Far from the Madding Crowd

Independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene arrives in Weatherbury to take on her role as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence quickly attracts the attention of three very different suitors:

• Boldwood, the gentleman-farmer
• Sergeant Troy, the soldier-seducer
• Gabriel Oak, the devoted shepherd

Each man, in contrasting ways, unsettles Bathsheba's decisions and complicates her life. As their interactions unfold, tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the entire community.

This novel, the first of Thomas Hardy's works set in Wessex, masterfully combines swift passion and slow courtship. It is enriched by Hardy's evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes and his unflinching honesty about sexual relationships.