The madding crowd Essay Example for Free

The madding crowd Essay What can I say about this book? For 474 pages worth, this was disappointing. Thomas Hardy must have known something I didnt, because this book didnt do anything for me. And I dont think it can do anything for you. Dont get me wrong, the plot is an original one- a woman being harassed and ogled at by her workers, and her associates. But it quite frankly bores me. Focusing the book on two main characters: Theres solemn Gabriel, the honest bachelor who seemed to do nothing but envy Troy for marrying his seemingly forbidden love, and the powerful temptress known as Bathsheba. Whats the point? They got together in the end. Focusing the story on the friendship between the two- from Gabriels ignorant proposal to the eventual marriage of the two. Hardy couldve saved us 474 pages, and said they were married. Because in the end, thats what it comes down to. All the side distractions like Boldwood, and Troy, were for nothing. The rustic characters disappeared halfway through the book, their full potential never reached. In fact, Ive just told you what happens, so why bother going to read it? And its a shame. Because in these sort of depressant books, you need humour to drag it from the darkest bowels of the reject bin. The only thing funny about this book was the poor attempts at a love story. Hardy was criticised by the public for his other work, and I think this is another of those poor books. Wheres the entertainment? The only interesting part was when Boldwood shot Troy. This is just a book of annoyance. The only thing I can congratulate Hardy on is his sexism. The portrayal of Bathsheba as some form of super-woman made me wonder if reading the book was actually the bright thing to do. After all, what proud man wants to read about some woman running a farm? Bossing everyone about, its inaccurate! Its just stupid! Sanity is restored (Sort of) when Troy marries Bathsheba, but even that is scarred by the womanisers hastiness in marrying the jezebel. All romances end at marriage quotes the Sergeant. Romance? There never was any romance! Lust is the key here. In my opinion, Troy just used Bathsheba to exploit her position. Marry her for her money. Get a nice discharge from the army, a farm, what could be better? Oh, more money. And the brilliance is, he has to take some money to help his ex-fianci! Who dies in the next chapter! With his child! Not the most tear-jerking moment in the book, though. That award goes to the last page, which makes you cry with delight that youve finally seen the end of this travesty. The lady of the house isnt too pleased at this, and their unhappy marriage comes to an abrupt halt when William Boldwood shoots Troy. And so Frank Troy ends. Shame really. He was the life and soul of the book. The last few chapters are indeed entertaining. Theres the suspense of wondering if Boldwoods going to be executed or not. Then, to the disappointment of the bloodthirsty readers in the world, he gets off lightly. Thats what the book is full of: letdowns. Hardys architectural knowledge allows some beautifully described chapters to salvage the novel in parts, but writers require the ability to keep that level of consistency in their writing to write a brilliant novel. And that is what the novel lacks. At certain times, dialogue isnt always at its best. The mental imagery of the scenes are breathtaking- thats what Hardys descriptions do for you. The dialogue, however, destroys that. Too vague. Too boring. Repartees, puns, wittiness is whats needed, especially in the case of the rustics, and these three examples are missing throughout the majority of the book. In novels, I hate repetition. Seeing the word said after every spoken word becomes tedious. Missing are the stated and voiced. Interesting ways to say said benefit books more than you would think. And thats what niggles away at the book. Said is like saying nice to describe things. Its simple, and very dull. It may be petty, but these petty things can improve the novel, and stop this review being so negative. Far From the Madding Crowd is anything but that. It belongs with the mad crowd. Sane people wouldnt pick it up. I wouldnt advise you to buy, or even contemplate reading this book. For the romanticists among us, its great. For the non-romantic types, steer clear of this novel. Youll just be saddened that you paid good money for the book. Why pay good money when you can read this review? Ive told you what happens. Learn by my mistakes. The enjoyment factor is crucial for this books survival, and, sadly, the factor is reading 0.