A review by unfetteredfiction
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy

reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“The whole land ahead of him was as darkness itself; there was nothing to come, nothing to wait for.” 

• Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge 

My first read of 2023 and one that will stay with my forever, perhaps even a new favourite Hardy novel. 

For me, Hardy provides so much comfort and insight in his words. He has a gift for capturing human feeling, especially those ones which come to us when experiencing hard times, or when we feel particularly sorry for ourselves. I adore Hardy’s pessimism, which at times is almost funny, and at others incredibly sincere. 

The Mayor of Casterbridge is the story of a man who brings a lot of hardship on himself, and essentially blames the world for it. Despite this, Micheal Henchard, and the people around him, are still people who I’m totally invested in. His wrongdoings are ones he attempts to own, sometimes, yet he has an unexpected and inextinguishable desire to live by his own assertions. 

His confidence suffers and dwindles throughout the novel, and his thoughts do occasionally give rise to self-awareness of his weaknesses and the potential of change. But he can’t change, not really. Henchard is too permanently altered by rivalry, in business, family and love, which seems to cut straight to his heart and being out his unkind qualities. He spends so much time feeling threatened that he inevitably trips himself up, and each fall lands him a little worse off.

Maybe if things had been different, he would have changed. Maybe if he had taken better stock of those around him who cared and served him dutifully, he could have held onto his quality of life. Who knows.