The Mayor of Casterbridge: the Life and Death of a Tough Guy
by I
About This Novel
"The Mayor of Casterbridge" is one of Hardy's masterpieces. This is his only novel not set in a rural setting. Henchard, an unemployed haymaker, sold his wife and daughter after being drunk. He woke up regretful and became angry. He became a grain merchant and a mayor. His wife returned with her daughter, but he soon had a quarrel with his partner. His wife died. The scandal of selling his wife was exposed. His career failed. His daughter was taken away by her biological father. He died alone in a hut in the wilderness. The author uses the story's various mishaps and dramatic conflicts to express the sentiment that "character is destiny" and "happiness is just an accidental episode." Among Hardy's fourteen novels, "The Mayor of Casterbridge" not only embodies Hardy's consistent creative style, but also creates unique artistic features, which also shows the essential difference between a great artist and a mediocre prolific writer. As for the content of this novel, it still has vivid significance today, both in terms of history and current social cognition.
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