Kelly is an instructor of creative writing and literature. In this essay Kelly argues that questions about Hardy's artistry in the novel are wrongly founded on whether the characters are too flexible to be believed.

Bathsheba Everdene, of Thomas Hardy's 1874 novel Far from the Madding Crowd, has been known to readers over the generations for her fiery beauty. The book details her romantic involvements with the three most sought-after bachelors in her county: Gabriel Oak, William Boldwood, and Sergeant Frank Troy. One reason for the book's enduring popularity is certainly the fact that it has two conclusions. First, Bathsheba ends up as a classic tragic heroine, able to have whatever she wants until her own success thrusts her into misery. After that, the book reverses order, and Bathsheba is presented as a romantic, almost comic heroine, who, despite the suffering that the world inflicts on her, is...