Anyway. Why does everyone say Bathsheba Everdeen is the original feminist? What is strong about her? Just because she owned a farm? Inheriting something of value and then having a bunch of men maintain it for you because they want to kiss you doesn't make you a strong woman. I feel like Anna Karenina is a much better female symbol than Bathsheba is. She's even a bit spineless which makes her downright mean in the end (both to her lovers and to her apparent best friend). Despite that, I don't dislike the heroine. I suppose she's realistic. She's a bit bratty and childish despite what everyone around her thinks, but I guess considering that she's 23-24 and has always lived a charmed life, that's as much as I could expect. I guess it just means I should be thankful that society doesn't die off as easily and that the world (at least the one in which I live) isn't run by such young people anymore.
What did seem modern to me though, was the treatment of mental illness on Boldwood's part. I don't think I've read anything from this time that would be so outright calling it that. But who knows, maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, either.
Anyway, I guess in summation, this book is everything you would expect from its genre. Romance, tragedy, gossip, a beautiful heroine, the countryside. If you're into that, have at it.
