UNIT 2  THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE:

SUMMARY
Structure
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Summary of Chapters 1-10
2.3 Summary of Chapters 11-20
2.4 Summary of Chapters 21-30
2.5 Summary of Chapters 31-45
2.6 Let Us Sum Up
2.7 Answers to Check Your Progress

2.0 OBJECTIVES
Our aim through this Unit is to give you a summary of the novel The Mayor
of Casterbridge . But this should in no way be a substitute for reading the
complete novel.
By the end of this Unit, you will have a fairly clear idea about the main
storyline of the novel and the main events. For the details, you must read
the complete novel.

2.1 INTRODUCTION
The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character was
written in 1886. It is set in a fictional town Casterbridge which Hardy has
based on Dorchester in Dorset, where he had spent his youth. The novel is
one of Hardy’s so called “Wessex novels” ─a name which he coined for the
counties of south-west England. He has set a number of his novels in this
place.

2.2 SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS 1-10

Let us now go on to reading the summary of the novel.
Chapter 1
In the first chapter, Thomas Hardy introduces us to three of his main
characters who will appear in the novel at different times. The main characters,
Michael Henchard, his wife Susan and their infant daughter, Elizabeth, are
going to the large village of Weydon, on foot. The wife is carrying their
daughter in her arms. Their aloofness from each other is noticeable from
the fact that there is no communication between them. We gather that the
man, who appears to be aloof and uncommunicative, is a hay-trusser. The
wife does not expect any affection from him and is quite indifferent towards
him although her manner towards the child is very affectionate. The weary
couple is looking for some refreshments and a decent lodge to spend the
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge On reaching the village of Weydon, the scene shifts to a fair ground where
horses and sheep are exhibited. There are a lot of refreshment tents and they
settle for a furmity- selling tent on the wife’s insistence, although the man
would have preferred the tent selling beer and ale. The haggish looking
woman at the furmity-tent is slyly mixing the drink with rum and the man
is quick to notice that. He has many basins of this concoction and is soon
quite drunk. The conversation in the tent soon degenerates and, jokingly
or otherwise, the hay-trusser offers to sell his wife just like the auctioneer
selling the old horses in the field outside. The wife feels very embarrassed
and keeps reminding the husband to stop joking but he is too intoxicated
to pay any heed to her. He finally settles the price at five guineas. In that
charged atmosphere an unknown sailor, standing in the doorway, throws
down five British pounds and a few shillings and finally buys the woman
along with the daughter. The sobbing wife bids the husband goodbye and
saying that she will be better off elsewhere, goes along with her new buyer.
Chapter 2
The second chapter depicts the condition of Michael Henchard when he
wakes up the next morning. He remembers the events leading upto the
auctioning of his wife. He feels remorseful for his action and wishes to find
his wife and daughter. He then finds a church in the village and takes an oath
that he would “avoid all strong liquors for the space of twenty-one years to
come.”
His search, for his wife and daughter proves futile as he does not even know
the name of the sailor who had bought his wife. Weeks change into months
as he continues his search and at last he arrives at a sea-port where he gets a
bit of information that the persons, answering somewhat to his description
of his wife and child, had emigrated a little time ago. He gives up his search
and travels south westwards till he reaches the town of Casterbridge. 
Chapter 3
In this chapter the story is carried forward once again in the village of
Weydon-Priors, after a lapse of many years. The reader learns that the young
Mrs. Susan Henchard is now an older lady and a widow, as the sailor, Mr.
Newson, who had bought her years ago from the first husband, had died at
sea and the young daughter, whom the mother had carried in her arms, is
now a young lady of eighteen. Susan now calls herself Mrs. Newson and
she comes to the village in the hope of getting some information about
her first husband, Michael Henchard. She has told her daughter that she is
searching for an old relative. She also tells her that it was in this village that
she had first met her father as now the young girl considers Newson to be
her father. By a strange coincidence, she meets up with the same old lady
who had entertained them in her furmity-tent years ago. Susan enquires if
she remembers an evening long ago when a man had auctioned his wife.
The furmity-woman gives out a big clue that the man in question had come
the following year at the same spot and told the furmity-woman privately
that if ever a woman asked for him she was to direct her to Casterbridge.
Susan tells the daughter that she now has learned where their relative lived. 

