Far from the madding crowd

hey
i was just wondering how do the minor characters influence the outcome of the story?

thanks

That is an excellent question, and I can't give an answer. I read Far From The Madding Crowd maybe twenty years ago and my memory of the book is a bit hazy to say the least. But the question has prompted me to reread the book, so thank you for that.

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Originally Posted by poiuyt

hey
i was just wondering how do the minor characters influence the outcome of the story?

thanks

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Ok, I know the book and story well. I think the minor characters greatly influence the outcome. First, begin with Bathsheba's maid, Liddy, who gives Bathsheba the idea to toss the bible, then to send the Valentine to the gentleman farmer, Boldwood. Fate always plays a huge role in Hardy's novels; that's the key - fate; characters, many times the minor ones, often set that fate into motion. Fanny, who runs away to marry the officer, Frank, happens to pass Frank and Bathsheba later on the road; she is ill but pregnant with Frank's child. Again fate intervenes and he sees her and stops; unknowing of the connection in the eyes of Bathsheba, his now wife. I would say Fanny was a minor character who meets up with both Oak and Frank and therefore, influences greatly the outcome of the story. Liddy is a very minor character, but she is necessary to the whole plot of sending the Valentine and causing Boldwood to obessess on Bathsheba. She also is the sounding board for Bathsheba...she often confides in Liddy as does Hamlet to Horatio in the Shakespeare play. Hope this helps and gets you thinking in this direction.

thank you, that helps alot :)

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Originally Posted by poiuyt

thank you, that helps alot :)

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Good! and by the way, welcome to the forum. A few of us were just talking about maybe discussing a Hardy novel. You might want to stick around for that reading and discussion. I think you would learn a lot. Remember, think in terms of 'fate' and it will lead you to the minor characters and their role in advancing the plot.

Fate is the overruling theme in Hardy's novels. It normally boils down to a key mistake: had Bathsheba not sent Boldwood the Valentine, he would not have fallen in love with her. Either that or a fateful meeting: Bathsheba becomes literally entangled with Troy when she gets her dress stuck on his spur.