# The Gurgoyle: Its Doings explained — Far from the Madding Crowd

> Chapter companion for Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy.

## What happens

After the storm, Bathsheba learns of Troy's departure and visits Fanny's grave, where she finds Gabriel Oak. She discovers that Troy erected the tombstone for Fanny. Meanwhile, Troy, having spent the night in the churchyard, awakens to find that the rain has washed away the flowers he planted on Fanny's grave. This final blow leads him to hate himself and leave Weatherbury.

## Themes in this chapter

### Obsession and Madness

Troy's obsessive planting of flowers on Fanny's grave and his subsequent despair when they are destroyed illustrate his mental turmoil and self-loathing.

### Deception and Honesty

Bathsheba's discovery of Troy's secret tombstone for Fanny reveals his hidden guilt and the deception in their marriage.

### Fate and Free Will

Troy's belief that Providence has abandoned him and the 'accident' of the rain destroying his efforts highlight the tension between fate and personal agency.

## Character check-ins

### Bathsheba Everdene

Visits Fanny's grave, discovers Troy's tombstone, and directs Gabriel to fix the gurgoyle.

### Gabriel Oak

Found at the churchyard observing the tomb; helps Bathsheba by filling the hole and later reports the strange noise from the churchyard.

### Frank Troy

Spends the night in the churchyard, plants flowers on Fanny's grave, but after the rain destroys them, he despairs and leaves Weatherbury.

### Fanny Robin

Her grave is the central focus; Troy's tombstone and flowers are for her.

### Liddy Smallbury

Informs Bathsheba about Troy's departure and the strange noise from the churchyard.

## Key lines

> The flowers so carefully planted by Fanny’s repentant lover began to move and writhe in their bed. The winter-violets turned slowly upside down, and became a mere mat of mud.

The flowers Troy had lovingly placed on Fanny's grave were uprooted and destroyed by the heavy rain, turning into mud.

_This event symbolizes the destruction of Troy's attempt at repentance and his final breaking point._

> This very morning the illusion completed its disappearance, and, as it were, all of a sudden, Troy hated himself.

Troy's self-deception ended abruptly, and he was overcome with self-hatred.

_This marks a turning point in Troy's character, leading to his departure from Weatherbury._

> She wiped the mud spots from the tomb as if she rather liked its words than otherwise, and went again home.

Bathsheba cleaned the tombstone, appearing to accept the inscription honoring Fanny, before returning home.

_Bathsheba's magnanimous act shows her complex emotions and her attempt to move past jealousy._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/far_from_the_madding_crowd_se/chapters/xlvi-the-gurgoyle-its-doings
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/far_from_the_madding_crowd_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/far_from_the_madding_crowd_se/chapters