The Mayor Of Casterbridge.
Michael Henchard gets drunk at the county fair and auctions off his wife and baby daughter for five guineas (gold coins). His wife Susan thinks the sale is legal and binding and leaves with the sailor who bought her. Henchard wakes up sober and sorry the next morning but can't find his family. He swears a solemn oath not to touch alcohol again for 20 years. Time passes and he becomes a wealthy great and hay merchant in the town of Casterbridge.
Susan's sailor husband Newson dies (she thinks) so she and her daughter try to find Henchard again. They are surprised to find that he is now wealthy and powerful. Henchard meanwhile has accidentally ruined the reputation of a young lady from Jersey. They spent a lot of alone time together while he was sick, so everyone is gossiping about her. Henchard is about to marry her when Susan shows up. He has to tell her that this first wife has reappeared so he can't marry him.
Henchard hires Donald Farfrae, a young Scottish man to manage his business for a while they are the best of friends and Henchard stepdaughter Elizabeth Jane, develops a crush on Farfrae. Farfrae is very practical and has a great head for business. Infact he is so good at his job that Henchard quickly becomes jealous of him. He rashly fires Farfrae and forbids him from seeing or speaking to Elizabeth Jane again. Farfrae sets up his own business across town.
Henchard is single again and free to rescue Lucetta's reputation by marrying her. The trouble is that she no longer really wants to marry him. She has inherited alot of money changed her name and moved to Casterbridge, hoping to leave her bad reputation behind her Jersey. Henchard finds out that Elizabeth Jane isn't his real daughter. She is the daughter of Newson, the sailor. He sends Elizabeth-Jane away and she goes to live with Lucetta. Lucetta meets Farfrae and falls in love with him. Henchard jealousy goes through the roof and he tries to blackmail Lucetta into marrying him. Elizabeth Jane witnesses Lucetta’s promise to marry Henchard. Henchard is forced to declare bankruptcy and Farfrae his old business.
Farfrae and Lucetta marry but Lucetta lives in constant fear that Farfrae will find out about her past with Henchard. Henchard makes up with Elizabeth Jane and they live together as father and daughter again. He would be happy but he is afraid Elizabeth Jane will find out that he is not her real father than Newson, the sailor arrives. Henchard lies and says that Elizabeth Jane is dead Newson leaves, but now Henchard has one more thing to worry about what if Newson comes back and Elizabeth Jane finds out he lied.
The secret of Lucetta and Henchard’s past relationship leaks out and the towns people hold a drunken procession to expose it to the world. Lucetta falls into hysterics. She is so afraid. Farfrae will stop loving her that she ends up dying. Henchard is already bankruptcy so he really has nothing lose, the profession doesn't bother him. Although he is sorry, Lucetta dies.
Now that Farfrae is free to marry again, he realizes that a better women has been dead all alone. He and Elizabeth Jane pair off. Henchard is still afraid that Newson will come back and tell Elizabeth Jane the truth, and he can't bear the thought of her rejecting him when he finds out that she is planning to marry Farfrae. He accepts it and days he is going to leave the town. He wanders the country side in the rain for a few weeks and eventually dies half an hour and Farfrae find him.
Mid Semester
1) Write in brief the wife selling episode in the novel.
2) Discuss the career of Michael Henchard till Susan returns to Casterbridge ?
3) Discuss the career of Susan and her daughter till the return to Henchard at Casterbridge ?
4) Character sketch of Susan Henchard.
Wife Selling Episode.
The mayor of Casterbridge. Character sketch of Susan.
In Thomas Hardy's novel "Mayor Of Casterbridge". Susan Henchard is the wronged wife of Michael Henchard. She is a simple woman unable to understand a complex moral problem. She is an uncomplaining woman, as she bears patiently the unstable temper of her young husband. She says "I 've lived with the couple of years and has nothing but temper". She is so simple that she believes that the sale by her husband has a binding effect, and that Newson is her new husband in principle, and has acquired a moral right over her until she feels relieved by the supposed death of Newson. Susan returns to Henchard as Newson's widow. Her purity of motive makes her a pure and moral woman. Her conscious does not allow her to go back to Michael Henchard without passing through the formal ritual of another marriages. Jean Brooks in Thomas Hardy's The Poet Structure Says -
"Hardy's tragic figures rooted in an unconscious life-process more deterministic than their own, try to mould their lives according to human values, personal will, feeling and aspiration. Though their self assertion is overcome by the impersonality of the -----, including those instinctive drives they share with the natural world. Their endeavour to stamp a human personal design on cosmic indifference makes them nobler than what destroys them"
Susan returns to Henchard for the sake of her daughter. She remarries him to provide Elizabeth a comfortable home, but she would not have Elizabeth name changed from Newson to Henchard. It furnishes another illustration of that honesty in dishonesty which characterises her in other things. She rigidly keeps the paternity of Elizabeth a secret lest Henchard should hate her. Henchard's subsequent harsh treatment of girl, fully justifies Susan's fears, Elizabeth is no more than an illigetimate child in the eye of law and the poor mother has to safeguard her future for herself she does not want anything, she has no urge for life any more till her thoughts are for her daughter.
