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Far from the Madding Crowd

Thomas Hardy

Published1874
Pages410
Open Library3.7 / 5
Club average—

Excerpt

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, 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. The first of his works set in the fictional county 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.

Literary origin

Country whose literature this title belongs to, based on author tradition —not necessarily where the story is set.

  • United Kingdom

Topics from Open Library

Subjects

  • Fiction, Romance, Historical
  • Women farmers, fiction
  • Farm life, fiction
  • Triangles (Interpersonal relations), fiction
  • Social life and customs
  • Wessex England, fiction
  • Classic Literature
  • open_syllabus_project
  • British and Irish fiction (fictional works by one author)"
  • Large type books

People

  • Bathsheba Everdene
  • Boldwood
  • Sergeant Troy
  • Gabriel Oak

Times & places

  • 19th century
Added to BBRC

Oct 6, 2026

Catalog slug

far_from_the_madding_crowd

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