Introduction

Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge is a tragic novel set in the fictional town of Casterbridge, Wessex, where the fates of individuals are shaped by their past decisions. The novel follows the rise and fall of Michael Henchard, a man who, in a drunken rage, sells his wife and daughter at a fair. Filled with regret, he vows to change his life, eventually becoming the mayor of Casterbridge. However, as his past resurfaces, his attempts to maintain control unravel, leading to his personal and professional downfall.

Published in 1886, The Mayor of Casterbridge reflects Hardy's mastery of 19th-century realism. It portrays rural English life while exploring the complex emotions driving his characters' tragic choices. The novel is a powerful critique of the social and moral constraints of the time, highlighting the tension between individual responsibility and the relentless forces of fate.

Hardy, an English novelist and poet, is known for his deeply emotional and often pessimistic portrayals of life, particularly in the face of modernization. His works frequently examine the harsh realities of rural existence, and The Mayor of Casterbridge is a quintessential example of his societal tragedy.

Plot Summary

In Wessex, a young "hay-trusser" named Michael Henchard travels with his wife, Susan, and their baby daughter, Elizabeth-Jane. He is looking for a place to settle and work but struggles to find a job or a home.

Desperate, they visit a fair in Weydon-Priors, where a "furmity woman" gives Henchard alcohol. Henchard, drunk and out of control, sells his wife and daughter to a sailor named Newson for five guineas.

The next morning, Henchard wakes up horrified by his actions and searches for Susan and Elizabeth-Jane. He quickly learns that the sailor has already left town. Filled with regret, Henchard vows to stay sober for 21 years and moves to Casterbridge.

Eighteen years later, Susan and her daughter return to find Henchard. The woman from the fair informs them that he has relocated to Casterbridge. When they arrive, they discover Henchard has become a successful merchant and is now the mayor.

Henchard and Susan meet, discuss their past, and agree to remarry. Meanwhile, Elizabeth-Jane becomes interested in Donald Farfrae, Henchard's charming Scottish partner and mentee. Henchard had promoted Farfrae to manager, a position another employee, Joshua Jopp, had wanted. Farfrae's skills quickly grow, and he begins courting Elizabeth-Jane.

Sensing that Farfrae is more talented and wants to get closer to his daughter, Henchard grows jealous. He fires Farfrae and asks him to stop pursuing Elizabeth-Jane. Angry but respectful, Farfrae leaves and opens his own business, and Henchard hires Jopp in his place.

Soon after, Susan dies, but not before revealing that Elizabeth-Jane is Newson's daughter. Feeling betrayed, Henchard distances himself from her. Heartbroken, Elizabeth-Jane moves in with Lucetta Templeman, a woman who had been romantically involved with Henchard before Susan returned.

When Farfrae seeks out Elizabeth-Jane, he meets Lucetta and falls for her instead. The two soon begin a relationship. Seeing Farfrae's interest in Lucetta, Elizabeth-Jane decides to let go of her feelings for him. Meanwhile, Henchard tries to blackmail Lucetta into marrying him by threatening to expose their past relationship.

The woman from the fair is arrested, and during her trial, she reveals that Henchard sold his wife and daughter years earlier. Horrified, Lucetta leaves Henchard and marries Farfrae.

Henchard's life falls apart. He loses his love interest, wife, daughter, and his rapidly failing business. Farfrae, on the other hand, thrives, eventually becoming the new mayor. Henchard must depend on him for employment. Things worsen when Jopp exposes the love letters between Henchard and Lucetta to the...