In Victorian England, the independent and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak, a sheep farmer; Frank Troy, a reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood, a prosperous and mature bachelor. Alive with lush, idyllic settings that exert profound influences on the novel&#39;s characters, <i>Far from the Madding Crowd</i> is an unforgettable narrative of both beauty and devastation. Its portrait of rural life, and compelling examination of social conventions, has made it one of literature&rsquo;s classic romances.