Far from the Madding Crowd · Chapter
Eventide; A Second Declaration explained
During the shearing-supper, Bathsheba presides from the window while the workers feast and sing.
What happens
During the shearing-supper, Bathsheba presides from the window while the workers feast and sing. After the meal, she asks Gabriel to move so Boldwood can sit near her. The evening ends with Bathsheba singing 'The Banks of Allan Water' accompanied by Gabriel's flute and Boldwood's bass. Later, alone with Boldwood, she agrees to consider marrying him after a few weeks, leaving him hopeful but herself conflicted.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Marriage
Boldwood's second declaration of love and Bathsheba's conditional promise to marry him highlight the complexities of courtship and commitment.
Pride and Humility
Bathsheba feels a 'fearful joy' in her triumph over Boldwood, yet is humbled by the weight of his devotion and her own past temerity.
Obsession and Madness
Boldwood's intense, almost desperate love is described as a 'too happy happiness' that strips him of dignity, foreshadowing his later obsession.
Characters to notice
- Bathsheba Everdene
Presides over the shearing-supper from the window, sings for the workers, and later privately agrees to consider marrying Boldwood after a few weeks.
- Gabriel Oak
Moved from his seat to accommodate Boldwood, plays flute to accompany Bathsheba's singing, and observes Boldwood's attentions with quiet jealousy.
- William Boldwood
Arrives late by arrangement, sits near Bathsheba, sings bass during her song, and later privately declares his love, receiving a conditional promise of marriage.
- Frank Troy
Not present but foreshadowed by the song 'The Banks of Allan Water' about a soldier who wins a bride.
- Jan Coggan
Sings a love song, encourages Joseph Poorgrass to sing, and praises Pennyways for his honest behavior at the supper.
- Joseph Poorgrass
Sings a self-composed ballad about sowing seeds of love, but stops when Bob Coggan laughs.
- Benjy Pennyways
Present at the supper despite being dismissed for theft; praised by Coggan and Poorgrass for stealing nothing that evening.
Key passages
“I will try to love you. And if I can believe in any way that I shall make you a good wife I shall indeed be willing to marry you. But, Mr. Boldwood, hesitation on so high a matter is honourable in any woman, and I don't want to give a solemn promise tonight. I would rather ask you to wait a few weeks till I can see my situation better.”
Bathsheba tells Boldwood she will attempt to love him and may marry him if she believes she can be a good wife, but she refuses to make a firm promise that evening, asking instead for a few weeks to consider.
Bathsheba's conditional acceptance reveals her uncertainty and desire for control in the relationship.
“The meaning lay in the difference between actions, none of which had any meaning of itself; and the necessity of being jealous, which lovers are troubled with, did not lead Oak to underestimate these signs.”
Gabriel interprets Boldwood's subtle behavior toward Bathsheba as signs of affection, and his own jealousy sharpens his perception.
Oak's quiet observation underscores his unspoken feelings for Bathsheba.