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.