Classics Retold

In Chapter 55 of Far From The Madding Crowd, the word decalogue means The Ten Commandments given by God to Moses on Mount Senai according to Bible.  The word comes from the Greek deka meaning ten logos meaning word or saying. Decalogue means the ten commandments. Hardy contrasts the trial of Boldwood where the law is administered by judges in the courtroom, with divine law embodied in Decalogue.  The judges enforce the law of England, but the moral principles behind justice ultimately trace back to biblical commandments, especially:  • Thou shall not kill. • Thou shall not steal. • Thou shall not bear false witness. The allusion lends the trial a solemn and sacred atmosphere.  The decalogue in this chapter symbolises the foundation of moral law and emphasizes the connection Hardy draws between legal justice and ethica responsibility.

Certitude refers to a state of mind being completely confident, free from doubt, or absolute certain of something.  It is a noun that conveys a strong unwavering conviction or assurance, often in matters of belief, faith or subjective judgement where objective proof may be absent. In Chapter 55 of Far From The Madding Crowd the general belief that Boldwood was not responsible for for his activities for the last two months is a certitude and runs contrary to material evidence and his pleading guilty of the act of killing Troy. 

In Chapter 55 of the Far From The Madding Crowd, the reference of procession and judges occurs after Sergeant Troy was killed by Boldwood. The procession refers to a solemn movement of legal system that follows after a murder.  The judges are Azzize judges who travelled on circuit through the counties of England to hear serious criminal cases such as murders. In Victorian England the murder cases were tried before the judges and jury.  Azzize Judges were senior judges of English superior courts who travelled around England on regular circuits to hear serious criminal and civil cases.  The word Azzize comes from old French assise meaning a sitting or session of court.  In Hardy's time England did not have a permanent crown court in every county. Instead judges from the superior courts in London travelled several times a year to the counties.  In Boldwood's case after he shot Troy, Boldwood was committed for trial at next Azzize.  There an Azzize judges and j...

Boldwood passed into the high road and turned in the direction of Casterbridge.  He passed the Buck's Head,  Casterbridge hill and descended down into the town. It was midnight.  The streets were deserted, the waving lamp-flames only lighted up the rows of gray shop shutters, and strips of white paving, upon which his steps echoed as he passed along.  He turned to the left and halted before an arching of old brown bricks, which was closed by an iron studded pair of doors.  This was the entrance to the jail, and over it a lamp was fixed, the light enabling him to find a bell-pull.  A small wicket at length opened, and a porter appeared.  Boldwood stepped forward and said something in a low tone, when after some delay, another man came. Then Boldwood entered, and the door was closed behind him, and he walked the world no more.  Weatherbury had been thoroughly shaken by the catastrophe.  Gabriel Oak was one among the first to come to the scene o...

In Chapter 54 of Far From The Madding Crowd Hardy describes Bathsheba opening the door of her room, where the dead body of her murdered husband sergeant Troy had been waiting for his last rites. Troy was murdered at the party hosted by Boldwood, and Bathsheba brought her dead husband to her house contravening the law;  Parson Mr Thirdly, surgeon Granthead, Gabriel Oak and others led by maid Liddy walked upstairs and were on the landing, while Liddy knocked the door. Bathsheba's footsteps were heard, the key turned in the lock and Bathsheba opened the door and stood before them like a slightly animated Melpomene.  Melpomene was one of the Nine Muses, being daughters of Zeus, and Mnemosyne. Nine Muses mean nine sisters. Originally associated with music, she later became the Muse of Tragedy. She is traditionally depicted as holding a tragic mask, a sword or club, and wearing tragic high boots (cothurnus) worn by actors in Greek Tragedy. Chapter 53 narrates the Christmas party hos...

Outside the front of Boldwood's house.  A group of men stood in the dark, their faces turned towards the door. It occasionally opened and closed again for the passage of guests or servants, a golden rod of light striping the gravel for the moment, and vanishing again, leaving nothing outside but the glow worm shine of the pale lamp amid the evergreens over the door.  "He was seen in Casterbridge this afternoon, so the boy said," whispered one of them.  "And I for one believe it.  His body was never found, you know."  "A strange story."  "You may depend upon it, that she knows nothing."  "Not a word."  "Perhaps he doesn't mean that she shall," said another man. "If he's alive, and here in the neighborhood, he means mischief," said the first.  "Poor girl, I do pity her. He'll drag her to the dogs."  "Oh, no, he'll settle down quiet enough," said one disposed to take a more hopefu...