“Oh – I see – that’s what they say – hey? They like him
because he’s cleverer than Mr. Henchard, and because he
knows more; and in short Mr. Henchard can’t hold a candle
to him – hey?”
“Yes – that’s just it, sir some of it.”
“Oh there’s more. Of course there’s more. What besides?
Come, here’s a sixpence for a fairing.”
“And he’s better tempered, and Henchard’s a fool to him,
they say.
Henchard is overcome with jealousy and “never again put his arm upon the young man’s shoulder so as to nearly weigh him down with the pressure of mechanised friendship” as he had done before. Henchard used to be the most respected man in the town and now Farfrae has taken his role. The reader sympathises with Henchard and dislikes Farfrae for causing him this jealousy and pain, but the reader doesn’t hate Farfrae because by working hard and being astute he has earned his good reputation and admiration. If Farfrae had obviously plotted to take over Henchard’s role than there would be a good reason for the reader to really hate him, but all the praise he receives is from working hard and efficiently.
Fuelled by jealousy, Henchard plans a spendthrift day of entertainment for the people of Casterbridge to win back their favour. He puts on a brilliant day with “wheelbarrows for racing, donkeys for the same, a stage for boxing, wrestling, and drawing blood generally; sacks for jumping in …. and a mammoth tea, of which everybody who lived in the borough was invited to partake without payment.” Henchard paid for all of this with his own money, all just to beat Farfrae’s event which was to be held on the same day. Henchard’s event was a disaster; because the terrible weather meant it was impossible continue. Farfrae’s event was a huge success because typically he had considered every eventuality. Because his celebration was sheltered it escaped the storm. The reader is dismayed by Farfrae because he again beats Henchard’s best efforts and secures his position as most respected man in town.
Enraged with anger Henchard fires Farfrae, who sets up his own corn business in Casterbridge and gradually becomes the most successful corn factor in town. The reader responds to Farfrae with dismay for again stealing another part of Henchard’s life, even though it’s not his fault. It’s Henchard’s.
More importantly Farfrae steals the women in Henchard’s life as well as his business. Elizabeth-Jane, the girl that Henchard believes to be his daughter is instantly enraptured with Farfrae and creates a imaginary bond between them, despite failing to even speak to him;
He seemed to feel exactly as she had felt about life and its
surroundings – that they were tragical rather than a comical
thing; that though one could be gay on occasion, moments of
gaiety were interludes, and no part of the actual drama. It was
extraordinary how similar their views were.
They share moments of romance and are nearly married on one occasion, then eventually marry once Henchard has left. Henchard is pained to see his ‘daughter’ fall in love and marry someone he has such a deep hatred for. The reader sees Henchard’s anguish and yet understands the suitably of the match between Elizabeth-Jane and Donald. Farfrae again is not hated by the reader, because as soon as he knows Henchard objects to the relationship he ends the relationship, and only rekindles the romance when Henchard has given his approval. The reason that the reader sees him in a negative light, in respect with the women in Henchard’s life, is that he switches between Elizabeth-Jane and Lucetta quickly, with no appreciation for the feelings of the women and Henchard.
Farfrae is seduced by Lucetta, who came to Casterbridge to be with Henchard. Lucetta completely rejects Henchard’s affection and marries Farfrae. With both the women in his life in love with Farfrae, Henchard understandably feels a mix of jealousy, anger and loneliness, which combined with the downward spiral he is encountering in all the other areas in his life, thus making the reader respond with pity for Henchard and have a sense of dismay with Farfrae.
A corn-drill is brought into Casterbridge and “Its arrival created about as much sensation as a flying machine would create at Charing Cross”. Farfrae’s vast knowledge about corn naturally extended to this new contraption, and he shows his admiration for drill and predicts that it will “revolutionise sowing heerabout”. Henchard ridicules the machine and displays scepticism of what the drill could achieve. Henchard is a man that never kept records of his dealings and haphazardly goes about his business making good and bad decisions alike. Farfrae does not deal in this fashion; he is calm and calculated, with every decision carefully planned, which makes him the superior businessman. We know that Farfrae’s decision to use the corn-drill is the correct one historically, given the increasing mechanisation of agriculture in the 19th century. However the reader instinctively sympathises with Henchard and his increasingly obsolete but picturesque methods.
The book has the title ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’, which refers to both Henchard and Farfrae, as Farfrae indeed becomes the mayor and Henchard, after many public disgraces, lives by himself in a small cottage at the edge of town. Farfrae becomes everything that Henchard was, and more. The reader is angry at Farfrae for causing this. However, the reader has respect for Farfrae, because he refuses to take Henchard’s clients as he does not want to bankrupt Henchard, even after the unfair firing he received. Farfrae acknowledges the opportunities and friendship that Henchard had previously provided him with, and does not seek retribution for the unfairness he received. This lets the reader see that he is a decent man and has unintentionally brought trouble to Henchard.
Farfrae again shows his good-nature when Henchard makes a quarrelsome comment after Farfrae had respectfully stopped singing when he came near a family that had just lost the father;
“Do you care so very much about hurting folk’s feelings!”
observed Henchard with a half sneer. “You do, I know –
especially mine!”
“I am sorry if I have hurt yours, sir,” replied Donald
standing still, with a second expression of the same sentiment
in the regretfulness of his face. “Why should you say it – think
it?”
