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Thomas Hardy的經典作品，改編成同名電影《遠離塵囂》
女人的價值是取決於婚姻嗎？這次，要嫁誰她自己作主
【遠離塵囂：一段對愛與理想的詰問】Far from the Madding Crowd
貝莎芭 ‧ 艾佛丁遠赴威賽克斯郡繼承家族裡的一座農莊，她雖然外表美麗，年紀尚輕，卻憑藉著自己的毅力與智慧，撐起整座農莊的營運。
無論是耕作小麥、養雞養牛、或在農產品交易市場和其他男人互相較勁，她總是親力親為，不怕弄髒衣服或必須跳進水中，讓農莊的工作人員非常信任。貝莎芭不畏困難的個性也深深吸引著幫她工作的牧羊人歐克，寡言的他沉穩內斂，時常提供她務農的知識，且了解她的個性與想法。
即便她如此經濟獨立，卻還是免不了不斷遭旁人「關心」婚姻狀況，一個女人事業就算再成功，當時保守的社會觀念還是催促她趕緊找個好人選。
然而當她遇見帥氣又不羈的軍官特洛伊後，原本的生活徹底被打亂，宛如第一次墜入愛河的小女生，貝莎芭無可救藥地迷戀特洛伊；又一次無心的情書惡作劇，意外吸引當地的富有仕紳鮑伍德，年紀較長的鮑伍德在地方擁有人脈與聲望，妻子過世後便從未再娶，卻對貝莎芭動真心。
貝莎芭瞬間陷入愛情的混亂螺旋中，甚至差點危及她的事業，跟務農相比，了解人心卻是困難百倍，貝莎芭明白自己不可能成為結婚後就放棄事業的女人，那她所渴望的愛情究竟是什麼呢？她所需要的又是什麼呢？
哈代在《遠離塵囂》中刻畫男男女女們在當時保守封閉的社會，奮力在俗世追求理想與愛情的過程，他抱著體諒與憂憫的觀點，細膩描述角色各自的心理狀態和想法，每個人都有每個人的立場，對愛情或事業都是，也導致他們做出的決定與其引發的結果，無論好壞。貝莎芭的個性強硬且固執，非要受傷挫敗後才會看清，她從失敗中記取經驗，也終於發現真正理解她的人始終都在。
The classic novel of passion and courtship in rural England
In Thomas Hardy’s first major literary success, independent and spirited Bathsheba Everdene has come to Weatherbury to take up her position as a farmer on the largest estate in the area. Her bold presence draws three very different suitors: the gentleman-farmer Boldwood, the soldier-seducer Sergeant Troy, and the devoted shepherd Gabriel Oak. Each, in contrasting ways, unsettles her decisions and complicates her life, and tragedy ensues, threatening the stability of the whole community. One of his first works set in the semi-fictional region of Wessex, Hardy’s novel of swift passion and slow courtship is imbued with his evocative descriptions of rural life and landscapes, and with unflinching honesty about sexual relationships.
This edition, based on Hardy’s original 1874 manuscript, is the complete novel he never saw published, and restores its full candor and innovation. Rosemarie Morgan’s introduction discusses the history of its publication, as well as the biblical and classical allusions that permeate the novel.
Penguin Classics is the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world, representing a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
