In Thomas Hardy’s famous novel Far From the Madding Crowd, Fanny Robin is a pretty, slim, and innocent girl with yellow hair who is the youngest servant working under Bathsheba. She falls victim to Sergeant Troy’s fatal charm. Being herself sincere and affectionate, she looks upon Troy as a constant and dependable lover. When Troy deserts her, her life is ruined. She meets with an untimely and tragic death.
Fanny Robin is a faithful and sincere woman. She surrenders herself unconditionally to her lover. It is for Troy’s sake that she leaves Bathsheba’s service. But she is a victim of fate. While Troy waits for her at All Saints’ Church to marry her, she goes by mistake to All Souls’ Church. It is probable that if she had turned up in time at the right Church, Troy would have married here. Again, if Troy had not met Bathsheba, he might have still stuck to Fanny.
Fanny Robin is the most pathetic character in the novel. She appears to be absolutely forlorn after Troy deserts her. She is so poor that she seeks shelter in the Union House, Casterbridge. She is also a woman of great courage and fortitude. She is simple-minded and childlike. Liddy, who knows her intimately, tells Bathsheba that “Fanny was such a childlike young thing that her spirit could not appear to anybody if it tried!
She presents a contrast to Bathsheba. The former is innocent, childlike, and sentimental. Bathsheba is an impulsive and passionate woman. Fanny stands by her one lover. Bathsheba transfers her affection from one lover to the other. Both suffer at the hands of Sergeant Troy. Fanny’s sufferings, however, are too deep for tears. Fanny has her revenge after her death. As she lies dead, Bathsheba envies her, feeling that death has released her from all her sufferings and that Troy cared more for Fanny than he did for her (Bathsheba).
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