The document provides context about the setting and time period of Thomas Hardy's novel "Far From the Madding Crowd" including: 1) The story is set in the fictional county of Wessex in rural England in the late 19th century as agricultural practices were changing. 2) The main characters include independent woman Bathsheba Everdene and the three men that suit her - humble farmer Gabriel Oak, unstable soldier Frank Troy, and rigid landowner William Boldwood. 3) Themes explored include the precariousness of romantic relationships, the relationship between people and nature, and how characters are responsible for their own actions and suffering.

1. Far From The Maddding Crowd By Thomas Hardy By Raazia Maryam and Ayman Shakeel

3. Farming in England Roughly three-quarters of land in England is farmed in some way. The English countryside is hugely diverse, managed under a variety of farming systems. A vast array of species and habitats depend on farming and farming systems.

14. Plot The plot of Far from the Madding Crowd concerns a young woman, Bathsheba Everdene, and the three men in her life. One is a poor sheep farmer who loses his flock in a tragedy and ends up working as an employee on Bathsheba’s farm; one is the respectable, boring owner of a neighboring farm who takes Bathsheba’s flirtations too seriously; and the third is a dashing army sergeant who treats her like just another of his conquests. In chronicling their hopes, plans, and disappointments, Hardy presents to readers a clear example of Victorian romanticism. At the same time, his understanding of the lives of farmers and ranchers in rural England makes him a forerunner to the realistic tradition in literature.