Sergeant Francis Troy

Sergeant Francis Troy is a handsome, dashing but at the same time reckless man. He is from Weatherbury. His mother was a French governess, who was in affairs with deceased Lord Severn. Then she married the poor local doctor, and soon she had a child. While they regularly received some money, everything went well, but unfortunately for the boy, his patrons and friends died. Then he joined the Casterbridge attorney office as a junior clerk.

He was well-educated for a middle-class man, and exceptionally good for a simple soldier. He could talk as much as he wanted. And in a conversation, he knew how to seem the way he wanted, and not the way he really was. He masterfully owns the sword and has good acting skills.

In his dissolute behavior, Sergeant Troy obeyed the impulse. Charming, willingly giving out compliments, but at the same time unreliable, impudent and ambitious, he draws Everdene along the wrong path, though not for a long time.

A young man managed to win Bathsheba`s heart immediately during the first meeting. Her original dislike to the sergeant turns into a passion after he invites her to a private fencing lesson. They are getting married. Soon, Bathsheba learns that her newly-made fiancé is a gambler, and the farm doesn’t interest him at all. He is not able to bear responsibility for his actions as in his thoughts there are only booze and cards. She begins to suspect that he does not love her. Indeed, the heart of Troy belongs to Fanny Robin, Bathsheba's former maid. Finally, relationship with Fanny and her death lead to the breakup with Everdene. After that, Troy disappears, and everyone thinks that he died. But in reality it is not, soon he returns and is murdered by Mr. Boldwood, who in this way tries to protect Bathsheba.