In this story of love, Bathsheba Everdene learns this lesson the hard way. Unusual in the 1800's, a woman, Bathsheba has inherited a large farm from her uncle. The farmhands are surprised by how diligently she learns how to manage the farm. As the story progresses, three different suitors try to catch the heart of Bathsheba: Sergeant Troy, Farmer Boldwood and Shepherd Oak. She has to choose and her decision has repercussions. After certain tragic events, Bathsheba finally finds happiness and true love. Told from the viewpoint of the farmworkers, this adaptation of Far From the Madding Crowd uniquely bridges the actors and the audience together, building a rapport and inviting the audience to take part in the experience. Using the minor characters as a counterpoint to the central narrative, a background is created enhancing major themes in the play, with the farmhands commenting on the action and characters of the main protagonists. Thomas Hardy first published this story in The Cornhill Magazine in 1874. Hardy based his scenes on people and places in Wessex, the area of England centered on Dorset where he was born and raised. Though he also lived in London, Dorset was his home and it was what he loved. He even built a house there in Dorchester, Max Gate, where he spent the later years of his life. In addition to writing novels, Hardy was a poet and an architect. Some of Hardy's famous works include The Mayor of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure, The Return of the Native and Tess of the D'Ubervilles.