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The Mayor of Casterbridge
The Mayor of Casterbridge
Author: Thomas Hardy
Hardy's novel begins with the famous scene in which Michael Henchard, a young farmer, gets drunk at a village fair and sells his wife and baby daughter to a passing sailor for five guineas. The consequences of this impulsive act are regrettable and far-reaching, and culminate in Henchard's ruin and his death in obscurity as a lonely old man. Hen...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780140431254
ISBN-10: 014043125X
Publication Date: 7/27/1978
Pages: 448
Rating:
  • Currently 3.5/5 Stars.
 5

3.5 stars, based on 5 ratings
Publisher: Penguin Classics
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed The Mayor of Casterbridge on + 636 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
For being written in 1886, this book felt surprisingly modern and engrossing. The twists and turns of Henchard's life were enthralling and though many of his actions proved him reprehensible, he was still somehow likable... Farfrae also was an interesting character, though Elizabeth-Jane truly stole the show. All in all, I was surprised at just how much I enjoyed reading this and I will certainly keep an eye out for his other works.
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Kmarie avatar reviewed The Mayor of Casterbridge on + 529 more book reviews
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 towards love. This edition is the only critically established text of the novel, based on a comprehensive study of the manuscript and Hardy's extensive revisions.
Alameda avatar reviewed The Mayor of Casterbridge on + 336 more book reviews
Literary classic - Same author who wrote "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" and "Jude the Obscure", this novel is another masterpiece from him concerning just how far, burning blind ambition can drive a man into power and also be destroyed by that same ambition.
reviewed The Mayor of Casterbridge on + 38 more book reviews
In a drunken episode, Michael Henchard sells both his wife and his baby for 5 guineas. He spends the rest of his life attempting to make up for this mistake, and the story follows his journey from there.

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Modern Library  17 of 17
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