Thomas Hardy closely witnessed the social institutions and problems of his society in the nineteenth century, and his novels frankly deal with various social institutions and honestly address social problems within the confines of his art. In Victorian England religious and social institutions such as church, family and marriage were deeply rooted in patriarchy. True to its nature patriarchy automatically limited women and privileges men. Victorian society, dominated as it was by patriarchal ideology, restricted women physically and mentally, and severely limited their economic opportunities as well. Therefore, women suffered from severe economic and social debilities. He reveals the injustice of the social codes of nineteenth-century Britain and their negative impact on the lives of the Victorians, especially on the working class women. Far From the Madding Crowd was written when women evidently had an inferior status compared to men, and were severely limited in terms of their economic opportunities. Hardy felt compelled to challenge the social conventions of Victorian society in his novels, and by doing so he wished to redefine the role of women. Hardy portrays Bathsheba and Fanny in a sharp contrast to each other in patriarchal society. Bathsheba is represented as an independent and unconventional Victorian woman in comparison to Fanny who conforms to the stereotypical ideology of Victorian women. Hardy’s intention is to show his rejection of society’s attempts at