Mayor Of Casterbridge Essay Research Paper In

Mayor Of Casterbridge Essay, Research Paper

In Thomas Hardy?s The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Michael Henchard represents an

incarnation of the Classical ?tragic hero.? In Greek literature, a tragic

hero is a well-known and respected individual whose tragedy usually involves

some kind of fall from glory. His downfall has been precipitated by his own flaw

of character or judgment, some mistake or series of mistakes that has serious

consequences. A key element is that the hero’s experiences don’t simply end with

the mistake or catastrophe; true tragic heroes must come to discover or

recognize what has happened to them and ultimately pay their ramifications.

Surely such a description fits the hubristic Michael Henchard and maps out the

tale of events set forth in The Mayor Of Casterbridge. The definition of a

tragic hero includes his fall from glory, which in early 20th century literature

would be social-class related. Henchard?s rapid decline from Mayor to pauper

qualifies as such a fall. It is even more of a tragedy since there was so much

embarrassment and scandal surrounding his deterioration from a pillar of the

town of Casterbridge. ?Everybody else, from the Mayor to the washerwoman,

shone in new vesture according to means; but Henchard had doggedly retained the

fretted and weather-beaten garments of bygone years.? (Page 261) His ragged

appearance at a royal procession shows just how deep he had fallen into

depression and oblivion. Though modern usage of the word ?hero? indicates a

nobler persona, at its roots a hero is simply the main character of any story,

and not necessarily a knight in shining armor. A tragic hero?s sad story comes

from his own flaws, and Michael Henchard was certainly not lacking in faults and

poor judgments. Often he displays impulsiveness, which always results in

bringing him closer to his demise. As with selling his wife, deciding to hide

his past grievances, and buying over-priced grain, Henchard?s lack of