Thomas Hardy's “The Mayor of Casterbridge” is structured in accordance with the principles of classical tragedy, centering on the rise and eventual downfall of Michael Henchard. As a young man, Henchard, in a drunken fit, makes a terrible mistake by selling his wife and daughter. Deeply remorseful, he vows to remain sober for 21 years as penance. Over time, Henchard transforms from a man who had lost everything into a successful grain merchant and mayor of Casterbridge. Eighteen years later, he reunites with his wife, Susan, and daughter, Elizabeth-Jane. However, the sailor to whom Henchard once sold his wife returns, threatening to reclaim what he considers his, and the consequences of Henchard’s past resurface, setting the stage for his ultimate downfall.
