Thomas Hardy

‘Far from the madding crowd’ is a story of three little pigs.

The wolf in this story is a woman of independent means in the 1800s who has the luxury, if not the requisite training, of choosing a husband by any motive she wishes.

In this painful social experiment she first chooses Lust, then Security, but then finally settles on the third little pig, Love, whose brick house cannot be blown down.

Presumably the other little pigs, Lust and Security, take shelter under Love’s roof.

Why was this parable required in the late 19th century?

The relentless improvements in productivity that had started in the industrial revolution had by that stage ensured that wealth amongst middle classes had risen sufficiently such that philosophers could start dreaming of using all that inherent security to improve the estate of women.

Not just men.

All that these women needed, those wishing to escaping from the madding crowd of lust and security seekers, was a blueprint.

Written by a bloke of course.

A blueprint which prevails to this day. Time for a rewrite perhaps?