based

Marie’s skill lies in her powers of observation. She sees how men behave with women, how the rich behave with the poor, how power is based on political machinations, how actors bow to virtuous people, how easily every person dissolves gossip and ruins lives. How easily a man turns into a murderer, how genius is diminished if a woman possesses it.

Hardy’s fifth novel, entitled "Comedy in Chapters." In a typical Hardy manner, the story is based on a love triangle. Ethelberta and her involuntary sister Picoti are in love with the same man, Christopher, who reciprocates Ethelberta’s feelings. However, a happy result for them is out of the question, because it is poor.