Wednesday, January 16, 2013

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

" One evening of late summer, before the nineteenth century had reached one-third of its span, a young man and woman, the latter carrying a child, were approaching the large village of Weydon-Priors, in Upper Wessex, on foot."

It is Fair Day and Michael Henchard , his wife Susan and daughter Elizabeth-Jane stop to rest. Michael soon falls under the powerful influence of rum furmity and becoming increasingly loud and aggressive he eventually sells his wife and daughter to a sailor. The next morning he is filled with remorse, swears not to drink for twenty-one years, and after unsuccessfully trying to find his family proceeds on his way.

Eighteen years later Susan and Elizabeth-Jane travel the same road seeking Michael and on reaching the town of Casterbridge are amazed to find that the one-time hay trusser has become a wealthy grain merchant and mayor of the town. Seeking to make amends Michael 'marries' Susan although he has to let down another lady to do so.

Despite his outward success Michael  Henchard is still a man ruled by emotions he has difficulty in expressing which leads to impetuous actions and outbursts of temper. He welcomes the young, progressive Scotsman, Forfrae, into his business as a means to help him recover from a bad financial situation but later rashly confides in him about his personal past, a decision he will regret as the relationship deteriorates. His character is flawed but very human and even though his behaviour is dreadful at times it's hard not to sympathise with him because ultimately he is destroying himself.

I do love Thomas Hardy's rural settings and pastoral passages but this one set in a small market town is a bit different and I enjoyed 
reading the descriptions of the town, the Roman ruins it was built on and the community who lived there.

The Mayor of Casterbridge has all the drama and tragedy one expects from Thomas Hardy - I loved it!


9 comments:

  1. I read The Mayor of Casterbridge years ago, as a teen and I remember finding it very bleak and depressing. Haven't picked up another Hardy ever since. Now that i'm older and wiser(hopefully), perhaps I should give it another go

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    1. Thomas Hardy's novels are never particularly cheerful but I don't find them depressing. I hope you will try again - Far From the Madding Crowd is my favourite.

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  2. I love Thomas Hardy but haven't read this one yet. The setting does sound interesting and a bit different from his usual pastoral descriptions. I have this book and two of his others on my list for the Classics Club and am looking forward to reading them all, hopefully this year!

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    1. I thought it was very good although none of the characters had the appeal of Tess or Gabriel and Bathsheba. I still have more Thomas Hardy's to read too.

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  3. I've only ever read Tess and Jude but this sounds rather interesting, I knew about the selling of wives but didn't know Hardy had used the idea as a plot device!

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    1. I think it's considered one of his best so I'm sure you'd enjoy it.

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  4. I love Hardy,and this is lined up for a re-read once I've caught up with my library pile and one or two other books. I agree that there aren't the standout characters to be found in some of Hardy's books, but I think that works well for the story.

    Have you seen the recentish BBC version with Ciaran Hinds in the title role? I saw it a few weeks ago, and loved it.

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    1. It does work well - it's all Michael Henchard's story as it should be. I don't think the BBC programme has shown here yet but I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it.

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  5. I read this one several years ago and remember really liking it though I don't remember many of the particulars related to the story. Might be time for a re-read, but I think I should read your suggestion Far From the Maddening Crowd first!

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