Appearing first in serial form in Cornhill Magazine and published as a book in 1874, Far from the Madding Crowd is arguably one of Hardy's most successful novels. The title, taken from a poem by Thomas Gray, has come to stand for the serenity of rural spaces. Through the story of Bathsheba Everdene, Hardy writes about challenging social norms and of love that endures even after death, or rumoured death, and emerges victorious through all the turbulence and intrigue engendered by a repressed society that despises romantic passion. The novel has been widely adapted across film, television and media.
