I will begin by saying that I am biased, as I am quite in love with Gabriel Oak. He is wonderfully balanced emotionally and mentally, without being a self-sacrificing goody-two-shoes or a mindlessly passionate man. Wish I can say the same about Bathsheba! 
 She is not a wise person in the least, at least not before getting a few hard knocks. She is too carried away by her passions and her ego as well, as she has that unfortunate belief that her own feelings are what matters. She learned pretty quick that when it comes to love, it's not just how much you care about a person, it's about how much they care for you, too. Great lesson all round; this should be required reading for every young woman just starting to navigate her way through relationships.