Under the Greenwood Tree (1872) is Thomas Hardy's idyllic pastoral novel set in the fictional village of Mellstock in rural Wessex. The story follows Dick Dewy, a cheerful tranter's son, who falls in love with Fancy Day, the village's pretty new schoolmistress. Their courtship faces obstacles from Fancy's other suitors—including the wealthy Farmer Shiner and the vicar, Reverend Maybold—as well as her father's initial disapproval. Interwoven with this romance is the tale of the traditional Mellstock church choir, which is replaced by a modern organ. A gentle comedy of Victorian village life, the novel celebrates community, music, and love, ending happily with Dick and Fancy's marriage.
