“The young woman came regularly to milk the healthy cow or to attend to the sick one, but never allowed her vision to stray in the direction of Oak’s person.” (p.21)

Though “seeing” and “looking” as an act hold a similiarity, there is a slight difference between them. We can “see” the things we are not intended to, but there is self-control in “looking”. We have the will to restrict our interest before “looking”.

Normally the girl had an interest in Gabriel but now she feels the need of controling it, due to psychic matters I think. If you don’t believe me, maybe the appearent contradiction in her behavior may convince you. She shows her interest at fixed intervals even towards animals, healthy or unhealthy, respectively, but she is stingy in revealing her concern towards Gabriel. She acts as if he is too far away or not existing at all. She supresses her interest away from her consciousness by focusing her attention at things of subordinate importance, hiding her concern from her self awareness. I think this stems from an ego weakness. The curtain she has drawn between them, her apathetic altitude, the so called “ignorance” can be interpreted as a defence mechanism… Because Gabriel had seen her while she was not ready for it and witnessed her vulnerability, she wants to show herself that she has the control of his looks by not noticing him. All she wants is to straighten her self image and to calm her conflicting inner dynamics at the unconscious level.

He was endeavouring to catch and appreciate the sensation of being thus with her, his head upon her dress, before the event passed on into the heap of bygone things: (23)
Gabriel is aware that it is an extraordinary state that he may not have the chance to live it again, by his own will or wish. He wants to feel and live in that moment thoroughly and recall it later on with vivid perceptions and meaningful sensations. He wants to decode it in his memory in a way that would not allow him forget easily.

Though, on the surface, all he wants is to cherish their proximity and keep that precious moment in the long term memory, I think at this point his subconscious mind intervenes and predominates his conscious awareness. By attaching a fantasy component, a special emotional code to the event, as if they were sincere with each other, or there was a geniue warmth or closeness between them, he wants to meet a subconscious need.

Usually emotional loneliness accompanies illnesses or physical weaknesses, causing a temporary regression state, making us remember those early periods of our life. Compassion appears to be a psychological need at those times. Despite his masculen, strong characteristics, perhaps this is the most vulnerable state Gabriel has faced in his life. He is not only disabled physically but lonely emotionally as well. Here the lap is a place for consolation. It allows gazing, mutual interacation and transfer of affection. It is a skill of motherhood and exalts feminity. (Feminity has pressed down masculanity in that sense). Women, especially the mothers have that strong tool in healing the psychological wounds of their children by conveying compassion and unconditional love. Laying upon her lap, Gabriel must have felt like a little, vulnerable child, interacting with his mother.

By seting up a ground for a strong feeling like love, we can say both of them had witnessed the most vulnerable sides of each other on a subtle, defenseless line that excludes the external world.

…keep wanting you till I die.” His voice had a genuine pathos now, and his large brown hands perceptibly trembled. (p. 34)

The human voice is an impressive tool in personal interactions. Especially the toning is so critical in conveying emotional aspects of the message that it sometimes evokes similiar feelings in the listeners. The sentimental content and expressions in men’s speech, as seldomly as it is, assumed to be more genuine and influential, compared to the opposite sex. Here the listener, namely the girl doesn’t seem to share and reflect his emotions but senses the power of his deep, hidden feelings.

Competency in various fields manifests itself through working hands. They don’t hesitate or rebel our will to accomplish the most hardest, compelling, skilful tasks. The word “handy” means “skilful” literally. Now imagine large, brown, virile hands. How surprising that they are trembling! They instantly demolish and wreck the competent, powerful image of the whole body on behalf of weakness. The observer, namely the girl can not remain indifferent to this image of weakness. She must have recognized her weighty influence over the man’s emotional system.

Gabriel not only has the gut to express his emotions frankly, but takes the risk to be seen weakly, which contradicts his physical strength and impressive sinew. The apparent bodily weakness that is perceived is a sign of the potentiality of his emotions. In fact, this demonstrates his confidence, inner strength and strong character. For most men indeed the powerful physical image is already at hand and acquired without too much effort, so they don’t venture to be seen weak in any way.

“He looked round, and saw a girl racing after him, waving a white handkerchief.
Oak stood still—and the runner drew nearer. It was Bathsheba Everdene. Gabriel’s colour deepened: hers was already deep, not, as it appeared from emotion, but from running.” (p.30)


Historically, white handkerchiefs have been used in place of a white flag to indicate surrender or a flag of truce. And a man like Gabriel with a clear stand could have interpretted her running and waving a handkerchief as a sign of persuation and could easily believe that she was willing to say yes to his proposal.

