: A deeply flawed protagonist driven by pride, temper, and a desperate desire for redemption.
: Henchard eventually becomes a wealthy grain merchant and the respected Mayor of the town of Casterbridge.
Thomas Hardy’s 1886 novel, The Mayor of Casterbridge , is a powerful Victorian tragedy subtitled "The Life and Death of a Man of Character". It chronicles the spectacular rise and devastating fall of Michael Henchard, whose life is dictated by a single impulsive act of youth and the inescapable consequences that follow. The Mayor of Casterbridge
: A woman from Henchard's past who arrives in Casterbridge to marry him, but falls for Farfrae instead. The Mayor of Casterbridge | Summary, Characters & Analysis
: Believed to be Henchard’s daughter, she is actually the biological daughter of the sailor Newson. She serves as the novel's moral anchor. : A deeply flawed protagonist driven by pride,
: Michael's meek wife who returns to him years after being "sold".
: Horrified by his actions the next day, Henchard swears an oath to abstain from alcohol for 21 years—the length of his life at that point. It chronicles the spectacular rise and devastating fall
: A modern, technically-minded newcomer who eventually replaces Henchard in both business and civic leadership.