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 Chapter 4 The Mayor of Casterbridge:
Summary
This chapter tells the reader about Susan’s dilemma whether or not she
should tell her daughter Elizabeth Jane the truth about what had happened
at the Weydon Fair long ago. She finally chooses to keep it a secret. There
is also a description of how Susan has spent her life with Newson in Canada
before settling at Falmouth. When a friend of hers ridicules her for accepting
her position with Newson, Susan begins to question her relationship with
him. Unfortunately, at this time Newson dies at sea.
Susan suddenly realises that their poverty-stricken condition is not letting
her daughter develop her full potential. This thought makes her undertake
the search for her former husband in Weydon where the furmity-woman
mentions the name of Casterbridge. The manner of their journey, and the
detailed description of the landscape near Casterbridge, as the duo approach
the town, are the main highlights of this chapter. There are references to
timber and brick houses, to agricultural and pastoral character of the people,
to a grizzled Church with a massive square tower and to the entire quaintness
of this primitive borough.
Chapter 5
By a strange quirk of fate, Susan and Elizabeth reach the main hotel in
Casterbridge where a town-band is playing and a big crowd has gathered
outside. From a bystander Elizabeth comes to know that a great public dinner
for renowned people of the town is being hosted with the Mayor presiding
over it. The Mayor happens to be none other than Michael Henchard,
Susan’s former husband, who, for the readers, now emerges after a lapse of
more than twenty years. When Susan hears the name of the Mayor, she is
transported to the old memories of her young husband. There is talk among
the guests about the Mayor being a teetotaler because of an oath he has
taken. On the complaint of some guests about the poor quality of wheat, the
Mayor promises to appoint a new manager in the corn department.
Chapter 6
As the party and the revelry is progressing in the hotel, a passerby happens
to hear Henchard’s remark made to his critics complaining of the poor
quality of wheat. The passerby writes a note and asks a waiter to hand it to
the Mayor and asks him also if there is a less expensive hotel nearby. He
then proceeds to a cheaper hotel called the “Three Mariners,” as suggested
by the waiter. Elizabeth Jane overhears the name of this modest hotel and
tells her mother that they could also stay there for the night. Meanwhile the
mother has also seen the Mayor. After receiving the note, Henchard also
proceeds to the“Three Mariners” to look up the man who had sent him the
note. 
Chapter 7
Mother and daughter are seen going to the modest hotel and the reader is
introduced to the couple who runs this place. Elizabeth offers to carry their
meal to their small room and the landlady readily agrees. There is a sound
of a bell and Elizabeth is asked by the lady if she could also take the meal to
the occupant of the room who rang the bell. She obliges her and in the room
sees the man who had given the note to the waiter. As their rooms happen
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge to be adjacent to each other, with just a thin partition separating them, they
overhear some conversation going on in the man’s room and learn that he is
talking to the Mayor.
They soon gather that the man is one Donald Farfrae and the conversation
is about some advertisement put out by the Mayor for a corn –manager. It
is soon evident that the man knows a lot about corn and is on his way to
America to try his luck in the trade there.
In the course of the conversation, Henchard tells the man about his expertise
in hay, about his abstinence from drinks due to an old oath, and he also
invites him to have supper with him in the hotel. Henchard also requests
him to join his business if he, Farfrae, changes his mind about going to
America.
Chapter 8
In this chapter, the mother and daughter are shown to be lost in their
thoughts. Susan is inwardly happy to know that Henchard is repentant for
having auctioned her years back and is truthful to his oath of abstaining
from drinking. Elizabeth is observing the occupants and the scene of the
‘Three Mariners’ hotel. She finds that Donald Farfrae, the young Scotsman,
has joined the guests and is regaling them with his ditties. There is a big
applause when he finishes singing and sings again at the request of a
woman in the audience. His countenance, conversation and music win the
hearts of all present in the hotel. There is also a description of Elizabeth
and the Scotsman meeting briefly on the staircase. Apart from introducing
Farfrae, Hardy introduces the readers to some members of the lower classes
in Casterbridge. These can collectively be referred to as the ‘chorus’, for,
like in a Greek tragedy, they comment on the main characters, provide the
humour through their quaint speech and down- to- earth observations, and
provide multiple perspectives on the action.
Chapter 9
This chapter describes the approach of autumn in Casterbridge. Susan and
Elizabeth watch Henchard and Farfrae walking together, immersed in deep
conversation. Susan thinks of the Mayor’s sudden liking for the young man
and thinks that Henchard might also take a liking to them, his own kin, in an
equally warm way. She decides to send Elizabeth with a note to him saying
that a sailor’s widow is in town to see him. Through Elizabeth, who paces
up the High Street with the note, the author gives a detailed account of the
high class houses that are ablaze with a variety of flowers at this time of the
year. There is a description of the market-scene where yeomen, farmers,
dairymen and town folk have come to transact business and Casterbridge
seems to be the focus of the surrounding country-life. Elizabeth winds her
way up to a store-house and is directed to an office where she comes face to
face with the Scotsman. The reader comes to know that the young Scotsman
has agreed to stay in Casterbridge to look after Henchard’s business
Chapter 10
Before Elizabeth can go in to see Henchard, another man brushes past
her. He is someone who has come for the manager’s job in response to
Henchard’s advertisement. As Farfrae has already been offered the job, the
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 man goes away angrily. Henchard is glad to see the note although the thought The Mayor of Casterbridge:
of these ladies being imposters crosses his mind. He sends the reply through Summary
Elizabeth and also encloses five pounds and a few shillings for Susan– the
same amount of money he had auctioned her for. He calls her to meet him
at the Amphitheatre in the evening to establish her identity.
Check Your Progress 1
i) What characteristic traits of Henchard and Susan are highlighted by the
incident where he sells his wife after a drinking bout?
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ii) What is the significance of the modest hotel the ‘Three Mariners’ in
the novel?
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(Check your answers with those given at the end of this Unit.)