In old times, handkerchieves had a special place in romantic relationships, especially in nonverbal communication. They are usually waved in greetings or in farewell. Being a small, private and feminine object, it reminds honesty, innocence and purity of the beloved. In Turkish tradition, droping a hankerchief, while passing by a gentlemen was a sign of interest or admiration in the past. In literature, it has special meanings. In Otello, for instance it signifies “love”. Because it belongs to the loved one and carries her smell, touches her face and hands, holds the trace of her tears and deals with her deepest sentiments, it gains special value.

In their interaction with the opposite sex, the people could easily believe in the things they want to believe in. Yet the reality could be the reverse. The emotions and dynamics prevailing in the inner selves could be totaly different. Here the author warns us, especially the men I think, not to judge just by seeing. It could be misleading or deceptive. You can misinterpret the social clues in your interaction with the females, because of your emotions. They are not as straightforward, simple and candid as you are. They are complicated. Women could be tricky and skilled in masking their emotions and genuine feelings. However Gabriel doesn’t hesitate to show his emotions frankly. But the girl though gained physical proximity by runing, kept her distance emotionally. She said: “If I had wanted you I shouldn’t have run after you like this. It would have been the forwardest thing.” The girl’s aunt also lied that many people were after her niece. And how these contrast with the Gabriel’s unassertive, modest manners! “I am only a everyday sort of man and my only chance was in being the first comer” he utters…

Here the excitement of the girl was probably due to the conflict perceived at the psychic level between the id and the superego. Being in a confused state or mood, she was not ready to confront her feelings yet. It can be estimated that her ego was not yet so strong to keep a balance between the id and the superego and she felt the pressing influence of the superego over the id. In order to solve her inner conflict, she was striving to correct the misinformation that her aunt conveyed and clear up the bad image that had fallen upon her.

"Rays of male vision seem to have a tickling effect upon virgin faces in rural districts; she brushed hers with her hand, as if Gabriel had been irritating its pink surface by actual touch" (p.19)

In rural areas, due to the limited interaction or communication between sexes, for man the easiest way to show their interest or liking is by gazing. Steady, attentive looks could be a sign of interest, perhaps an indication of lust, therefore, may carry erotic meaning, pertaining to physical desires, like touching or kissing. We can say that there was something passionate or carnal in Gabriel’s looks, that the girl perceived right away.

The effect of staring is felt on the face, in the first stage of interaction. The rosy color of the face implies its sensitive nature. The face is the background where the five senses are active and ready to analize the impression of the eyes. Although senses like seeing, hearing, smelling and tasting are specific for the face, sense of touch is not restricted with the face. But here, interestingly, the girl interprets his stare with the sense of touch, besides sense of sight! We can say “the desire for touching” which can be estimated to be pressing or strong is transmitted within the look and arouses the sense of touch in the girl. The desire for touching usually stem from compassion or from sensuality. In an affectionate look you don’t carry the desire to possess, hold or dominate, but a lustful look is highly irritating due to its dominating nature.

A metaphoric explanation could be: Like the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, the virgins will be hunted by the unseen arrows thrown from the eyes of the staring males at last. The pink faces are turned into a target board, a ground that the assertive looks are received. The pinkish, rosy color brings to mind freshness, liveliness, excitement, embarrassment, maybe fear. Also the pink face which is attributed to virgins carries purity, innocence and beauty in itself.

"He heard what seemed to be the flitting of a dead leaf upon the breeze and looked. She had gone away." (p.21)

The metaphoric expression such as “flitting of a dead leaf upon the breeze” may evoke thoughts about weakness, avoidance, submission or alteration and so on…Gabriel without seeing the girl going away, just by hearing her departure, had enough time to use his imagination. In this critical moment, the imagination spontaneously interferes and presents a relevant and meaningful picture of the incident. Metaphoric elements taken from the nature stand out in this mental description. Change is natural in nature. Something disappears but never fades away totally. It transforms into something else with a different appearance. Actually there is no place for despair and hopelessness. Nature must have an apparent influence on Gabriels psychic world and sustains and strengthens the integrity of his mental life.

“There was a bright air and manner about her now, by which she seemed to imply that the desirability of her existence could not be questioned; and this rather saucy assumption failed in being offensive because a beholder felt it to be, upon the whole, true.” (p.18)

The narcissistic trait the girl has, I mean “vanity”, stems from the conviction that she has a beautiful face and charming appearance. This notion is not unfounded or groundless. It is also reinforced by external stimuli. Her narcissistic self image is strengthened by attention and feedback she gets from outside. Perhaps the feedback she receives from others gives her the assurance and opportunity to display her beauty as an undeniable reality. The joyful manners indicate her courage to imply it to the eyes of many. To imply something can sometimes be offensive. Because by subjective perception we decide one is desirable or not. Otherwise you intervene that subjectivity and impose something against free judgement.