Furthermore, as the Mayor of Casterbridge Henchard has a role to manage and organise his workers. Henchard is short tempered and has many mood swings. “Out of bed, sir, and off to the granary, or you leave my employ to-day! ‘Tis to teach ye a lesson. March on; never mind your breeches!” Henchard has an outburst of anger at one of his workers, Abel Whittle. He sends him to work with no trousers or underwear on, showing that he is very harsh and expects things to be done. Hardy then reveals how Henchard cared for Whittle by giving him numerous chances and looking after his mother. Henchard gave Whittle’s mother coals and snuff to try and keep her in good health. Once this is explained it is clear to the reader that Henchard was at the end of his tether and could not give Whittle any more chances. The reader learns about a caring and considerate side to Henchard’s character.
“Mr Farfrae’s time as my manager is drawing to a close – isn’t it Farfrae?” As a result of his short temper Henchard makes a mistake; he sacks Farfrae in a fit of anger. Henchard had set up a barn dance but few people attended as they were at Farfrae’s ‘affair in the West Walk’. This angered Henchard greatly and resulted in the sacking of Farfrae. This is unjust on Farfrae, as he is expected to say yes even though he was unaware of the situation. Hardy depicts Henchard as an insensitive character as he did not consult Farfrae of his decision before announcing it publicly. Although after firing Farfrae, Henchard does regret it greatly, “But in the morning, when his jealous temper had passed away, his heart sank within him at what he had said and done”, showing a softer side to his character. Henchard’s dismissal of Farfrae later led to Farfrae starting up his own business. This anger Henchard as he believes he was the one who gave Farfrae a chance in the first instance. Henchard can become jealous easily and one could argue that he always strives to be the best. On the other hand, Henchard realises that it is due to Farfrae’s involvement that his business became very successful.
Before Susan dies she tells Henchard that Elizabeth Jane is his daughter. Initially, he is very welcoming and protective of her. This shows that he is caring and takes up his responsibilities. As the story progresses, Hardy reveals that Elizabeth Jane is not Henchard’s daughter. This makes the reader sympathetic towards Henchard as he was betrayed by his late wife. However, Henchard is angered by this and take his anger out on Elizabeth Jane by insulting her speech and handwriting, “Good God, are you only fit to carry wash to a pig-trough, that ye use such words as those?” Henchard is being nasty to Elizabeth Jane even though it is not her fault. Consequently, one could argue that Henchard is a despicable man.
Later, Hardy writes about how Henchard desires to do the right thing by marrying Lucetta. Lucetta is a flighty and indiscreet woman who follows her emotions. In her youth, she met Michael Henchard in her native Jersey. Henchard proposes to Lucetta and she turns him down because she loves Farfrae, although Henchard is oblivious to this. The Victorian audience would have disapproved of such intimacy with Lucetta. The reader is more sympathetic towards Henchard as he has lost Lucetta to another man. However, Henchard does not take the refusal calmly as he blackmails Lucetta. “Unless you give me your promise this very night to be my wife, before a witness, I’ll reveal our intimacy – in common fairness to other men!” The quotation explains how Henchard threatens to reveal their past relations to the public, especially Farfrae. Although it is natural to assume that he would feel unhappy, the way in which he attempt to blackmail Lucetta is insensitive and careless.
Henchard attempts to put Farfrae out of business but is unsuccessful as Farfrae is more advanced in and has a better grasp of technology. This shows that Henchard is a spiteful character who cannot take being second best. Having said this, when Henchard is made bankrupt he is very dignified and even offers his watch to his creditors to pay off his debt. “He took his watch from his pocket and laid it on the table; then his purse.” This shows that he can be sensible and accept bad news whilst maintaining a cool head.
Henchard’s material possessions including his home, jewellery and furniture are bought by Farfrae, who later becomes the Mayor of Casterbridge. Hardy shows the reader that Henchard has been beaten by Farfrae and this makes one compassionate towards Henchard. However, losing his possessions and Mayoral title cause Henchard to drink again, making him more aggressive and abrupt. He threatens the church choir with a poker and made them sing a song related to widows and orphans, “Now then, Psalm the Hundred-and-Ninth, to the tunes of Wiltshire.” The fact that Henchard has turned to the bottle again makes the reader feel ashamed as he broke a promise that he made to himself.
Following this, Henchard is still angry with Farfrae and is still jealous. Henchard is infuriated that he lost Lucetta to Farfrae and attempts to split them up. He does this by trying to tell Farfrae about his intimacy with Lucetta. The fact that Henchard would consider this portrays him in an unsympathetic light. However, Henchard realises that it is not his place to tell Farfrae and cannot go through with it, “Such a wrecking of hearts appalled even him.” This shows that he does sometimes think about what he is going to do before he does it.
Henchard’s strong dislike towards Farfrae grows to such an extent that he attempts to murder him. The fact that Henchard would consider killing Farfrae is shocking. “I’ve stood your rivalry, which ruined me, and your snubbing, which humbled me; but your hustling, that disgraced me, I won’t stand!” Due to this one feels extremely unsympathetic towards Henchard and slightly disgusted with his thoughts. However, Hardy writes that Henchard did try to make it a fair fight by tying one arm behind his back. In fact, Henchard cannot go through with it. This shows that Henchard controls his anger in extreme cases and the reader acknowledges this. Supporting the argument that Henchard can be shown in a sympathetic light, he finds and tells Farfrae that Lucetta is dying. Farfrae does not believe him after their history of conflict. This makes the reader develop empathy for Henchard as he was trying to do the right thing.
Towards the end of the book, Newson the sailor returns and finds Henchard. Henchard explains how Susan dies and the Elizabeth Jane is also dead, “Dead likewise, surely you learnt that too?” Hardy makes the reader feel angry and disappointed towards Henchard as he has lied about Elizabeth Jane being dead. On the other hand, Henchard lies because Elizabeth Jane is all he has left and he does not want to be without her. Without Elizabeth Jane he will be very lonely. This makes the reader very sympathetic towards Henchard.
Penultimately, Henchard is very unhappy that Elizabeth Jane is having a relationship with and considering marriage to Farfrae. This seems unfair on Elizabeth Jane. However, Henchard attends the wedding in goodwill. He gives the couple a Goldfinch. Elizabeth Jane finds it dead a month later. This saddens her, “the sadness of the incident had made an impression on her”, and it makes her think of Henchard. She tried to find Henchard and regain contact however she is too late as he is already dead. This makes the reader feel very sympathetic towards Henchard because he died lonely and did try to mend the rift with Elizabeth Jane.
In conclusion, from the examples listed above one can see how Hardy makes the reader feel sympathetic for an otherwise unsympathetic character. Henchard has made several mistakes but he attempts to correct them. Due to him having two sides to his character, the reader is moved by his death. On the one hand, there is his harsh, nasty and unsympathetic character as well as a soft, caring and sympathetic character. The way in which he died, not on speaking terms with Elizabeth Jane, makes the reader feel very sympathetic towards him at the time of his death. As the story unfolds, Hardy reveals how Henchard undertakes unsympathetic actions and attempts to correct them with numerous sympathetic actions.
