FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
 
Far from the Madding Crowd is Thomas Hardy's fourth novel and his first major literary success. The central character is the vivacious and independent young heiress, Bathsheba Everdene, who arrives at Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors. Each in contrasting ways unsettles her decision and complicates her life and tragedy ensues, bringing violence and scandal into the idyllic rural community.

In chronicling the love of these three suitors and their influence on Bathsheba, Hardy portrays a deep understanding of human sentiment and this is undoubtedly one of the greatest of his love stories. At the same time, his understanding of the lives of farmers and ranchers in rural England makes him a forerunner to the realistic tradition in literature.