![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
birdienlHere we are, at the third and final part of Far from the Madding Crowd and this watch-along. I sure enjoyed rewatching and thinking about this adaptation.
Last week, we left Bathseba and Troy very married and very much in love and Boldwood in misery. Bathseba and Troy throw a belated wedding party for the farm employees and here Troy shows a bit of his not-so-charming side. He speaks crudely and basically gets Bathseba's employees drunk. Meanwhile, outside a storm is raging and Gabriel single-handedly tries to rescue the hay-ricks. Single-handedly, that is, until Bathseba comes out to help him. And spills her guts about why she married Troy: because he told her he saw a woman more beautiful than her ('between jealousy and distraction', I do love Hardy's way with words)
It's Troy! He recognizes Bathseba, but she doesn't see him. Luckily, as she has problems enough with Boldwood running after her and throwing her a lavish Christmas party because he believes she will finally consent to marry him. Bathseba is exasperated and asks Gabriel for his advice. But his patience seems to have worn out at last and he bascially tells her to 'get on with it already'. And at the Christmas party, it seems Bathseba really has no choice, as Boldwood practically shoves a ring on her finger.
This is NOT how to ask someone to marry you
And in that moment, Troy enters the house and starts dragging Bathseba away. A shot rings out, Troy drops to the floor. Boldwood has shot him. Bathseba breaks down and the only one with his wits about him is once again Gabriel. He manages to prevent Boldwood from getting the death penalty by proving his madness: he had a closet full of presents for when Bathseba would be his wife (creepy much!).
Bathseba seems to be broken by circumstances and pretty much withdraws from social life and leaves running the farm to Gabriel. A few months later she is shocked to hear he is thinking of moving to America! She realizes she doesn't want to be without him and gives him an opportunity to ask her to marry him. And this time, she says yes.
Happy ending right? The good men gets what he deserves, yes, but I couldn't help wondering: does Bathseba really love him or is she making do? Discussions are apparently raging about this on the internet, but I couldn't find a satisfying ending. I reread the last two chapters of the book and must say: Hardy does keep this point vague. He speaks about what good friends Bathseba and Gabriel had become and how such a fundament beneath a marriage is stronger than many contracted in passion, but no words are spoken about love. I personally choose to believe that Bathseba loves him and grows to love him more and more in their marriage. After all, who could not love such a great man as Gabriel Oak?
Quote of the week:
Gabriel: ‘Bathseba, If I only knew one thing, if I only knew whether you would allow me to love you and to win you, to marry you, if I only knew that.’
Bathseba: ‘You will never know’
Gabriel: ‘Why?’
Bathseba: ‘Because you never ask! Why Gabriel, it seems exactly as if I’ve come courting you. Dreadful!’
Gabriel: ‘Quite right too. I danced at your heels long enough’
Discussion question(s):
- Do you think Troy really did love Fanny or was he overcome by emotions?
- What is your opinion about the ending?
Last week, we left Bathseba and Troy very married and very much in love and Boldwood in misery. Bathseba and Troy throw a belated wedding party for the farm employees and here Troy shows a bit of his not-so-charming side. He speaks crudely and basically gets Bathseba's employees drunk. Meanwhile, outside a storm is raging and Gabriel single-handedly tries to rescue the hay-ricks. Single-handedly, that is, until Bathseba comes out to help him. And spills her guts about why she married Troy: because he told her he saw a woman more beautiful than her ('between jealousy and distraction', I do love Hardy's way with words)
The first cracks are showing
Soon after, all trace of romance and even civility between Batseba and Troy seems to have dissapeared as they bicker about the money Troy drains from Bathseba's accounts for gambling. But the 20 pounds he asked for where not for gambling, but to help Fanny, who appeared again in Weatherbury, poor and sick. Then, the inevitable Hardy-esque tragedy happens: Fanny dies, Bathseba, somehow guessing Troy's involvement with her, opens Fanny's casket and finds her there with a baby boy. When Troy sees this, he confesses his love for Fanny and how he hates Bathseba for 'distracting' him.
The face every Hardy heroine gets to wear eventually
Troy has dissapeared from the farm and soon after, Bathseba gets the news that he has drowned. Then, we get a big time-jump (I do hate those) and a year has passed. Bathseba is picking up her life, Gabriel's faithfulness and hard work has borne fruit as he is now bailiff of both Bathseba's and Boldwood's farm and Boldwood himself is sniffing around to see if Bathseba is already thinking of marriage again. To him ofcourse. He accompanies her to a fair where a thrilling act is performed. One of the actors looks very familiar however....
