Overview

Far From the Madding Crowd, published in 1874, is a novel by Thomas Hardy set in rural Victorian England. The story revolves around the independent and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene, who manages her late uncle’s farm. Her romantic entanglements with three very different suitors—Gabriel Oak, a shepherd; William Boldwood, a prosperous farmer; and Sergeant Francis Troy, a dashing but unreliable soldier—form the heart of the narrative. The novel explores themes of love, pride, and the consequences of choice against the backdrop of the English countryside. Far From the Madding Crowd adapted into films in 1967 and and 2015. 

Explore a plot summary and a full list of characters.

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