Far from the Madding Crowd

This tale of a passionate, independent woman and her three suitors explores Hardy's trademark themes: thwarted love, the inevitability of fate, and the encroachment of industrial society on rural life.

Margaret Drabble edited The Oxford Companion to English Literature and The Genius of Thomas Hardy. Her novels include The Waterfall and The Gates of Ivory, and, most recently, The Witch of Exmoor and The Peppered Moth. She lives in England.

Biographical Note

v

Introduction

xiii

Margaret Drabble

Map of Wessex

xxvii

Author's Preface

xxix

Description of Farmer Oak---An Incident

1

(6)

Night---The Flock---An Interior---Another Interior

7

(8)

A Girl on Horseback---Conversation

15

(9)

Gabriel's Resolve---The Visit---The Mistake

24

(10)

Departure of Bathsheba---A Pastoral Tragedy

34

(6)

The Fair---The Journey---The Fire

40

(11)

Recognition---A Timid Girl

51

(4)

The Malthouse---The Chat---News

55

(19)

The Homestead---A Visitor---Half-Confidences

74

(7)

Mistress and Men

81

(7)

Outside the Barracks---Snow---A Meeting

88

(6)

Farmers---A Rule---An Exception

94

(6)

Sortes Sanctorum---The Valentine

100

(5)

Effect of the Letter---Sunrise

105

(5)

A Morning Meeting---The Letter Again

110

(11)

All Saints' and All Souls'

121

(3)

In the Market-Place

124

(3)

Boldwood in Meditation---Regret

127

(5)

The Sheep-Washing---The Offer

132

(6)

Perplexity---Grinding the Shears---A Quarrel

138

(7)

Troubles in the Fold---A Message

145

(7)

The Great Barn and the Sheep-Shearers

152

(11)

Eventide---A Second Declaration

163

(7)

The Same Night---The Fir Plantation

170

(7)

The New Acquaintance Described

177

(4)

Scene on the Verge of the Hay-Mead

181

(10)

Hiving the Bees

191

(4)

The Hollow Amid the Ferns

195

(6)

Particulars of a Twilight Walk

201

(8)

Hot Cheeks and Tearful Eyes

209

(5)

Blame---Fury

214

(9)

Night---Horses Tramping

223

(9)

In the Sun---A Harbinger

232

(8)

Home Again---A Trickster

240

(11)

At an Upper Window

251

(5)

Wealth in Jeopardy---The Revel

256

(9)

The Storm---The Two Together

265

(8)

Rain---One Solitary Meets Another

273

(4)

Coming Home---A Cry

277

(5)

On Casterbridge Highway

282

(7)

Suspicion---Fanny Is Sent For

289

(11)

Joseph and His Burden---Buck's Head

300

(12)

Fanny's Revenge

312

(11)

Under a Tree---Reaction

323

(8)

Troy's Romanticism

331

(5)

The Gurgoyle: Its Doings

336

(8)

Adventures by the Shore

344

(3)

Doubts Arise---Doubts Linger

347

(6)

Oak's Advancement---A Great Hope

353

(6)

The Sheep Fair---Troy Touches His Wife's Hand

359

(15)

Bathsheba Talks with Her Outrider

374

(9)

Converging Courses

383

(11)

Concurritur---Horæ Momento

394

(12)

After the Shock

406

(5)

The March Following---``Bathsheba Boldwood''

411

(5)

Beauty in Loneliness---After All

416

(10)

A Foggy Night and Morning---Conclusion

426

(7)

Notes

433

(34)

Reading Group Guide

467

(2)

A Note on the Text

469

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Far from the Madding Crowd

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials