Protagonist

Character Role Analysis

Bathsheba

You might think that Gabriel Oak is the protagonist of this novel, since we get to know him in detail in the novel's early pages. But Bathsheba Everdene has all the characteristics of a protagonist. First and foremost is the fact that she, unlike Gabriel Oak, is far from perfect. She's the character that needs to fix her inner flaws in order to achieve a (sorta) happy ending.

Bathsheba is also the one whose actions and decisions drive the plot. She decides to be her own boss, she decides to send Boldwood a prank Valentine, and she decides to marry Troy. She then has to deal with the fallout of these actions. Or, to put a pastoral spin on it, she's made to reap what she sows.