2.3 SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS 11-20

Chapter 11.
The place of the meeting is carefully chosen by Henchard as it is a very
secluded huge circular enclosure. This chapter gives a very vivid description
of the Amphitheatre as well as compares Casterbridge to old Rome in every
street, alley and precinct. It also suggests an uncanny presence of the ghosts
of the past as there stood the town-gallows at one corner where sinister
punishments had been meted out to many and perhaps crimes were being
perpetrated, unseen, even in these times.
It was here that Henchard meets his former wife, away from the prying eyes,
and both talk about their respective lives spent away from each other. He is
relieved that the daughter knows nothing about him. He then suggests that
they should both stay in Casterbridge in an accommodation to be arranged
by him and in due course of time, he would woo the widow, Susan, and
marry her. Henchard is glad with his plan which would avoid any suspicion
that could jeopardise his status. 
Chapter 12
After seeing off Susan, Henchard goes back to the office and sees Farfrae
working diligently on the files and books. Henchard, unlike the young
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge Scotsman, is more an athletic type than a scholarly one. He invites Farfrae
to his house and it is not long before he pours out his past life to him sitting
near the fire-place. He also mentions a young house-keeper who had nursed
him once and their relationship had caused her much misery. Henchard, out
of remorse, had proposed to marry her but that is the time when Susan had
suddenly reappeared. In this state of dilemma, both he and Farfrae agree that
Henchard’s duty is more towards his former wife. As far as letting Elizabeth
know her father’s truth, both the men differ, as Farfrae, unlike Henchard,
thinks that the daughter would forgive them both if they told her the truth.
Henchard then sends a cheque to the lady he had proposed to marry had
Susan not returned. 
Chapter 13
After Henchard writes and sends money to the woman in Jersey, explaining
the situation arising from the return of his wife, he sets about settling his
ex-wife and his daughter, under her name of Mrs. Newson, in a rather lavish
and comfortable way. He begins to visit them frequently and soon tongues
start wagging. Mrs. Newson’s pale countenance and low status is no match
for Henchard’s position in Casterbridge. Henchard’s only concern is to
make amends to Susan and to provide a good life for Elizabeth under his
supervision. He can thus atone for his past sins.
Everyone, except Donald Farfrae, is surprised at Henchard’s choice of a
wife. Amongst the people who are critical and vociferous at his choice is
the woman who had criticized Henchard in public and another one who had
asked for another song from Farfrae in the ‘Three Mariners.’
Chapter 14
Henchard is as kind towards Susan as a man, Mayor and churchwarden
could possibly be. Susan’s life is now filled with joy and Elizabeth begins
to bloom with all the abundance of good things that now surround her. But
Susan has an innate perception to not overdo things. The idea of changing
Elizabeth’s name from Newson to Henchard is once broached by her
husband but Susan shows some resistence to it. Elizabeth, meanwhile, sees
a great camaraderie growing between Henchard and Farfrae. Although the
latter has also modernised Henchard’s business transactions, Henchard does
not let the Scotsman dominate the supervision of the business.
The chapter ends at the point where both Elizabeth and Farfrae come to a
granary on Durnover Hill after receiving individual notes from someone to
come there. The reader is made to believe that it is some kind of a hoax as
no one turns up to meet the both of them. At this meeting Farfrae sings the
same song to Elizabeth that he had sung in the ‘Three Mariners.’
Chapter 15
This chapter talks of Elizabeth’s transformation from a simple girl to one
who becomes more conscious of dressing up fashionably. The reader is also
made aware of Farfrae’s rising popularity in Casterbridge and the author
gives instances where Farfrae tries to overrule Henchard’s commands.
One is when a worker, named Abel Whittle, is reprimanded by Henchard
for reporting late for duty nearly every day and is one day woken up by
Henchard and asked to proceed for duty half-dressed. Farfrae orders him
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 to go back and come fully dressed and this is not liked by Henchard. In The Mayor of Casterbridge:
another instance, a deceased farmer’s daughters give preference to Farfrae to Summary
evaluate their haystack. Although such misunderstandings are underplayed
by Henchard, it is clear that the chinks in their friendship have begun to
show and Henchard now regrets having disclosed his life’s secret to Farfrae.
Chapter 16
Farfrae clearly has an upper hand in proving to be a better organiser and
a more popular figure in Casterbridge than Henchard. During a National
event, Farfrae asks Henchard’s permission to put up an entertainment
programme. Henchard also decides to organise some amusements in an
open elevated green spot. Farfrae settles for a tarpaulin-covered arena
for his programme. As luck would have it, the weather plays truant and
torrential rain spoils Henchard’s open amusement park and everyone goes to
Farfrae’s programme, including Henchard himself and his family. To make
matters worse, when Henchard goes and sits in a dimly-lit corner in the
pavilion, he overhears lavish praises of his manager whose modern methods
of managing the corn business are appreciated. Some other townsmen like
Alderman Tubber are quick to point out that Farfrae’s abilities would soon
overshadow Henchard’s.
Chapter 17
After dancing with Farfrae in his pavilion, Elizabeth learns from an
acquaintance the inappropriateness of the Mayor’s step- daughter dancing
in such a mixed throng. She feels embarrassed but soonafter, as she moves
to the dark and dense avenues, she finds herself face to face with Farfrae
who has been following her. He tells her of Henchard’s talk of dismissing
him from his business. She feels sad at this prospect and once in her room,
she feels a loving tenderness towards him. The news of Henchard and
Farfrae falling out with each other is soon all over Casterbridge but in a
turn of events, the reader is told that rather than leave the place, Farfrae
has bought over the corn and hay merchant’s business from a third party.
Henchard is hurt at this action of his former manager and pleads his case
before the friends in the Corporation, who, however, do not respond well
as Henchard is becoming increasingly less popular now than ever before.
Henchard, on the rebound, tells Elizabeth not to see or entertain Farfrae and
also writes to him to have nothing to do with his daughter. Farfrae decides
to stay away, but very soon gets on a collision course with his former friend
when their war of prices begins. Farfrae now has an official stall in the corn-
market room, to Henchard’s utter dismay.
Chapter 18
This chapter gives certain hints to the reader about where the events of
the story could lead to. One is a letter from the woman from Jersey with
whom Henchard has had a short intimate relationship. She is thankful for
his monetary help but now wants that he return all her articles and letters
in a packet and preferably deliver them personally, when she is passing in
a coach through Casterbridge. He does as he is told but does not find her
there.

