The author presents a thought-provoking insight: "Character is Fate, said Novalis..." In the end, it is difficult to separate what Henchard causes himself from what is destined for him. This uncertainty is a hallmark of many classic tragedies, where the boundary between personal accountability for initiating events and fate's influence in hastening those events is deliberately obscured. Despite this, the tragic viewpoint upholds the nobility of taking responsibility for what happens to oneself and others. Henchard, the central character in The Mayor of Casterbridge, exemplifies this quality. Even if there is a persistent sense of pride in his belief that fate cannot impose anything beyond his endurance, it is a pride we admire and hope to emulate.