David Cecil remarks in "Hardy the Novelist" on his character as :
"A struggle between men on the one hand, on the other, an omnipotent and indifferent fate- that is Hardy;s interpretation of the human situation. Inevitably it imposes a pattern on his picture of human scenes. It determines the character of his drama. Like other dramas, this turns on a conflict is not, as in most between one man and another, or between man and an institution. Man in Hardy's books is ranged against impersonal forces, the forces conditioning his fate. Not that his characters themselves are always aware of this."
Thus, though a common place woman of the peasant class with nothing very striking about her. Susan is indeed the embodiment of patient suffering with no grumbling and complaint, she may be taken as a fair representative of a type still found among the elderly women of English village of life and to whom life has given less.
Lucetta rightly says about Susan
"Poor woman, she seems have been a sufferer, though uncomplaining, and though weak in intellect, not an imbecile."
And it is a fact that Henchard's sufferings initially begin on account of Susan's lack of wisdom practical sense. Henchard provides Susan with one of the best doctors to cure her illness but due to her decline in health she dies.
Theme of Novel The Mayor Of Casterbridge
Thomas Hardy's novel The Mayor Of Casterbridge has two basic themes first that man in this life is the victim of the cruel and tragic irony of fate. He suffers basically not because of his faults but because of his cruel fate.
David Cecil critically remarks on Hardy's novel as "It is significant that Hardy as a rule emphasises the fact that even those characters the world would call, wicked are so much the creatures of circumstances that they are far more to be pitied than to be blamed"
Henchard, for instance seems on the face of it faulty enough - violent, vindictive and uncontrolled. From that first chapter in which he sales his wife at the fair, until the end of the story when he deliberately conceals her father's arrival lest she should wish to live him, he acts in such a way as to justify an old fashioned moralist in condemning him as the architect of his own misfortune.
But Hardy doesnot look upon him in this way. Henchard, as he sees him is a pathetic figures, born with with an unfortunate disposition. But genuinely longing to do the right. Tortured by remorse when he does wrong and always defeated by some unlucky stroke of fate. In the occurrences of chance and hostile, natural environment, Michael Henchard is still responsible for his own fate. If he had not sold his wife in a fit of drunken self-pity, the painful events would not have followed. If he had not over speculated in order to ruin Farfrae, would not have mattered if it rained or snowed , or hail. Certainly in his many years as corn factory and looting businessman he had come through other natural disasters. It is only in this one case that he lets his keen sense of rivalry and lust for revenge cause him to speculate recklessly.
James Weiss and A. S. Grumet remarked on The Mayor Of Casterbridge as "the story of a man whose own nature commits him to destruction." The novel is rightly subtitled "The Life and the death of man of character". The mayor of Casterbridge is Henchard's novel : in comparison to him, the other characters are mere sketches with the possible exception of Elizabeth Jane, who can be shown to occupy a very special place in the design of this novel.
The child is father to this "man of character". His virtues are innocence honesty, loyalty, and he is on the surface free from those complexities dictated by intelligence. But he is a large character who approaches heroic proportions at times, reminiscent some great animal in strength, fierceness and obstinacy. He is capable of subduing a bull and he is capable also of being the bull as when he attempts to great the royal party and later reflects on Farfrae's attitude.
"he drove me back as if I were a bull breaking fence..."
It is the huge scale of Henchard's character that forces the reader to think of him as being larger than one man. Much has been made by the critics of the improbabilities of Henchard's character and the circumstances which befall him.
These may viewed, however not as faults in the novel, but a part of its design. The blatant use of coincidence and the complete darkness of Henchard's life lead us naturally to conclude that more is going on in this novel than simply the portrayal of just one man and his downfall it is this aspect of the novel which has suggestive to some critics that the mayor of Casterbridge can be considered to be modern version of a Greek tragedy. The town is people of Casterbridge serve as a chorus to the tragedy unfolding before them, the most important role, which this chorus plays, is that of providing the reader with a perspective of the main action, thus the reader gets a view of the action through the eyes of the characters involved in that action and still another view of the action through the eyes of the villagers.
