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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Where does Gabriel attend a hiring fair in the beginning of Chapter 6?

2. How old does Mr. Boldwood say he is when he proposes marriage to Bathsheba in Chapter 19?

3. Whom does Gabriel allow to read the letter he's received in Chapter 15?

4. What does Bathsheba assist Gabriel in doing when she goes to ask him for advice in Chapter 20?

5. In what country is Far from the Madding World set?

Short Essay Questions

1. What tragedy befalls the Everdene Farm in Chapter 21?

2. What are Gabriel Oak’s first impressions of Bathsheba Everdene? Where does he first see Bathsheba?

3. Who sends Gabriel a letter in Chapter 15? What is revealed in the letter?

4. How does Bathsheba respond to Mr. Boldwood’s marriage proposal in Chapter 19?

5. To whom does Bathsheba write a letter in Chapter 30? What is revealed in the letter?

6. How does Mr. Boldwood derive the anonymous sender of the Valentine in Chapter 15?

7. Why has Bathsheba fired her bailiff in Chapter 10? Why is this a significant act?

8. How does Bathsheba respond when Gabriel Oak proposes to her in Chapter 4?

9. What is Gabriel Oak’s social station and class when his character is first introduced? What is Gabriel’s occupation?

10. Why does Bathsheba fire Gabriel Oak from his position on the farm in Chapter 20?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How common was it in the 1870s for women in rural England to own and manage farms without male oversight? Why do you think that Bathsheba's actions in the story go uncontested? In what ways does Bathsheba represent a feminist literary figure?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the character of William Boldwood in the novel. How old is Mr. Boldwood when he is introduced? What is his occupation? How does Mr. Boldwood's character evolve in the course of the story?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the themes of catastrophe, chance, and fate in Far from the Madding Crowd. How are these themes developed through character, setting, and imagery? What symbols relate to these themes? How do the themes overlap?

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