Review of The Woodlanders (1998) by Frances H — 12 Aug 2017

One of the few books of Hardy's that I haven't read, this story has so many themes that are common to Hardy, the upper class denigration of those close to the land, who live in the country, the desire of the well-to-do merchant class to move up the social ladder, which leads to tragedy for the innocent, and the beauty of life close to the land.

The countrymen may seem crude to Grace when she returns from finishing school, which took her out of her native element, so that she no longer really belongs there, but her excursion into the upper rungs of society is unsuccessful and she comes to realize that Giles, who is a true countryman and as staunch as the trees with which he works, is the man with whom she belongs, but it is too late to undo that which has been done, and Giles dies because she turns to him and he is an honorable man.

In Far From the Madding Crowd, Hardy is more generous to a girl who rises above her original state. Although she makes the same mistakes as Grace, in the end she is able to find release from her mistake and finds happiness with her real honorable man of the countryside.

Grace is not as fortunate. Well acted with beautiful cinematography of Hardy's beloved Wessex, this is a lovely adaption of a Hardy tale.