Teaching Methodology of “The Novel Far from the Madding Crowd” By Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)By Kaukab Tariq D.A College for Women Phase VIII(Method Adopted for Advanced English Girls)

Learning Objectives To train the students to do their own research work

by asking them to bring material on Thomas Hardy. Citing the sources would be a must.

To enhance the knowledge of the students by giving information through short sentences and e words .

To enable the students to understand the sort of atmosphere that existed in the Victorian age.

To create and then transfer every important scene of the novel into the imagination of the student.

Resource Material-I Map of Hardy’s Wessex

Resource Material-II Dictionary of English Literary terms and Literary

Theory by J.A Cuddon

The materail brought on Hardy by the students

Criticism by A.C Ward, Douglas Brown and Merryn Williams

Sketching and acting would be important aids that would be frequently used all through the teaching of this novel

Lecture 1 Activity:

A 10 min quiz test would be taken by the students from the material they themselves brought.

Step 2 : Students would be introduced to the Victiorian Age

and further information regarding Hardy would be given through words and phrases below:▪ Darwin- His theory of evolution- Schopenheur-Architect-

Cornhill Magazine-Fatalism-Fate & Chance-Pastoral- Ballad tradition- Antagonist & Protagnonist-Ovine

Lecture 2 A Question & Answer Session based on the

information in the first 2 chapters would follow(students would always do the reading at home).

Reading of important passages would take place. Important lines would be marked.

Students would be made to observe the character traits of the protagonist.

Fate would be taken as an antagonist.

From Chapter 3 to 12 Learning objective :

Judging the retaining power of the students and ensuring that each student has done the reading of the chapters through question and answers

My approach as a teacher : Students would be made to ponder and notice that the

following sentence is in the passive voice. The doer is not mentioned:▪ “George’s son………… was taken and tragically shot at 12 o’clock.”

Deduction : Oak(the protagonist) would hold no weapon in his hand. He

would be seen with shepherds crook only.

Points the Students would be made to remember from this part of the novel: Oak is a preserver(oak is a strong wood) and Gabriel in

Hebrew means the strong man of God.

The losing of the sheep is a fate event.

Oaks encounter with Bathsheba is a chance event.

Chance always involves “if”- If Oak would not have extinguished the fire……….

Fanny’s is not revealed. The novel is serialized.

Chapter 8 is very important- The rustics introduced- The rustics form the backdrop in front of which Bathsheba’s story unfolds.

From Chapter 13 to 22 Activity:

Students would be given 5 mins to frame as many short questions as they can on the chapters read.

Learning objectives: To enable the students to discriminate between a chance and fate even.

Evaluation would be done through questions written by the students. My approach as a teacher:

Students would be made to notice the various functions of the chorus characters.

Henery Fay’s comment:▪ “A headstrong maid that’s what she is.“ would be an example of how the rustics act as

commentators

Deduction: The rustics add color and humor to the otherwise dull novel.

Points the students would be made to remember from this part of the novel:

The simple formula to remember which of the 2 characters went to which church would be:

Fanny goes to “All Souls”- Her soul is all innocence but Troy who goes to “All Saints” is no saint at all.

Hardy concentrates on architecture in this novel. Examples would be the Great Barn and Gargoyle.

Hardy paints the countryside when he shows mistress and men making a lamb “take”. The skin of a dead lamb is being tied to a live lamb.

Other examples are sheep shearing and sheep washing.

From Chapter 23 to 32 Activity:

Students can be made to write 5 sentences on any one of the characters .

Learning Objectives: To enable the students to understand how Bathsheba is managing her

farm well To create interest among the students for the character of Troy by

allotting roles to 2 students to deliver the dialogue between him and Bathsheba

Evaluation would be done by assessment of the sentences written by the students

My approach as a teacher: Students would be made to understand trot, canter and gallop by my

demonstration on the rostrum with the help of my fingers.

Points the students would be made to remember from this part of the novel:

Troy slices the caterpillar. He is a destroyer named after the city Troy.

Troy gives a gold watch to Bathsheba. Oak had taken a lamb.

Hardy often uses phrases, “ I wish you had never…….”

Hardy insists that a state of desirelessness is necessary for happiness. This is his philosophy of life.

The rustics are spared any tragedy as they have no desires.

From Chapter 33 to 42 Activity:

Students can be made to summarise all that happened. This can be taken as a recapitulation.

Learning Objectives: To enable the students to understand how Hardy inserts humour in the

otherwise dull events by introducing the rustics.

To help the students to understand that Troy is a destroyer. He plans to make the “place more modern”. He destroys the sanctity of the barn.

My approach as a teacher: The storm can be taken as nature’s reaction to the manner in which the

barn has been used and rustics rendered useless by forceful drinking and revellery. A breach in the social order is followed by a breach in the natural order.

Points the students would be made to remember: Bathsheba confesses that “between jealousy and

distraction” she married Troy.

Oak saves the ricks and once again acts as preserver.

Hardy makes Boldwood suffer for his desire.

Troy indulges in horse racing. Oak entertains himself and others by playing his flute.

Hardy cares for the Victorian morality by not revealing in clear tones Fanny’s ordeal on the Casterbridge Highway.

The delay in bringing the coffin is a chance event .

From Chapter 43 to 52 Activity:

Students would be asked to comment on how Fanny takes her revenge.

Learning Objectives: To create an atmosphere in the classroom for students to register their

true feelings for Bathsheba regarding her suffering.

My approach as a teacher: Students are always made to bracket and underline the words of

Bathsheba in chapter 44 where she says, “It is only women with no pride in them who runaway from their husbands”. I consider that these words are based on universal truth.

Students are told that in the chapter Converging Courses Hardy uses the art of cinematography. He simultaneously presents the happenings at 3 different spots. Its like moving the camera and capturing action for the audience.

Points the students would be made to remember: The details of the gargoyle reestablish the

truth that Hardy concentrates on structures.

Hardy is very conscious of the Victorian morality. “Fanny had been laid in the reprobates' quarter of the graveyard.”

Hardy follows the rustic calendar while presenting various festivals. He paints the countryside.

From Chapter 53 to 57 Activity:

Students would be asked to give their point of view regarding the end.

Learning Objective: To enable the students to understand that this is a novel which

has a happy ending. So Hardy is not a pessimist here.

My approach as a teacher: Students can be told how this sentence which occurs in the 5th

or 6th paragraph, “Dark as a hedge, tonight, isn't it? I all but missed the plank over the river”, reminds one of a remark made in Macbeth the tragedy by Shakspeare :▪ “There is economy in heaven their candles are all out.”

Points the students would be made to remember In this part of the novel occurs the last chance event. If Boldwood or

Bathsheba would have been informed about Troy the tragedy would have been avoided.

The chorus makes its last appearance.

“She was of the stuff great men’s mothers are made.”

Bathsheba’s remark, “O it is my fault, how can I live! O heaven how can I live!” would remind anyone of Miss Havishams’s remark, “ O what I have done” and Lady Macbeth’s, “All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand.” Its hard to recall any male protagonist who is so morally wrung except perhaps Othello who calls himself as the:

“………………………………. one whose hand Like the base Indian threw a pearl away.”

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