Critic Richard Carpenter says, "Far From the Madding Crowd developes...the vividly realized setting of field and farm without the grim majesty of Egdon Heath (in Return of the Native)." Choose a descriptive passage of "field and farm" from the first 75 pages and post it to this blog as a comment. Then comment on each others posts.
Be sure to check the posts from Return of the Native as their setting differs from yours greatly. This should give you a well-rounded sense of Hardy's treatment of setting.
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From page 15:
ReplyDelete"The hill was covered on its northern side by an ancient and decaying plantation of beeches, whose upper verge formed a line over the crest, fringing its arched curve against the sky, like a mane. To-night these trees sheltered the southern slope from the keenest blasts, which smote the wood and floundered through it with a sound as of grumbling, or gushed over its crowning boughs in a weakened moan. The dry leaves in the ditch simmered and boiled in the same breezes, a tongue of air occasionally ferreting out a few, and sending out a few, and sending them spinning across the grass. A group or two of the latest in date amongst the dead multitude had remained till this very mid-winter time on the twigs which bore them, and in falling rattled against the trunks with smart taps."
-This passage is describing Norcombe Hill, and it uses a lot of sensory language, often with sound, interestingly enough. Usually descriptions of a view is done with words that allow readers to see the description, not hear the sounds associated with it. That seemed interesting to me.
I really liked the descriptive passage that Norma chose; it was the first passage that came to my mind as I was reading this post. Hardy describes the hill in such a way that it seems alive (through some personification, and tons of imagery). I think the passage displays Hardy's naturalist sentiments.
ReplyDeleteI selected a passage which describes Gabriel traveling towards Weatherbury. This is the town that Bathsheba had journeyed to earlier. (Pg. 46-47):
ReplyDelete“The road stretched through water-meadows traversed by little brooks, whose quivering surfaces were braided along their centres, and folded into creases at the sides; or, where the flow was more rapid, the stream was pied with spots of white froth, which rode on in undisturbed serenity. On the higher levels the dead and dry carcases of leaves tapped the ground as they bowled along helter-skelter upon the shoulders of the wind, and little birds in the hedges were rustling their feathers and tucking themselves in comfortably for the night, retaining their places if Oak kept moving, but flying away if he stopped to look at them. He passed by Yalbury Wood where the game-birds were rising to their roosts, and heard the crack-voiced cock-pheasants' 'cu-uck, cuck', and the wheezy whistle of the hens.
By the time he had walked three or four miles every shape in the landscape had assumed a uniform hue of blackness. He descended Yalbury Hill and could just discern ahead of him a waggon, drawn up under a great over-hanging tree by the roadside."
In this passage, Hardy describes the landscape with the same attention to detail as he did in Norma's quote. I especially liked the last paragraph, where Hardy, instead of saying 'it was nighttime' or 'it was getting dark out', said "the landscape had assumed a uniform hue of blackness". This helps connect to the tone of the section also. Gabriel at the time was traveling to a new, unknown town. It is also unknown at the time whether he would again meet Bathsheba here. "Blackness" was a good word to use, alluding to the unknown lying ahead.
I like how Allie's quote shows the descriptive language that Hardy used. The example of the 'uniform hue of blackness' is perfect because it shows just how Hardy used his decriptions to paint a vivid picture of the scenes he writes about. If Hardy had just said something like 'it was nighttime', there wouldn't be the same affect on readers, and the scene would not be imagined in the descriptive way. I think Hardy knew just how to write using descriptive sensory language, in order to keep the readers interested and involved.
ReplyDeleteI found it interesting that in both Norma's and Allie's passages Hardy took time to describe the leaves. It has reached the time of the year when winter is just about to begin as most of the leaves have fallen from the trees and there are "dead and dry carcases of leaves" (47) all along the ground. This makes the setting appear dreary and gloomy as the warmth of summer is now being replaced by the chill of winter.
ReplyDelete“The thin grasses, more or less coating the hill, were touched by the wind in breezes of differing powers, and almost of differing natures-one rubbing the blades heavily, another raking them piercingly, another brushing them like a soft broom.” (15)
ReplyDelete-This quote is describing the same scene as Norma’s, Norcombe Hill. Hardy uses touch to describe the grasses on the hill. I like how he compares the wind to everyday tools, a blade, a rake, and a broom. The comparison between the wind and these tools is really interesting because on a farm, farmers manipulate the land, but in this quote the wind becomes the farmer. When Hardy is describing Norcombe Hill he first starts using quite a bit of sound descriptions as in Norma’s quote, then he moves on to describe how the wind touches the grass. I agree with Norma in that Hardy is avoiding sight descriptions, he is trying to break out of the pack and use different types of imagery.
"He went to the hedge; a gap had been broken through it, and in the gap were the footprints of the sheep. Rather surprised to find them break fence at this season, yet putting it down instantly to their great fondness to ivy in the wintertime, of which a great deal grew in the plantation, he followed through the hedge. They were not in the plantation. He called again: the valleys and furthest hills resounded as when the sailors invoked the lost Hylas on the Mysian shore; but no sheep. He passed through the trees and along the ridge of the hill. On the extreme summit, where the ends of the converging hedges of which we have spoken were stopped short by meeting the brow of the chalkpit..." (42).
ReplyDeleteWhen Oak is looking for his sheep, Hardy takes this time to further describe the surrounding landscape. The reader is able to picture a steep hill on the farm property that's edge is blocked off by hedges. The climax at this point (in the plot, and physically climbing the hill) creates the suspense of when and where will Oak find his sheep? Personally, I found it humorous that the sheep ended up being driven over the cliff by one of Oak's dogs. Like in Tess, the death of an animal important to the character's income begins the series of unfortunate events that follow the character throughout the rest of the novel.
When I first read this post, the first quote that came to mind was the one Norma chose. The beginning of the novel, focuses primarily around that hill, with the sheep, and with the meeting of Bathsheba, so the first main quote describing the hill is very important to understanding Oak's background.
In this text it seems that Hardy describes a rural setting that is alive and green. Also, in Allie's post she mentions small brooks. This is polar opposite to the heath which Hardy depicts are dry, barron, and unable to sustain plant life. One thing I also noticed in Allie's post was her mention of the wind. Hardy focuses on the wind while Eustacia Vye stands on the barrow overlooking the heath in Return of the Native as well.
ReplyDelete"To persons standing alone on a hill during a clear midnight such as this, the roll of the world eastward is almost a palpable movement. The sensation may be caused by the panoramic glide of the stars past earthly objects, which is perceptible in a few minutes of stillness, or by the outlook upon space that a hill affords, or by the wind, or by the solitude; but whatever be its origin the impression of riding along is vivid and abiding. The poetry of motionis a phase much in use, and to enjoy the epic form of that gratification it is necessary to stand on a hill at a small hour of the night, and, having first expanded with a sense of difference from the mass of civilized mankind, who are dreamwrapt and disregardful of all such proceedings at this time, long and quietly watch your stately progress through the stars. After such a nocturnal reconnoitre it is hard to get back to earth, and to believe that the conciousness of such majestic speeding is derived from a tiny human frame." (16)
ReplyDeleteThis is a continued description of Norcombe Hill, and while it is a setting description, it appears more to focus on the insignificance of humankind and the ability of countryfolk to appreciate such vastness outside of their own world, while those who claim to be civilized are unable to partake in such admirings.
My understanding of Mandy's quote is that by standing on Norcombe Hill at midnight a person can be able to truly appreciate the beauty of world around them and become almost one with nature. It is a feeling that people from the cities never get to enjoy, but only those who work the land as they become closer and more in tune to the beautiful land that God has given them.
ReplyDelete