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 The Mayor of Casterbridge Another event is the passing away of Susan. Before her death, Susan reveals
to Elizabeth that the notes received by her and Farfrae to come to Durnover
Barton, were written by her as she wants her to marry Farfrae. She has also
written a letter just prior to her death and sealed it with the instruction that
this should be opened only on Elizabeth’s wedding day. 
Chapter 19
After Susan’s death, Henchard’s foremost impulse is to let Elizabeth know
about her real father. After his wife is “dissevered from him by death, his
friend Farfrae by estrangement” he could not bear to distance Elizabeth
through her ignorance. And so it is not long before he reveals the truth to
her in this chapter. He also prepares to report this change in the Casterbridge
chronicle. He is glad that Elizabeth readily agrees to this proposal even
though the news had initially shaken her. He promises to her to be a good
father.
But the bigger twist in the chapter comes when Henchard stumbles upon the
letter Susan has sealed and left behind. As the seal has cracked and the letter
lay open, Henchard reads it and faces the bitter truth that Elizabeth after all
is not his but Newson’s real daughter as his own had died three months after
he had separated from Susan.
His melancholy mood is described by the author through a comparison with
the surroundings of the bypath which he now walks on, along the North
Eastern limits of the town and which embodies the mournful phases of
Casterbridge. On his return he finds that as Susan thinks him to be her real
father, she now wants to address him as ‘father’ instead of ‘Mr. Henchard.’
Chapter 20
Henchard’s attitude towards Elizabeth undergoes a sea-change after he
learns that she is not his, but Newson’s daughter. He becomes her bitterest
critic. He resents her doing manual chores around the house. He also hates
her handwriting which he says is not in ‘ladies’ hand. Her use of a particular
dialect also irritates him. He also comes to know that she had once waited
upon his rival Farfrae, in the ‘Three Mariners.’
His resentment of the step-daughter grows to the extent that he now writes
to Farfrae to carry on his courtship with her whereas he had objected to it
earlier. Once, while visiting her mother’s grave, Elizabeth comes across
a woman and wants to find out more about her. On another visit she does
accost her and narrates her entire life story to the woman except for the part
of them being auctioned by the father. The lady offers Elizabeth the job of
house-help-cum-companion and tells her that she will soon be shifting to a
house called ‘High Place Hall.
Check Your Progress 2
i) Henchard and Farfrae started their association on a friendly note but
what were the reasons that made them grow apart?
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 .............................................................................................................. The Mayor of Casterbridge:
Summary
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(Check your answer with that given at the end of this Unit)

2.4 SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS 21-30

Chapter 21
The detailed and vivid description of ‘High Place Hall’ is the main content of
this chapter. Elizabeth, out of sheer curiosity, is seen standing at a proximity
to the house and admiring it. She also sees a pedestrian go up into the house
through the arched door but neither of them notice each other. Once back
home, she mentions to Henchard about an opportunity she is getting to
become more cultivated and he does not object to it. In fact he is somewhat
relieved to have her off his hands. She meets her new employer and both fix
up six o’clock in the evening when Elizabeth would be leaving her father’s
house to take up her new job. When Henchard sees her going away with
her luggage, he tries to persuade her to stay as he had not realised that her
moving out was actually to be so imminent. But she refuses and upon his
asking her new address, she spells out the name ‘High Place Hall’.
Chapter 22
In this chapter, the complexities of the relations between the lady at
‘High Place Hall’ and Elizabeth and also between the lady and Henchard
are highlighted. The lady in question, whose name is given out as Miss
Templeman, turns out to be Lucetta, Henchard’s old intimate friend from
Jersey. Henchard does not know this till she writes a note to him explaining
why she could not meet him earlier while passing through Casterbridge.
She is sorry to learn about the demise of his wife and now wishes to make
amends for her earlier behaviour.
Henchard finds her ways subtle and worldly-wise when she suggests that
he should visit her as a stranger and be introduced anew without Elizabeth
knowing about their past relationship.
Lucetta also confides in both Elizabeth and Henchard separately that her
present good fortune is inherited from her aunt Templeman, whose name
she has now taken and has dropped the name Jersey from her life. As the
corn-market is visible from her house, she often spots Henchard there on his
business visits. She invites him to her place once and conveniently sends off
Elizabeth on an errand to avoid her meeting with the father.
Chapter 23
Lucetta awaits Henchard’s arrival but the visitor who is ushered in, is
not Henchard. It is Farfrae who has come to see Elizabeth. Farfrae, as
desired by Henchard to continue his courtship with Elizabeth, has found
it a plausible idea and a way to make amends to Henchard. Little does he
realise that instead of finding Elizabeth at her new abode, he would run into
the mistress herself. Lucetta, as would seem to the readers, takes an instant
liking to him and both have an animated conversation. The conversation
‘enkindles’ the young Farfrae’s enthusiasm and he is quite ‘brimming with
sentiment,’ while Lucetta, whose poverty in the past had met with rejection
from society, only longs ‘for some ark into which her heart could fly and be
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge at rest.’ When Henchard arrives for his meeting with Lucetta, she feigns a
headache and does not see him.
Chapter 24
Lucetta wants Elizabeth to stay with her for longer, now that she does not
care for Henchard as much as before. The main past-time of the two ladies
is to watch the hustle and bustle in the corn market below. Once when they
go to the market, a new-fashioned agricultural implement for sowing seeds
is on display. As they examine it curiously, Henchard arrives there and
greets Elizabeth who introduces him to Lucetta. Farfare is also examining
the implement that had been recommended by him. Lucetta tells Elizabeth
that she has already met Farfrae in the morning.
In the course of their conversation at night, Lucetta hints that Elizabeth’s
step father is distant towards her. She also speaks about how women get
themselves into difficult positions for no fault of their own and mentions
someone known to her whom her lover had promised to marry, but could
not, due to some reasons. Now that the obstacle had been removed, her
former lover wishes to come back to her but she no longer wants him as her
affections now lie somewhere else. She asks for Elizabeth’s opinion in the
matter and with a heavy heart Elizabeth realizes that Lucetta is concealing
the names from her.
Chapter 25
It is clear by now that Farfrae is the second man in Lucetta’s life and Elizabeth
stoically resigns to her fate. In this chapter there is an unpleasant exchange
of conversation between Henchard and Lucetta and it becomes clear that she
is completely indifferent to his proposal of entering his life again. In fact,
she finds his remarks rather rude when he hints at her newfound fortune and
reminds her of her humble past. Just then she sees the lights of Farfrae’s
wagon with Farfrae riding a horse besides it and dismisses Henchard.
Lucetta now wants to live on her own terms and as for poor Elizabeth,
she seems to be just a poor spectator of Lucetta becoming the object of
attraction for both her father and Farfrae. She now views everything with 
equanimity, leaving her future to the will of Heaven.
Chapter 26
The two main themes of the story are developed further in this chapter. The
first is the undoubted affection that Lucetta feels for Farfrae. Henchard is
desperate to find out if that is the reason for her scorning him and keeping
him at a distance. The second is the rising rivalry between Henchard and
Farfrae both personally as Lucetta’s suitors, as well as professionally. To
show Farfrae down, Henchard employs Jopp, who had earlier lost the job
that Farfrae had got from Henchard, although Elizabeth warns him about
Jopp’s dubious character. Henchard’s misfortunes begin to mount. He buys
corn on the advice of a weather-prophet nick-named ‘Wide-Ho’, but when
the weather fails, he loses everything. Most of his property and vast stores
of produce, are now the possessions of his bankers.
Chapter 27
Farfrae appears to be a shrewder businessman than Henchard and knows
the tricks of the trade of buying and selling. While Farfrae is striking gold
in the market, Henchard is facing huge losses.
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 The chapter also describes a scene where Henchard’s and Farfrae’s hay- The Mayor of Casterbridge:
laden wagons cross each other and Henchard’s over laden wagon topples Summary
over. He is quick to accuse Farfrae’s waggoneer for the accident but is
surprised to find that Lucetta and Elizabeth, who are both a witness to the
scene, take up Farfrae’s side. He is further perturbed to see both Lucetta and
Farfrae together in a lonely, dim-lit lane. Later he forces his way into her
quarters and again asks her to marry him. After she refuses, he blackmails
her by threatening to reveal their intimacy. Henchard proposes again, this
time in Elizabeth’s presence, saying that this would leave Farfrae free to
belong to Elizabeth. Elizabeth is quite intrigued by the familiarity between
her father and Lucetta .
Chapter 28
This chapter serves the purpose of bringing in a bit of slapstick humour in
the otherwise gloomy chronicle of the novel. By a strange coincidence, the
furmity-woman who had witnessed the wife-sale twenty years ago appears
on trial before Henchard, who is still the magistrate. She reveals his secret
thus escalating his degradation in the eyes of Casterbridge society. The past
will find you out, seems to be the implicit comment here. The exchange
between Stubberd, the constable, and the furmity-seller are among some
of the more hilarious scenes in the novel. Lucetta comes to know about
the case and the reality of Henchard selling his wife long ago. She feels
miserable to learn about Henchard’s real character.
Chapter 29
This chapter describes a dramatic and adventurous situation in very vivid
and minutely observed details. Out for a walk, Lucetta and Elizabeth are
chased by a savage bull. They hide in a barn to escape the bull, but the bull
charges into the barn after them. Henchard manages to save both of them
and when Lucetta thanks him, he tells her that she could return his favour
by letting his biggest creditor, Grower, know that she will be marrying him
secretly in a fortnight as this would give Henchard a breather before he
can face [Link] firmly refuses to do this and the startling reason is
that Grower is a witness to her marriage with Farfrae. She explains that the
reason for this hasty marriage to Farfrae was that she would not have felt
secure had she married Henchard as he had sold his wife once and also since
she loved Farfrae she did not want to wait too long lest Henchard reveal the
secret of their past intimate relationship to Farfrae. She, however, offers to
lend Henchard money to tide over the perilous fortnight.
Chapter 30
Henchard now comes to know the true character of Lucetta and is livid with
anger, refusing her monetary help. Meanwhile Farfrae gives short notice to
his landlady and moves to Lucetta’s house. Next step is to inform Elizabeth
about this marriage and when the sounds of a band and revelry reach
Elizabeth’s ears, she wants to know what the commotion is all about. Lucetta
reminds her of the story she narrated of a woman caught between her two
lovers and Elizabeth, seeing the ring on Lucetta’s finger assumes that she
has married Henchard. When she learns the truth, she does not take to this
impropriety kindly. Lucetta’s real character is revealed to her too and she
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge immediately decides to leave and take up new lodgings. She examines her
means of subsistence and moves to the same street where Henchard lives.
Check Your Progress 3
i) What type of a person is Lucetta? Give examples to support your
answer.
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ii) What is the significance of chapter 28 in the novel?
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iii) How does the irony of Elizabeth’s changed relationships with those
who matter to her influence her outlook towards life?
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(Check your answers with those given at the end of this Unit)

