Into the sleepy village of Weatherbury arrives one day Bathsheba Everdene, come to take charge of her late uncle's thriving farm. Strong-willed and beautiful, her presence ensures that life in the area will never be the same again. She attracts three suitors, each of whom is very different: faithful shepherd Gabriel Oak; dour gentleman-farmer William Boldwood; and dashing seducer Sergeant Francis (Frank) Troy. Impulsive and independent, Bathsheba's wavering passions commit her to none - and yet to all - of them, with some disastrous consequences. Far From the Madding Crowd (1874) was the first of Hardy's Wessex novels and remains one of his most well-known and popular.