Classics Retold

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...

In Chapter 53 of Far From The Madding Crowd, Hardy writes of Bathsheba: She was in a state of mental gutta Serena, her mind was totally deprived of light at the same time no obscuration was apparent from without.  Gutta serena is a Latin medical term, meaning clear drop or serene drop. In early medicine, it referred to a form of blindness in which the eyes appear perfectly clear and healthy, yet the person could not see.  Physicians believed the blindness arose from damage to the optic nerve rather than from any visible clouding of the eye.  Hardy uses the term metaphorically. Bathsheba has not become physically blind.  But the shock of Troy's sudden appearance overwhelms her mind.  She is so stunned that she cannot thank or act.  She seems incapable of responding, outwardly she remains conscious and her eyes are open. Inwardly, her mind had momentarily lost its light.  The phrase is an excellent example of Hardy borrowing medical terms to  descri...