2.5 SUMMARY OF CHAPTERS 31-45

Chapter 31
Henchard’s downslide has begun very rapidly on two counts. The furmity-
woman’s disclosure has given him a bad name and secondly, he has by now
lost his commercial buoyancy from rash transactions. His debtor’s failure
and one of his own men’s misrepresentations cause his bankruptcy. Elizabeth
is terribly pained by all this. However, to settle his debts, Henchard offers
to give his personal fortunes such as his gold watch and his purse. The
Commissioner  finds this gesture very fair and all agree that the balance
sheet has been made in all honesty without any evasions and concealments
and no one has been wronged. There is now definitely some admiration for
him in Casterbridge. Ironically, Henchard now lives in Jopp’s house who
has an upper hand over him. All his stores now belong to Farfrae.

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 Chapter 32 The Mayor of Casterbridge:
Summary
This chapter sees a brooding Henchard near a stone bridge where he meets
Jopp who tells him that his furniture and house have now been bought by
his arch rival Farfrae. Hardy’s description of nature harmonises with the
mental state of his characters. When he is given this information, we are
told that “The land grew blacker and the sky, a deeper grey.” Meanwhile,
Farfrae also comes there and seems more cordial than ever when he suggests
to Henchard that he could come and live in his old house which Henchard
politely refuses. He has thoughts of shifting to some far-off shores, but
chooses to stay back as Elizabeth now occupies his mind as she has been
a great help and support in nursing him back from his temporary sickness.
Henchard approaches Farfrae for work as a journeyman hay-trusser. Farfrae
is generous in employing him but all communication between them is done
through a foreman. He is pained to learn that Farfrae is being considered
for the Mayorship of Casterbridge. When he sees him in and out of his
former house and going to his ex- lady love, he feels pangs of jealousy and
sorrow and this makes him moody. The chapter ends with the information
that Henchard has resumed his drinking habit.
Chapter 33
Henchard chooses the ‘Three Mariners’ to end his oath of not drinking.
Being in a melancholy mood, the choir members offer a hymn to be sung
and it is Henchard who chooses the hundred and ninth psalm to the tune
of Wiltshire. The words describe a cursed man. Henchard sees Farfrae and
Lucetta pass by, on the road below, on their evening walk and he indicates
Farfrae to be the man in that verse. The performer says that he would not
have played had he known it was for a living man. Henchard’s hatred for
his rival is all too clear. Elizabeth senses this and keeps an eye on her step
father who might physically harm Farfrae.
Chapter 34
This chapter takes Henchard’s hatred for Farfrae further. Elizabeth cautions
Farfrae and later his lawyer, Joyce, also voices the same sentiment when
Farfrae is thinking of setting up a seed-shop for Henchard’s benefit. After
learning from Joyce how Henchard was degrading him in the ‘Three
Mariners’, Farfrae drops the idea of buying the shop and this further inflames
Henchard’s hatred. Farfrae, meanwhile, is asked to give his consent for
Mayorship. Lucetta, after learning about the enmity of Henchard for her
husband, is scared and wants to leave Casterbridge but Farfrae refutes this
idea and makes up his mind to become the new Mayor.
Henchard, who is still in possession of Lucetta’s old letters, now remembers
them lying in a safe in his old house. He goes to an unsuspecting Farfrae
who readily gives the packet to him. Henchard pulls out some letters and
reads them out to Farfrae but does not reveal Lucetta’s name much as he
would have liked to, out of spite for them both.
Chapter 35
Lucetta, who has overheard the reading of some portions of her previous
letters by Henchard to her husband, feels anxious and helpless. However,
when Farfrae goes to the room and tells Lucetta casually how he had to
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge entertain Henchard at that odd hour and listen to his past life pertaining to
some letters his ex lady-love wrote, Lucetta is relieved to know that her name
had not been revealed by Henchard. To avoid any further complications in
the future, Lucetta writes to Henchard to meet him at the Ring and wants
a promise from him to return all her letters. He assures her that her secret
shall remain a secret.
Chapter 36
On the way back, after meeting Henchard, Lucetta sees Jopp who wants
her to recommend him to Farfrae as his working partner and also tells her
that he knows her by sight from her Jersey days. She refuses to oblige him.
Meanwhile Henchard tells Jopp to deliver the parcel of letters to Lucetta.
Jopp is curious to know the contents of the parcel and lifts a seal to peer
in. In an ominous twist, Jopp goes into Peter’s Finger Inn on Mixen Lane,
which is a dubious area of shady transactions,and reads the letters aloud to a
mischievous gathering, who decide to organise a skimmington- ride which
is an old tradition found in Casterbridge in which a procession is taken out
to publicly proclaim the disgrace of an adulterous woman. The effigies of
the woman and her lover are paraded on a donkey through the town. Hardy
has used this custom to introduce some local colour in the novel. The next
morning, Jopp delivers the letters to Lucetta which she burns and heaves a
sigh of relief
Chapter 37
An event now takes place when a Royal personage is to pass through
the borough on his journey further west and has agreed to halt in town
for half an hour. Elaborate decorations and preparations are carried out.
People are seen converging in hundreds towards Casterbridge to see the
great event. Henchard wishes to be of assistance at the ceremony but is
denied permission by the council. He goes away disgruntled. There is a
lively description of the entry of the royal carriages to the Town Hall and
as the procession makes its way to the destination, Henchard disrupts the
proceedings to wave his private flag in the left hand and touches the Royal
visitor with his right hand, causing some confusion. Farfrae, however deftly
salvages the situation. The episode leads to a lot of people mocking both
Henchard and Lucetta. Even Farfrae is not spared. The reader is led to
believe that these poor locals are hatching some jocular plot.
Chapter 38
In this chapter the reader is made aware of Henchard’s intense anger after
Farfrae jostles with him and seizes his hand to get away from the Royal
Guest. To add fuel to the fire he has also overheard Lucetta telling the
ladies that Henchard has had no role in assisting Farfrae to rise in society.
A terribly hurt Henchard challenges Farfrae for a tussle on the top floor of
