Far from the Madding Crowd, Chapter 41 summary

What happens

1. Troy asks for twenty pounds, denies needing it for racing debts, and receives money intended for household expenses.
2. Bathsheba sees a curl inside his watch, and Troy admits it belongs to a woman he once intended to marry.
3. Their quarrel leaves Bathsheba distressed by her lost independence, and Troy departs for Casterbridge before their usual breakfast.
4. Joseph Poorgrass reports Fanny Robin’s death, and Bathsheba takes responsibility for collecting her body with flowers and a clean wagon.
5. Fanny’s passage through Weatherbury on Saturday night makes Bathsheba question Joseph about her hair and the cause of death.
6. Liddy confirms Fanny’s golden hair and repeats Troy’s suggestive remarks about her soldier lover, until Bathsheba stops her.

In this chapter

What to notice

Bathsheba lowers her hopes from complete devotion to basic kindness. The admission measures how far the marriage falls below her expectations.

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