'Far from the Madding Crowd'

"Far from the Madding Crowd portrays Bathsheba's caprice and wilfulness gradually crushed by bitter self-knowledge and rejection." How far do you agree with this statement? Refer to at least four key moments in your answer.

For English you will be assessed on your ability to analyse and evaluate:
the moral, philosophical and social significance of a text;
the writer’s narrative craft and appeal to the reader;
patterns and details of language.

For English Literature you will be assessed on your ability to analyse and evaluate:
the effects of character and action;
the effects of dramatic devices or structures;
the layers of meaning in language, ideas and themes;
social and historical setting.

Your essay should have a clear structure. You will need to support your points with quotations from the text and with comments on language.