the corn yard which has a trap door,that opens to reveal a high fall to the
ground below.
The chapter describes the tussle between Henchard and Farfare with
the former managing to bring his rival near the trap door. But before the
dangling Farfrae could be sent hurtling through the door, Henchard is swept
with a tide of remorse and when their eyes meet, he confesses that he has
not loved any man as dearly as Farfrae. Later he wants to go to Farfrae’s
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 house to apologise but instead goes to the stone bridge in his brooding state. The Mayor of Casterbridge:
Farfrae also goes in a different direction and thus what has transpired in the Summary
yard remains a secret.
Chapter 39
After the fiasco at the yard, Whittle brings an anonymous note to Farfare to
reach Weatherbury. This ,as the readers will soon know, is a well-intentioned
contrivance of Farfrae’s men to keep him out of the way of the notorious
Mixen Lane group who are out to stage a ‘skimmity –ride’, with the effigies
of Lucetta and her lover riding the donkey. Unfortunately Lucetta overhears
the conversation of two maids who are discussing the route of the ride.
Although Elizabeth enters just then and tries to keep the procession below
out of Lucetta’s sight and draws the blinds, Lucetta goes to the terrace and
finds, to her utter horror ,the striking resemblance between her and the
effigy and faints.
Meanwhile, the constables and the lawyer are quick to reach the scene,
but not a trace of the procession can be found even when they suspect the
perpetrators to have originated from Peter’s Finger at  Mixen Lane. But
even there, they do not find anything suspicious.
Chapter 40
Henchard goes to see Elizabeth and on learning that she has gone to Farfrae’s
house, he too goes there. He sees Lucetta upset and goes to fetch Farfrae
from Weatherbury. Farfrae thinks of this too as a ruse and even after repeated
pleas of Henchard to return to Casterbridge on account of Lucetta’s illness,
Farfrae totally distrusts him and refuses to return. Henchard goes back to
tell the waiting group that Farfrae would not be back soon. Elizabeth is
really sorry for Lucetta and Henchard  likes this affection in her eyes for
Lucetta and also feels a strange tenderness towards his step daughter.
When Farfrae returns and finds Lucetta really ill, he feels bad for having
mistrusted Henchard. He is till now ignorant of the Skimmity- ride. Lucetta
suffers a miscarriage but she is keen to have a heart-to-heart talk with her
husband. What transpires between them that night and how much of her
past Lucetta divulges to her husband, will never be known. When Henchard
goes to see her the next morning, he learns of her demise. Hardy does not
sentimentalise death or make it look abstract. So he concretises it in a simple
homespun statement of the maid ...” they may knock as loud...she will never
hear it more.” 
Chapter 41
Henchard has now lost both the women in his life. He feels lost and dejected
and his only solace now is Elizabeth Jane who is equally caring towards
her step father. He contemplates asking her to come and stay with him once
again but misfortune once again befalls him in the guise of Newson who, it
appears, has come back from the dead. He confesses to Henchard how the
innocent, simple Susan was never the same again after a friend of hers had
planted the idea in her head that her auction to Newson was only a mockery
not to be taken seriously. Newson had not come back even after having been
swept ashore in Newfoundland so that taking him to be dead, Susan would
perhaps go back in search of her former husband which she had done. In
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge Falmouth, Newson had learnt about her death, and now has come to look
for his own daughter. Henchard blurts out untruthfully that the daughter had
also passed away one year after the mother’s death. Although Newson goes
away dejectedly, Henchard is apprehensive about his return after finding out
the truth.
The reader once again finds Henchard in his favourite brooding place on
the bridge with thoughts of drowning himself, but is prevented at the last
moment by the sight of his effigy in the whirling waters. This is yet another
instance of chance and coincidence. Not believing his eyes, he brings
Elizabeth also to look at it and she hastily explains how it must have come
there but since Henchard can’t see the other effigy the matter is hushed up.
Elizabeth now offers to come and stay with Henchard.
Chapter 42
Lucetta’s death affects the three persons  around her in different ways.
Farfrae’s first impulse is to wreak vengeance on the perpetrators of the
mischief that have caused pain and the ultimate death of Lucetta. Elizabeth
accepts the tragic event rather stoically and is undisturbed. Henchard’s entire
attention is now on the well-being of Elizabeth and in order to provide her all
the comforts, he agrees to accept the small seed and root business offered to
him by the Council. The business now grows steadily and Elizabeth and he
enjoy the serenity of the pleasant, sunny corner in which it stands. Once he
sees Farfrae looking intently at Elizabeth in the market place and remembers
that the Scotsman had once shown interest in her. He spies on them and
sees them meeting occasionally. Henchard is disturbed at their meetings and
when he sees Farfrae kissing her, he cannot accept the situation of losing her
to someone he despises. The thought of telling Farfrae that she is, legally,
nobody’s child, comes to his mind but he soon brushes aside the devilish
idea.
Chapter 43
The growing proximity between Elizabeth and Farfrae, soon becomes the
talk of the town. Henchard feels alienated when neither of the two broaches
the subject of their relationship. He visualises himself as being no more
than a mere obstacle in their way. Henchard often goes to a spot he thinks as
being the meeting place of his daughter and his suitor and one day he runs
into Newson there.
Thinking of the worst that could happen in this new scenario if the truth
ever became known to Elizabeth, Henchard decides to go away from
Casterbridge. No amount of persuasion by Elizabeth can make him change
his mind. She sees him off till the bridge and the reader cannot but feel a
complete sense of empathy with Henchard. There is a tragic grandeur in the
suffering of this solitary figure.
Meanwhile, Newson arrives at Farfrae’s house and recounts at length,
the events of the past and how Henchard had lied to him on his first visit
to Casterbridge about Elizabeth being dead. Elizabeth feels revulsion at
Henchard’s deceit. The conversation then shifts to the arrangements of the
impending wedding of Elizabeth and Farfrae.  

