The Mayor of Casterbridge

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1886

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Access Full Guide

Before You Read

Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-9

Chapters 10-18

Chapters 19-27

Chapters 28-36

Chapters 37-45

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

After selling his wife at a fair, Henchard swears an oath to abstain from alcohol as an act of atonement. Does this adequately address his actions? Why or why not? What would Henchard have needed to do to atone for his actions?

The Mayor of Casterbridge contains complex, sometimes contradictory depictions of fate. In your opinion, what is the true role of fate in the characters’ lives? Is fate separable from human action?

Why does Hardy parallel Henchard’s life with Farfrae? What truths about the town, the characters, or human nature does the contrast between the two men reveal?