“Happiness was but the occasional episode in a general drama of pain.”
Chapter 1: The Folly of Youth
The novel opens with Michael Henchard, a young hay-trusser, drunkenly auctioning off his wife, Susan, and infant daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, to a sailor named Newson at a country fair. The next morning, sober and remorseful, Henchard searches for them but fails to find any trace. Swearing off alcohol for twenty-one years, he leaves for the town of Casterbridge to start anew.
Chapter 2-5: A New Life in Casterbridge
Eighteen years later, Henchard has risen to become the respected Mayor of Casterbridge. Susan and Elizabeth-Jane, believing Newson drowned at sea, arrive in town seeking Henchard. He secretly reunites with Susan and arranges for her and Elizabeth-Jane to lodge with him under the pretense of courtship, eventually remarrying her to conceal their past.
Chapter 6-15: The Arrival of Farfrae
Donald Farfrae, a charming and skilled Scotsman, arrives in Casterbridge and impresses Henchard with his modern farming techniques. Henchard hires him as his business manager, forming a close bond. However, tensions arise as Farfrae’s popularity grows, and Henchard’s impulsive nature leads to a falling out. Meanwhile, Susan dies, leaving a letter revealing that Elizabeth-Jane is actually Newson’s daughter, not Henchard’s.
Chapter 16-25: Decline and Rivalry
Henchard’s fortunes decline as Farfrae establishes his own successful business. Henchard’s temper and poor decisions alienate the townspeople, while Farfrae’s kindness and efficiency win their favor. Lucetta Templeman, a woman from Henchard’s past, arrives in Casterbridge, leading to romantic entanglements. Henchard’s past misdeeds, including the sale of his wife, resurface, further damaging his reputation.
Chapter 26-35: The Unraveling
Lucetta marries Farfrae, deepening Henchard’s bitterness. His financial ruin is sealed when a weather prophet’s faulty advice leads him to gamble disastrously on the harvest. Meanwhile, Newson, alive after all, returns seeking Elizabeth-Jane. Henchard, fearing abandonment, lies that she is dead. When Elizabeth-Jane discovers the truth, she rejects Henchard.
Chapter 36-45: The Final Descent
Henchard, now a laborer, lives in isolation. Lucetta’s past letters scandalizing her relationship with Henchard are publicly exposed, leading to her death from shock. Elizabeth-Jane reconciles with Newson and marries Farfrae after Lucetta’s death. Henchard, broken and alone, leaves Casterbridge. Elizabeth-Jane and Farfrae later find him dying in a hut, where he leaves a pitiful will requesting no remembrance.
Key Ideas
- The destructive power of impulsive decisions and pride.
- The inevitability of fate versus the consequences of free will.
- The harsh realities of social mobility and reputation in Victorian society.
- The fleeting nature of redemption and second chances.
- The contrast between traditional and modern ways of life.
Notable Adaptations
| Year | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | The Mayor of Casterbridge (TV) | BBC miniseries starring Alan Bates. |
| 2003 | The Mayor of Casterbridge (TV) | ITV adaptation with Ciaran Hinds. |
| 2021 | The Mayor of Casterbridge (Radio) | BBC Radio 4 dramatization. |
Who should read this book?
- Fans of tragic, character-driven Victorian literature.
- Readers interested in themes of fate, remorse, and social change.
- Those who appreciate Hardy’s vivid rural settings and moral complexity.