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 Chapter 44 The Mayor of Casterbridge:
Summary
A forlorn Henchard travels eastwards and comes to the same spot in
Weydon –Priors where the novel had begun. The memories of that fateful
day twenty-five years ago come back to haunt him. He remembers his crime
and the sobbing entreaties of Susan. He cannot bear to go any further and
settles near a pastoral farm so that he can get news of Elizabeth. He soon
gets to know that Farfrae and Elizabeth are getting married on Martin’s
Day. He is undecided about whether to go for the wedding or not. He finally
decides to go and takes a fish cage as a gift, Elizabeth’s salutation to him
as “Mr. Henchard”, when she sees him, is enough to make him realise her
cold indifference. She tells him that she can never love anyone who has so
deceived her. Henchard has no option but to guiltily back away from her
house and her life.
Chapter 45
The last chapter and the preceding one, form a sort of epilogue to the novel.
Henchard has always been a victim of accident, chance and circumstances,
making him a wiser but sadder man. As for Newson, the lure of the sea
draws him to make Budmouth his place of residence as he can get a glimpse
of the sea from there. The bird cage brought by Henchard, and which he
had left outside in the garden, becomes somewhat a mystery with a ball of
feathers lying in it, but Elizabeth guesses it must have been her stepfather’s
wedding gift as well as a token of his repentance. She muses on the fact that
Henchard had not expressed any excuses or regrets for his past follies and
exonerated nothing, but had chosen to live as one of his own worst accusers.
Elizabeth fears he might do some harm to himself and on her insistence,
Farfrae makes some inquiries and both he and Elizabeth set out to find him.
There is a description of their search in various places before they spot a
labourer who turns out to be Whittle, who once had worked for Henchard
and has also been reprimanded in the past by his master for his tardiness.
Ironically, Whittle and his mother to whom Henchard had always been kind,
have given him shelter and service in his last days and now Whittle is the
one to give the news of his demise. Henchard has also written his last wish
of not letting Elizabeth know about his death.
Hardy, along with focussing on the more pleasant aspects of Elizabeth’s
married life, also hints at the persistence of the unforeseen and reiterates
that “happiness is the occasional episode in a general drama of pain.”
Check Your Progress 4
i) Explain what is meant by “Skimmington –Ride. What bearing does it
have on the novel?
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge ii) Who is Jopp and what is his contribution to the narrative?
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iii) 
What makes Elizabeth hate Henchard for a brief spell and what makes
her tender feelings towards him grow once again towards the end?
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(Check your answers with those given at the end of this Unit)

