Far From The Madding Crowd

The narrator’s comments regarding love are sometimes at odds with one another. What is the nature of love according to the novel? What are its strengths and weaknesses? Overall, does the novel take a positive, neutral, or negative view on love?

One thing that makes analysis of the text challenging is the unreliable nature of Hardy’s narrator, as the narrator frequently makes claims that seem to be unsupported by the events. In what ways does the narrator complicate our understanding of the novel?

There is no true villain in the novel. Choose one character and discuss that character’s arc. To what extent is that character a “good” person? 

Compare and contrast the characters of Boldwood and Troy. What do their respective development and arcs tell us about the claims the novel wants to make? To what extent does either embody “goodness” in the novel?

Trace the nature of the pastoral in the novel. What does the novel appreciate about rural life? What critiques or comparisons, explicit or otherwise, does it make about urban life in the process?

“Hardy’s Wessex” refers to the fictional location of his novels, and it is loosely based on Dorset, where he was originally from. Research his fictional Wessex and explore the similarities and differences that exist between Dorset and his own creation. Why do you believe Hardy chose to fictionalize Dorset? 

The United States is brought up twice in the novel: First, Troy spends some time there before returning to Weatherbury; second, Gabriel mentions briefly that he is considering moving to California. At the time of Hardy’s writing, and even at the time the novel was set, the United States was a very different place. What is the function of the US in the novel? How is it represented through the characters, particularly in juxtaposition with England at the time?

Although the minor characters serve primarily as background characters, they nevertheless move the plot forward in key ways. Choose one or two minor characters and trace their development throughout the novel. What function does the specific character serve? In what ways might we consider the character to be more than a background character? Alternatively, to what extent might we consider the entire group of minor characters and townspeople to be a collective character akin to a Greek chorus?