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The Life and Death of the Mayor of Casterbridge
Hardcover
Classic FictionGeneral FictionLiterary Fiction
ISBN13: 9781025359847
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 416
Weight: 1.67
Height: 0.94 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
The Life and Death of the Mayor of Casterbridge is a profound Victorian tragedy by Thomas Hardy that explores the complex relationship between character and destiny. Set in the fictional landscape of Wessex, the narrative centers on Michael Henchard, a man whose life is defined by a single, impulsive act of youth. In a moment of drunken desperation at a country fair, Henchard sells his wife and infant daughter to a passing sailor. Haunted by remorse, he vows to abstain from alcohol and eventually transforms himself into the wealthy and respected Mayor of Casterbridge.
Henchard's carefully constructed life begins to unravel when his past returns to haunt him. The reappearance of his wife, Susan, coupled with the arrival of the energetic and modern-minded Donald Farfrae, initiates a series of professional and personal setbacks. Hardy masterfully depicts Henchard's struggle against his own volatile temperament and the changing social order of the English countryside. Themes of social mobility, pride, and the inescapable consequences of one's actions are woven through a story that is as much a study of a man's psychological breakdown as it is a portrait of rural life. The Life and Death of the Mayor of Casterbridge remains a cornerstone of English literature, celebrated for its emotional depth and stark realism.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
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3 different editions
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