Treatment of nature in far from the madding crowd

Nature is a major theme in the novel, since the progress of the plot is closely tied to the passage of time, the change of seasons, and the rhythm of life on the farm. Cycles like the growing and harvesting of crops and the reproduction of the sheep structure the everyday lives of the characters and enable them to earn their livelihood. Gabriel's skill and success as a farmer stems from his ability to stay attuned to nature; other characters, like Troy, fail to appreciate nature and see it as something they can mostly ignore or exploit for profit.