Despite having been written a few decades after the romantic period, several elements of Romanticism appear in Hardy’s novel “Far from the Madding Crowd”. However, the concept of romantic love is strongly criticized in the novel. While playing an important role in the novel and characterizing many relationships, romantic love is always depicted in a negative light.
This paper will begin with a definition of the term Romanticism. Following the definition, the paper will deal with how several elements of Romanticism are incorporated in the novel. The next part will examine the concept of romantic love and how it is criticized in Far from the Madding Crowd. After a definition of what is meant by romantic love, two different characters of the novel, who both suffer because of their romantic love towards another person, will be focused on. Finally, the ending of the novel, where the two protagonists are united, will be analysed and the type of love that characterizes their relationship will be discussed.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Romantic Elements in Far from the Madding Crowd
- Definition of Romanticism
- Elements of Romanticism in Far from the Madding Crowd
- Criticism of Romantic Love
- Definition of Romantic Love
- Boldwood's Love for Bathsheba
- Bathsheba's Love for Troy
- Bathsheba's Love for Gabriel
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the portrayal of romantic love in Thomas Hardy's novel *Far from the Madding Crowd*. While the novel incorporates several elements of Romanticism, it ultimately presents a critical view of romantic love. The paper will explore the definition of Romanticism and how it is reflected in the novel, as well as define and analyze romantic love in the context of the novel's characters and their relationships.- Romanticism as a literary period and its key features
- The representation of rural life in *Far from the Madding Crowd* as a reflection of Romantic ideals
- The definition of romantic love as an idealized concept
- The negative portrayal of romantic love in the novel through the experiences of different characters
- The contrasting perspectives on love embodied by the protagonists
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction establishes the significance of love in Hardy's novels and highlights existing research on the topic. It then introduces the focus of the paper, specifically examining the treatment of romantic love in *Far from the Madding Crowd*. The chapter also provides an overview of the paper's structure, outlining the key aspects that will be discussed. The second chapter delves into the presence of Romantic elements in *Far from the Madding Crowd*. It begins by defining Romanticism as a literary period and outlining its key features. The chapter then explores how the novel embodies these features through its depiction of rural life, dialect, and the celebration of nature. The third chapter examines the concept of romantic love and how it is criticized in *Far from the Madding Crowd*. It begins by defining romantic love and then analyzes the experiences of two characters who suffer because of their romantic love for others: Boldwood and Bathsheba. The chapter explores the complexities of their relationships and the negative consequences of their romantic attachments.Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the theme of romantic love in the context of Thomas Hardy's *Far from the Madding Crowd*, exploring elements of Romanticism, the idealized concept of romantic love, and the negative portrayal of this concept in the novel's narrative. Key terms include: Romanticism, romantic love, rural life, Victorian period, *Far from the Madding Crowd*, Bathsheba Everdene, Boldwood, Gabriel Oak, and Troy.- Quote paper
- Teresa Schenk (Author), 2017, "Far from the Madding Crowd" by Thomas Hardy as a Criticism of Romantic Love, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/367660
