Other editions of book The Mayor of Casterbridge

The moving, humane tragedy of a deeply flawed and self-destructive man, The Mayor of Casterbridge is the story of Michael Henchard, who sells his wife and baby daughter at a country fair in a fit of drunken anger. Over the following years he establishes himself as a respected pillar of the community of Casterbridge, but cannot escape his shameful past - or himself and eventually his past catches up with him. Subtitled 'The Life and Death of a Man of Character', Hardy's intense drama, tragically played out against the rituals of a close-knit Wessex town, is one of his greatest and most popular works.

Set against the backdrop of peaceful southwest England, where Thomas Hardy spent much of his youth, The Mayor of Casterbridge captures the author's unique genius for depicting the absurdity underlying much of the sorrow and humor in our lives. Michael Henchard is an out-of-work hay-trusser who gets drunk at a local fair and impulsively sells his wife, Susan, and baby daughter. Eighteen years later, Susan and her daughter seek him out, only to discover that he has become the most prominent man in Casterbridge. Henchard attempts to make amends for his youthful misdeeds, but his unchanged impulsiveness clouds his relationships in love as well as his fortunes in business. Although Henchard is fated to be a modern-day tragic hero, unable to survive in the new commercial world, his story is also a journey toward love.

Drunk at a country fair, Michael Henchard sells his wife to a sailor for five guineas. Overcome with guilt and remorse, he vows not to drink for 21 years. Decades later his wife seeks him out in Casterbridge, where he has gained both wealth and the respected position of mayor. Beneath the surface still smoulders the same impetuousness and temper which combine with fate to bring about his degradation and ruin.

Hardy's superbly written tale is an ultimately tragic affair that begins with the novel's central character auctioning off his wife and young daughter in a fit of drunken irritation. He later becomes Mayor of Casterbridge, but doesn't reveal his guilty secret and is in for some unpleasant surprises.. With several intriguing romantic subplots set against the charming backdrop of rural nineteenth century England, the novel is a joy to read. Just as accessible and enjoyable for today's modern readers as it would have been when first published well over 100 years ago, the novel is one of the great works of English literature and continues to be widely read throughout the world.This meticulous edition from Heritage Illustrated Publishing is a faithful reproduction of the original text and is beautifully illustrated with a number of atmospheric historical paintings that reflect the mood of the novel.