• Why was Far From The Madding Crowd so important to Hardy?
• Why could it be seen as one of the first feminist novels?
• Is Hardy’s story really all about sex?
• How did the pastoral genre influence the writing of the book?

If you’re wondering what the answers to these questions are, then maybe you should read this guide. It is ideal for students who are wanting to attain top grades, and could clarify some basic points about literary theory for English Literature undergraduate students if they’re struggling to understand key ideas about contexts, structure and theme, and analysing quotation. This guide really encourages students to think for themselves with searching, open-ended questions which will help them develop personal responses which are vital if they going to attain higher grades.

The study guide is useful in the following ways because it is:

• A great resource for students aiming for top grades;
• A fantastic stimulus for encouraging students to develop personal responses to the text, which are vital if they are going to achieve at a high level;
• A great classroom resource for teachers too; the important sections of the novel are quoted in full here, together with useful discussion points/comprehension questions;
• Written by an experienced teacher who has taught the text in real classroom situations and knows what students need to learn.