Lest the reader be misled by the characters matter of fact acceptance of their own behaviour, the novel presents a second perspective which reminds the reader just how distant this behaviour is from that of ordinary people thus the reader is constantly reminded that Henchard is not simply an ordinary man engaged in ordinary activities. From the first, the villagers stress those qualities in Henchard which set him apart from plain people like themselves, when Susan, Elizabeth Jane and the reader first meet Henchard in his role as mayor. The town's people talk about him as a large and awesome figure. Similarly, the comments of the villagers underline Farfrae's relentless ambition and in the skimmington ride Lucetta's deviant morality. The reader is presented with the enormity of Henchard's character by the comments of his chorus. Henchard being the focal point of the novel, Hardy is saying that wickedness and evil will return to the perpetrator in full cycle in like measure. He is indeed saying that the evil which man does will not only after him, but evil not fate will dog man's step until poetic justice has been satisfied.
Observing Henchard's behaviour after Elizabeth Jane has come to dwell with him, and the motivations for that behaviour. Though Henchard's actions are somewhat tempered with the base emotion of jealousy which is only human. All that he does is motivated by love of Elizabeth Jane. He lies to Newson because he doesn't want to loose Elizabeth Jane. He leaves Casterbridge, because he cannot bear Elizabeth Jane's scorn. He returns to show his love and to be forgiven. He departs forever so as not to cause his foster daughter pain and embarrassment and finally he writes a will whose requirements will blot out his existence from the eyes of men, especially from Elizabeth Jane whom he does not wish to hurt. There is nobility in Henchard because he willingly takes upon himself suffering as an expiation for the sins of his life. He carries his suffering and his love for Elizabeth Jane in silence and when man can rise to stature and mobility as Henchard does at the end of the Mayor of Casterbridge then the dominant chord. Hardy has struck swells to a bold theme of hope for humanity.
Mayor Of Casterbridge is the tragedy of character Michael Henchard. H. B. Grimsdidh remarks on Henchard's character as "Henchard's ruin is the uncompromising rigidity of his own personality, to which must be added the occasional outbursts of violence. This is elasticity of character manifests itself in his business dealings...Farfrae, on the contrary typifies the ingrem's of new methods and ideas into Wessex.
In the Mayor Of Casterbridge no other character, illustrates and justifies the statement that 'character is fate' than thus Michael Henchard becomes the cause of his destruction. In fact, it is Henchard's novel, in comparison to him the other character are more sketches with the possible exception of Elizabeth Jane who can be shown to occupy a very special place in this novel. This novel shows that man is the architect of his destiny. It is evident from Henchard's character and deeds which determines his fate.
Henchard's possess an impulsive nature untempered by reasons and when he is disappointed, he is quick to take offense and seek revenge. He turns into savagary on taking alcohol, he sold his wife when he was drunk. He did a disgraceful act. Henchard's primitive qualities leads him to his destruction. This novel clearly shows the notion that 'character is fate'. Henchard's hasty actions and impulsive nature, generate a series of misfortunes in his life resulting into his miserable death. It's true that Henchard's early marriage increased his struggle to rise in life. But it is newer appropriate to auction his wife. He was genuinely sorry and in repentance an oath not to touch the liquor for 21 years.
Retribution takes over Henchard long after the act of fully which he commits by auctioning his wife. After 18 years Susan comes back when he was about to marry Lucetta. He suffers much on knowing that Elizabeth Jane is Newson's daughter. The family woman discloses the secret which he had guarded for 20 years. This disclosure accelerates his downfall. The weather prophet comes in his life in the form of his bad luck. Henceforth own folly is responsible for much of his suffering.
The very fruits of Henchard's character made him jealous of Frafrae as suddenly as he had become fond of him after employing. He decides to crush Farfrae when he discovers that Farfrae is not only his business and but also his rival in love. Henchard's in a desperate effort to destroy Farfrae enters into foolish and rash transaction and ruins himself.
Henchard's behaviour is unpredictable, when he loves, he loves intensely and when he hates, he hates intensely, on learning the origin of Elizabeth Jane he becomes cold and indifferent towards her. He withdraws the ban which he imposed upon Farfrae's meeting with Elizabeth Jane as soon as possible because he wants to get rid of her on losing the status and properly he becomes attached to Elizabeth Jane that she becomes indispensable. He lies Newson by telling him Elizabeth had died on her marriage day Elizabeth turns against Henchard because of this lie.