2.6 SUMMIMG UP
In this Unit we have provided a critical summary of the novel. But as we
have stressed before, this should in no way be a substitute for reading the
complete novel.

2.7 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Check Your Progress 1
i) Henchard is indifferent to the emotions of his wife and seems heartless.
But his repentance the next morning reveals that he is after all not so
bad at heart. His taking an oath to abstain from drinking for twenty-
one years shows his tender side and his love for the family.
Susan appears to be a naive and timid wife, who can’t stand up for her
own rights. But she is also proud enough to not ask for Henchard’s
mercy for his demeaning act under the effect of liquor and declares
that “Now I’m no more to thee; I’ll try my luck elsewhere.”
ii) It serves as the meeting place of the three other main characters apart
from Henchard.i.e. the mother-daughter duo of Elizabeth Jane and
Susan and Donald Farfrae who is the second protagonist of the novel.
Apart from these characters some regular visitors to this hotel have also
been introduced who form the lower classes in Casterbridge and can be
collectively referred to as the ‘chorus’. Like in Greek tragedy they comment
on the main characters and provide humour through their quaint speech and
provide a multiple perspective on the action.
Check Your Progress 2
i) Farfrae was younger and intelligent. He began to modernise the
corn business of Henchard and at times he began to dominate the
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 latter. Their different approach to Whittle’s late-coming is one such The Mayor of Casterbridge:
example. In another case, Farfrae’s carnival was a bigger success than Summary
Henchard’s and everyone praised the former’s organizational skills.
Henchard cannot bear the fact that Farfrae is becoming increasingly
influential in the social and business life of Casterbridge and is tortured by
jealousy. Henchard also resents Farfrae’s nearness to his daughter Elizabeth.
Check Your Progress 3
i) Lucetta appears to be an opportunist and a manipulative person. She
is fickle-minded and not to be trusted.
As soon as she strikes it rich, she drops Henchard from her affections
and prefers the more successful Farfrae and marries him. Later, she
also tries to drive a wedge between the father and daughter.
She wants to hide her past relation with Henchard by pretending that
they have just met so that even Elizabeth should be kept ignorant, and
also prevents the meeting of the daughter and the father.
To play safe, she repeatedly asks Henchard to return her previous
letters written to him during their courtship days.
ii) This chapter describes a court scene between an accused furmity-
woman who is presented in Magistrate Henchard’s court and there is
a hilarious banter between her and constable Stubberd. This hilarious
scene of slapstick humour serves to lighten the mood of the reader in
an otherwise gloomy chronicle of the novel.
“The past will find you out” seems to be the implicit comment  in
this chapter as this accused woman is the witness to the scene where
Henchard had sold his wife to a sailor twenty years ago.
(iii) Henchard’s affection towards Elizabeth as his real daughter and the
subsequent withdrawal of that affection when he learns she is not his
but Newson’s daughter, leave Elizabeth in a confused state. She is
forced to leave his house and take up a job with Lucetta in order to
learn the more polished and refined ways of life and learning.
Her one-sided love for Farfrae leaves her very hurt when the latter
marries Lucetta and she faces the bitter truth that Lucetta, after all, is an
unscrupulous woman without morals. All these bitter realities, rather than
making her bitter and frustrated, teach her equanimity and patience to take
all the adverse situations of life in her stride. In fact she is the only character
who comes out as a poised and dignified humane personality.
Check Your Progress 4
i) Skimmington ride is an old tradition practised in Casterbridge. It
is a procession organised to publicly proclaim the disgrace of an
adulterous woman by placing her effigy along with that of her lover
on a donkey and parading it through the town.
Hardy has used this to introduce local colour in the novel. This ride
is important as it becomes the cause of humiliation to Lucetta and
eventually leads to her miscarriage and subsequent death.
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 The Mayor of Casterbridge ii) Jopp, a lesser known character, is the one whose place as a corn
manager has been usurped by Farfrae. He is also the one who offers
Henchard a place to live in his house when the latter has fallen on bad
days.
It is Jopp, who, out of sheer curiousity as well as to show Lucetta
down when she does not put in a word to Farfrae on his behalf for
a job, opens the packet of her private letters. This packet has been
given by Henchard to be delivered to Lucetta but Jopp reads them to
his fellow friends before delivery and thus a Skimmington –Ride is
organised.
iii) Henchard had lied to Elizabeth’s father, Newson, for fear of losing her
to her real father, that she also had died soon after her mother Susan’s
death and Elizabeth despises him for this lie. However, when after
her wedding, she sees the cage with the dead bird in her garden, she
can relate that it was her stepfather’s wedding gift to her but he had
gone away without expressing any regrets. It was not in his nature
to exonerate himself. He was his own worst accuser and this fact
softened her heart towards the self-alienated man.

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