldwood]]intends to marry Bathsheba.]]