Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy

The Mayor of Casterbridge

I can’t say that when I read Thomas Hardy I was inspired to write but what I can say is that The Mayor of Casterbridge, is a perfect example of karma and I think that Hardy does a great job in the momentum he creates for the downfall of his flawed character, Henchard. It reminds me of the James Joyce short story we read in class, The Dead, where Gabriel is just getting hit below the belt constantly. Thomas Hardy does the same thing but at a much slower pace. In the beginning of the novel, Henchard sells his wife and daughter. However, Henchard then achieves this great social status after he promises God to stay sober for twenty years. I think Hardy throwing in hundreds of biblical illusions throughout the book was placed in strategically to make the reader remember the oath.

Hardy creates the fall of Henchard when the wife he sold in the first chapter, Susan and their daughter, Elizabeth Jane, come to look for him in Casterbridge. Perhaps a little after because he remarries Susan and you think everything is going to be peachy perfect in this Victorian society but Hardy makes everything go haywire for Henchard. First, Susan dies. Second, he learns that Elizabeth Jane, his real daughter died and the one living with her looks like Mr. Newsom, the sailor who purchased them.

But then things begin to look bright for Henchard. Lucetta, the woman Henchard was planning to marry right before Susan and Elizabeth show up, forgives him. Elizabeth begins to appreciate Henchard and Donald Farfrae is Henchard’s best friend. Then the third negative sequences of events begin for Henchard. He doesn’t like that the townspeople like Farfrae more and he hates that Elizabeth Jane took a job at the hotel and helped Farfrae at the beginning of the novel. Then Lucetta falls in love with this Donald Farfrae guy. Things are completely horrible for Henchard.

To make things worst, he dies when Elizabeth Jane decides to forgive him.