Who is the narrator, can she or he read minds, and, more importantly, can we trust her or him?
Third-Person Omniscient
Like many Victorian novelists, Thomas Hardy is a big fan of the ol' third-person omniscient. This point of view gives you a whole lot of insight into different characters, and because the narrator is an all-knowing figure, the insight we get is seriously comprehensive.
For example, we start the book following Gabriel Oak. Oak, as the God-like narrator tells us, "… was a man of misty views, rather given to postponing […]" (1.2). Not only does this omniscient narrator know everything about Oak's present, he knows everything about Oak's past, too. And because this narrator is a chatty Kathy, we get all this info too. Thanks, narrator.
For most of the novel, the narrator tends to stick with one person's point of view per chapter, which is pretty easy to follow. But in Chapter 52, Hardy decides to give numbered subsections in order to avoid confusing his readers when he switches from one character's perspective to another. This is a pretty cool trick, and useful in letting the reader know a) what's going on with all of our characters and b) hints that the climax is fast approaching. Let's explain b) a little more.
There's a scene in Reservoir Dogs where three men are holding guns at each other. It's unclear for a second whether or not this is going to end with the guns being fired or laid down, but then the camera pans to each of the men's faces in close-up, giving the viewer the signal that this is it; this is the climax. Here's the clip to give you a little more understanding, but be warned: it contains spoilers and lotsa blood.
Thomas Hardy is a pretty big deal, and his literary awesomeness is extra evidence in the way he employs third-person omniscience.