Farfrae on learning Henchard's evil intention he stops trusting him. But when Henchard informs him about Lucetta's sickness Farfrae refuses to believe him. Farfrae's disbelief had very depressing effect on Henchard. Henchard's character is mainly responsible for his disaster but fate is no less responsible for it when he decides to marry Lucetta. Susan comes back to him. Elizabeth's secret revealed when he needs her the most. In business also, the weather fails him and the revelation by the furmity woman results in his downfall. If the fate had been favourable this furmity woman would have been died. This disclosure by furmity woman completes the doom of Henchard. Though, Henchard's character is considerably responsible for his tragedy, his downfall is completed by fate and circumstances.
Mayor Of Casterbridge as a Tragedy OR Classical Tragedy.
The Mayor Of Casterbridge, is certainly a tragedy. According to Aristottle, a tragedy is a tale of a Hero who must be of a high rank a king or a prince or a man of high social status. Secondly, the hero must meet with his misfortunes through a tragic flaw that is 'hamartia' in his character which leads him to suffering.
Finally the hero recognises his failure understand his flaws which set him part from other man. Seeing from this concept of tragedy, Thomas Hardy's novel the Mayor Of Casterbridge meets all these criteria. Henchard is not a king but Mayor of his town in England. He is a man of high social status, he has tragic flaw in his character, there is stubbornness and wilful determination to carry through his plans, no matter how hastily these plans be initiated. At the very outset Henchard's act of auctioning his wife fills us with apprehension in us, the furmity woman who mixes rum in Henchard's furmity reminds us of the witches of Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth. Again there is apprehension when Susan returns after a period of 18 years. The change in Henchard's behaviour on knowing the reality of Elizabeth Jane. Henchard's growth of enemity towards Farfrae. His flaws makes him live alone. He reaches recognition of his alienation from the world. Hardy's remarks gives a truly tragic term :
"And thus the once flourishing merchant and mayor and what not stood as a day. Labourer in the barns and graineries, he formally had owned."
Henchard's indifferent behaviour towards Elizabeth makes him get rejected as she shabbily treats him during her wedding. The novel produces Cathartic effect in abundance. The novel has many similarities with the classical tragedy. The steady decline of the protagonists fortunes. There is constant reappearance of character. The use of setting with classical architecture and associations. The town's people who function who function as a chorus, the stress on folklore scene both in the use of the furmity woman and the weather prophet. The actors in classical Dramma wear masks whereas in Hardy's drama. They wear masks of deception and duplicity.
Character Sketch Of Michael Henchard.
The Mayor Of Casterbridge is Henchard's novel, in comparison to him the other characters are mere sketches. Henchard is the most complex and subtly drawn of Hardy's male characters. A man at war with himself, ignorant of his motives works against and destroys himself. Henchard is cruel, jealous, possessive, suspicious yet for all his villainy there is something loveable about him with his negative qualities there is blended courage, generosity, honesty and sense of justice.
Henchard is conceived as a 'man of character' by its creator. He is hot tempered man, a little proud perhaps ambitious, but not a bad man. Hardy remarked on this novel 'the story os more particularly a study of one man's deed and character than, perhaps , any other of those included in my exhibition of wessex life". Henchard's punishment is not greater than he can bear, he is endorsed with a high capacity of endurance.
Henchard is endorsed with physical as well as moral strength. He rises to his position as the mayor by sheer energy and strength. His strength is especially seen in his keeping his vow not to drink for 21 years. A man who was addicted to liquor previous he keeps his words by returning the letters to Lucetta. But he sends it through wrong person 'Joshua Jowp' which costs Lucetta's life.
Henchard is a man of strong likes and dislikes. His attraction for Farfrae is quite strong. His affection for Elizabeth Jane is even stronger . Only after learning Elizabeth is not his daughter he turned indifferent towards her. But his likeness towards her grows again but he was treated Shabbily on her marriage day. Later on Henchard also grows a strong ill will for Farfrae.
Henchard is gifted with exceptional honesty, he does not believe in foul play. He does a strong sense of Justice and fair play, when he decides to give Farfrae, a lesson he declares before Joshua Jopp that he would do so by fair competition. He shows his sense of Justice also in receiving Susan back and declining his plan to marry Lucetta. But after Susan's death he gets ready to marry Lucetta to when he had pleased himself.
Henchard shows that he is a man of character when the furmity women exposes the secrets of his having sold his wife many years ago, another man in Henchard's plays would simply have denied the charge. Due to the flaws in him he had to live alienated, When he is leaving Casterbridge he says to himself.
"I can -go alone as I deserve an outcast and a vagabond."
Henchard is a man of character though he commits the sin of auctioning his wife, he requests Susan not to disclosure anything to Elizabeth."
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