Troy has dissapeared from the farm and soon after, Bathseba gets the news that he has drowned. Then, we get a big time-jump (I do hate those) and a year has passed. Bathseba is picking up her life, Gabriel's faithfulness and hard work has borne fruit as he is now bailiff of both Bathseba's and Boldwood's farm and Boldwood himself is sniffing around to see if Bathseba is already thinking of marriage again. To him ofcourse. He accompanies her to a fair where a thrilling act is performed. One of the actors looks very familiar however....
Not so dead after all
It's Troy! He recognizes Bathseba, but she doesn't see him. Luckily, as she has problems enough with Boldwood running after her and throwing her a lavish Christmas party because he believes she will finally consent to marry him. Bathseba is exasperated and asks Gabriel for his advice. But his patience seems to have worn out at last and he bascially tells her to 'get on with it already'. And at the Christmas party, it seems Bathseba really has no choice, as Boldwood practically shoves a ring on her finger.
This is NOT how to ask someone to marry you
And in that moment, Troy enters the house and starts dragging Bathseba away. A shot rings out, Troy drops to the floor. Boldwood has shot him. Bathseba breaks down and the only one with his wits about him is once again Gabriel. He manages to prevent Boldwood from getting the death penalty by proving his madness: he had a closet full of presents for when Bathseba would be his wife (creepy much!).
Bathseba seems to be broken by circumstances and pretty much withdraws from social life and leaves running the farm to Gabriel. A few months later she is shocked to hear he is thinking of moving to America! She realizes she doesn't want to be without him and gives him an opportunity to ask her to marry him. And this time, she says yes.
Happy ending right? The good men gets what he deserves, yes, but I couldn't help wondering: does Bathseba really love him or is she making do? Discussions are apparently raging about this on the internet, but I couldn't find a satisfying ending. I reread the last two chapters of the book and must say: Hardy does keep this point vague. He speaks about what good friends Bathseba and Gabriel had become and how such a fundament beneath a marriage is stronger than many contracted in passion, but no words are spoken about love. I personally choose to believe that Bathseba loves him and grows to love him more and more in their marriage. After all, who could not love such a great man as Gabriel Oak?
Happy ending in my opinion!
Quote of the week:
Gabriel: ‘Bathseba, If I only knew one thing, if I only knew whether you would allow me to love you and to win you, to marry you, if I only knew that.’
Bathseba: ‘You will never know’
Gabriel: ‘Why?’
Bathseba: ‘Because you never ask! Why Gabriel, it seems exactly as if I’ve come courting you. Dreadful!’
Gabriel: ‘Quite right too. I danced at your heels long enough’
Discussion question(s):
- Do you think Troy really did love Fanny or was he overcome by emotions?
- What is your opinion about the ending?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2015-10-26 04:21 am (UTC)Yes, I think Troy loved Fanny. I think he is an idiot who let pride get in the way and was angry about the church mix-up, but that he did love her.
I think Bathsheba did love Gabriel. It took some time for her to realize it, and the whack on the head of him almost leaving. Well, maybe it was also that she finally saw how good a man he was, and how he had stuck by her through everything.
Now I really want to watch this version!
no subject
Date: 2015-10-27 11:03 am (UTC)I'm not sure if I believe in Troy's love for Fanny. He sure has a funny way of showing his love. Well, as you aptly said: he is an idiot...
I hope you do get a chance to watch this version!
no subject
Date: 2016-01-09 07:05 pm (UTC)Boldwood absolutely shocked me, because at first I thought he was a reserved but nice man who would do no one harm. But then his obsession deepened and it became more and more apparent he was dangerous and rather manipulative, and then the scene where he shot Troy . . . wow.
I do think Troy loved Fanny, but not in a selfless way. He always put himself first in everything. If his love was self-sacrificing or unconditional, he would have cooled his anger and set up another wedding day. (Especially since Fanny had basically thrown everything away to be with him.) His grief over Fanny and the baby was definitely real, but he didn't have the kindness or humility to learn from that. Did he try to change his ways, or do anything to atone? Nope, he was just as much as a knave after that.
As for Bathsheba and Gabriel, I'm strongly convinced she fell in love with him, and that her love was stronger and purer for the fact that it was built on a very close and sincere friendship. It could be me reading what I want to see into matters, but I think she started falling for him once he saved the hay and she realized that it was Gabriel, and not Troy, who was her true mainstay.
Thank you for prompting me to watch this series with your blog posts! :)
no subject
Date: 2016-01-09 10:06 pm (UTC)I totally agree with you about Gabriel and Bathseba or maybe I'm just a hopeless romantic who can't believe one of her favourite couples in period drama is nót a love-match ;-)
Thank you so much for all your comments!
no subject
Date: 2016-01-10 07:17 am (UTC)Yes! Hee, I'm not really romantic at all, and I believe that's got to be true love! I can't see Bathsheba allowing herself to marry again unless she was certain she loved and would be loved by her partner. :)
no subject
Date: 2016-01-10 09:43 pm (UTC)