The title of this novel does not come directly from the text. There is no "Madding" family, or crowd. The main characters are not trying to get "Far" from anything. The title actually comes from Grey's Elegy's Written in a Country Church-Yard. Some of you may remember this poem from Dr. Crowley's class. To refresh your memory, or enlighten yourself, read the poem at this link (http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Poetry/Elegy.htm).
This poem is called "meditative" for the narrator meditates on the destinies of the dead buried in the graveyard. The closing stanzas are said to be Grey's own fear about his destiny as a writer.
Why would Hardy choose such a title for this novel? What connections could he be making between what you have just begun to read, and Grey's meditative poem?
I am at the beginning of chaper 5, page 39, and I have not yet been able to understand how the poem connects to the novel. I can't figure out the reason why Hardy would title his novel Far From the Madding Crowd. I guess I will get more information and context as I read on, and it may begin to make sense to me. Anybody have insight?
ReplyDeleteI think that Hardy chose the title to reiterate the theme of fate causing devastation in the lives of innocent beings. The poem describes the fate that all living organisms must at some day face--death. We see fate appear in chapter 5 of Far From the Madding Crowd when Farmer Oak's sheep are hurled over a cliff and the sheep dog responsible is shot (p.42-43). This unfortunate turn of events forces Gabriel, an innocent farmer, to leave behind his home, job and dreams of becoming an independent sheep farmer. Fate also engrosses the scene when Gabriel's young sheep dog, although naive and unaware of the hardship his actions created, was shot to death.
ReplyDeleteExpanding on what abruley said, it appears that fate is even further at work as the novel progresses, for the loss of Farmer Oak's sheep results in the reuniting of him with Bathsheba. Without money or a flock to tend to, Oak must wander the countryside looking for work until another twist of fate sees him hired as shepard for Batsheba Everdene. It appears that the fated death of various characters (i.e. Gabriel's young sheep dog) is used to bring Gabriel and Batsheba together. I predict an series of unfortunate events occuring around every man married to Bathsheba who is not Gabriel Oak.
ReplyDeleteIn the poem Thomas Gray says, “Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife, their sober wishes never learn'd to stray.” This is a symbol of Gabriel’s devotion to Bathsheba. His devotion “never learn’d to stray,” he stayed with her through all her tantrums, suitors, and tearful moments. Whenever hardship overcomes Bathsheba Gabriel is always there to take her “far from the madding crowd’s ignoble strife.” When a storm is coming and all the men are too drunk to save Bathsheba’s crop, Gabriel comes and covers the harvest alone until Bathsheba arrives. Hardy named the novel Far From Madding Crowd as a symbol of Gabriel’s love and devotion for Bathsheba.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Allie and Mandy, and that by choosing "Far from the Madding Crowd" as the title for one of his novels, Hardy is continuing (or beginning, since this was an earlier novel) with the theme of the results of fate, seen in Tess. As previously mentioned, it was fate that brought Gabriel to Bathsheba's farm after the death of his flock. Like in Tess, the death of an animal that is significant to the character's income signifies the beginning of the coming tragedies. Hardy is trying to show that it was fate for Oak to reunite with Bathsheba. The poem is about death and how it is inevitable. In the novel, Oak does not die, but for the most part, his love for Bathsheba is unreturned, which creates the same feeling of despair. Hardy chose this title for the novel to symbolize how fate can make someone feel alone and distant, so that they feel as if everyone else (the "crowd"), is too far away to understand their situation and help.
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