Far from the Madding Crowd · Character

Joseph Poorgrass

A stammering, blush-prone farmhand who turns his painful shyness into a kind of mournful entertainment, forever moralizing over his own afflictions.

supporting

Also known as Joseph, Poorgrass, neighbour Poorgrass

First appearance: The Malthouse; The Chat; News

See Joseph Poorgrass in The Malthouse; The Chat; News Book page

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Poorgrass is the farm's resident worrier, a man so constitutionally bashful that even recounting his blushes brings him a mild, self-satisfied glow. His timidity and fondness for a drop of drink make him the butt of gentle teasing among the maltster's circle, yet he clings to a pious fatalism that lets him count himself fortunate. His comic misery and hesitant speech embody the rural fatalism Hardy observes with both affection and irony, and his misadventures in the fields and on errands add a note of pathos to the laborers' world.

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See Joseph Poorgrass in The Malthouse; The Chat; News

Character Web

20 connections

A slice of how Joseph Poorgrass sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Other

Character groups

Main character circle
Peripheral community figures

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

In this scene, Bathsheba reaches an emotional and psychological peak of feverish, impulsive passion as she wri…

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Relationships

Jan Coggan
friendship · positive
Gabriel Oak
friendship · positive
Bathsheba Everdene
professional · ambivalent
Gabriel Oak
friendship · positive
Jan Coggan
friendship · positive
Bathsheba Everdene
professional · ambivalent
Gabriel Oak
friendship · positive
Bathsheba Everdene
professional · ambivalent
Jan Coggan
friendship · positive

Jan Coggan
Jan and Joseph are fellow farmhands and drinking companions, often sharing humorous banter and gossip.
Gabriel Oak
Gabriel and Joseph work together on the farm, with Gabriel often guiding the timid Joseph through his duties.
Bathsheba Everdene
Joseph Poorgrass is a timid, superstitious worker on Bathsheba's farm, often causing frustration with his inefficiency.
Gabriel Oak
Gabriel and Joseph work together on the farm, with Gabriel often guiding the timid Joseph through his duties.
Jan Coggan
Jan and Joseph are fellow farmhands and drinking companions, often sharing humorous banter and gossip.
Bathsheba Everdene
Joseph Poorgrass is a timid, superstitious worker on Bathsheba's farm, often causing frustration with his inefficiency.
Gabriel Oak
Gabriel and Joseph work together on the farm, with Gabriel often guiding the timid Joseph through his duties.
Bathsheba Everdene
Joseph Poorgrass is a timid, superstitious worker on Bathsheba's farm, often causing frustration with his inefficiency.
Jan Coggan
Jan and Joseph are fellow farmhands and drinking companions, often sharing humorous banter and gossip.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Joseph Poorgrass in The Malthouse; The Chat; News

In the story

Joseph Poorgrass appears across 14 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

VI: The Fair; The Journey; The Fire
Joseph Poorgrass is the other wagoner, who responds to Billy Smallbury's remarks about the woman's vanity and expresses his own shyness.
The Malthouse; The Chat; News
Praises Gabriel's character and flute-playing, expressing thanksgiving that he is not a loose man.
X: Mistress and Men
Nervously answers Bathsheba's questions about his work and pay.
XV: A Morning Meeting; The Letter Again
Laments Oak's treatment and is chastised for gossiping about Bathsheba.
XIX: The Sheep-Washing; The Offer
Works at the upper opening letting sheep out, dripping wet like a dolphin under a fountain.
Troubles in the Fold; A Message
Among the men who report the sheep's plight and later suggests Gabriel Oak as the only one who can cure them.
The Great Barn and the Sheep-Shearers
A shearer, joins in the conversation and anticipates the feast with pleasure.
Eventide; A Second Declaration
Sings a self-composed ballad about sowing seeds of love, but stops when Bob Coggan laughs.
XLI: Suspicion; Fanny Is Sent For
Delivers the news of Fanny Robin's death and assists in funeral preparations.
XLII: Joseph and His Burden; Buck’s Head
Collects Fanny's coffin from the workhouse, delays at the Buck's Head, becomes emotional and drunk.
The Sheep Fair; Troy Touches His Wife’s Hand
Drives Bathsheba to the fair; enjoys the play and helps carry Black Bess's body.
Bathsheba Talks with Her Outrider
Mentioned as originally intended to drive Bathsheba but unable due to his 'multiplying eye' complaint.
LV: The March Following; “Bathsheba Boldwood”
Observes the judge's arrival and comments on the proceedings with his characteristic philosophizing.
LVII: A Foggy Night and Morning; Conclusion
Offers a biblical reflection on the marriage as the friends depart.

Chapter companion notes

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See Joseph Poorgrass in The Malthouse; The Chat; News