Farfrae shows that he is sorry for any pain he has caused and highlights the fact that he does not mean to cause trouble.
The incident with the gifts of furniture underlines how Farfrae in essence stole Henchard’s wealth, but it also underlines Farfrae’s ignorance of people’s feelings. I will now explain this notion further.
Farfrae comes to Casterbridge a clever, but not excessively successful man and encounters Henchard, a pillar of society and works for him. As the years pass, Henchard ironically loses his mistress, daughter, business, money and adulation to a man that had worked for him and connects with Henchard, because he is the main character in the book. The reader experiences his sadness, jealousy and anger with him, and therefore despises Farfrae. However, the reader doesn’t develop a deep hatred of Farfrae, because although he effectively steals Henchard’s women, business and life, he did not set out to do this, and Henchard’s feelings of inadequacy, jealousy and hatred bring about his own downfall. Farfrae is the symptom rather than the cause.
Once mayor, Farfrae moves into Henchard’s house and purchases his furniture, which he then offers to Michael, free of charge;
“Well it was no that I wanted it so very much for myself;
but I wish ye to pick out all that you care to have – such things
as may be endeared to ye by associations, or particularly suited
to you use. And take them to your own house – it will not be
depriving me; we can do with less very well, and I will have
plenty of opportunities of getting more.”
“What – give it to me for nothing?” said Henchard. “But
you paid the creditors for it.”
“Ah yes; but maybe it’s worth more to you than it is to
me.”
This can be read in two ways; it can show Donald Farfrae as a kind man that doesn’t want to see an old friend lose all his possessions, and is generous enough to buy up Henchard’s things and return them to him. This also demonstrates Farfrae’s insensitivity as he shows Henchard that he has become everything that Henchard once was, by parading his wealth, and indicating that the expensive possessions mean little to him. The reader might respond in favour of Farfrae here or the reader might perceive Farfrae as being ignorant and maybe even arrogant. Again Farfrae is doing bad things unintentionally which reduces the dislike from the reader.
Henchard seeks Farfrae’s counsel when he is troubled by his relationship with Susan;
“I should wish to speak to ‘ee on a family
matter. But, damn it all, I am a lonely man, Farfrae; I have
nobody else to speak to; and why shouldn’t I tell it to ‘ee?”
“I’ll be glad to hear it, if I can be of any service,” said
Donald, allowing his eyes to travel over the intricate wood-
carvings of the chimney-piece, representing garlanded lyres,
shields and quivers…”
Henchard is pouring out his most secret feelings to Farfrae, who responds with a chirpy comment and lets his mind wander to the chimney-piece, which seems to have a greater level of importance than what Henchard is saying. Henchard goes on to tell Farfrae his discreditable past with “his firm deep voice being ever so little shaken”.
Henchard goes on to talk about his depression;
“I sank into one of those gloomy fits I sometimes suffer from,
on account o’ the loneliness of my domestic life, when the
world seems to have the blackness of hell, and like Job, I
could curse the day that gave me birth.”
Farfrae responds to this hugely passionate dialogue with this comment;
“Ah, now, I never feel like it,”
This comment is so inappropriate; it leaves the reader amazed at how completely insensitive Farfrae is and shows he lacks the ability to feel strong emotions about anything. Farfrae offers short cheery comments and opinions that show Farfrae to be oblivious to the fact that the subject upsets Henchard.
Henchard talks about his encounters with Lucetta and the terribly difficult situation that he is in. Farfrae’s answer reveals more about his character.
“Ah, well, it cannet be helped!” said the other, with
philosophical woefulness. “You mun write to the young lady,
and in your letter you must put it plain and honest that it
turns out she cannet be your wife, the first having come back;
that ye cannet see her more; and that – ye wish her weel.”
This is a very honest and simple answer which Henchard immediately disregards, as it shows no compassion for Lucetta’s feelings. Farfrae’s intentions are good but he clearly doesn’t possess the qualities that can deal with delicate emotional problems which leads to the audience feeling disheartened by Farfrae’s actions.
Farfrae returns Elizabeth-Jane’s interest and they have several romantic incidents. They are both tricked into spending time with each other by Susan’s letters and there is an obvious attraction between them. After the night of Farfrae’s entertainment, Donald escorts Elizabeth-Jane to her house and hints at marriage;
“I wish I was richer, Miss Newson; and your step-father
had not been offended; I would ask you something in a short
time – yes, I would ask you to-night.”
This temporarily shows the reader that Farfrae has true feelings for Elizabeth-Jane. However, this opinion is short-lived as he fails to remember this affection when he meets Lucetta. Elizabeth-Jane is obviously hurt when she sees them together but Farfrae doesn’t take this into account. Farfrae had not given Elizabeth-Jane a second glance when she was working in the ‘Three Mariners’, but now she was Henchard’s daughter she was deemed ‘good enough’. The reader doesn’t have a strong liking for Elizabeth-Jane, but nevertheless, the reader dislikes Farfrae for doing this injustice.
When Henchard leaves Casterbridge, Elizabeth-Jane tries to find him which Farfrae grudgingly agrees to, and they both travel by cart to find him. Farfrae “strongly advised his wife to give up the search in person”. He didn’t understand the need Elizabeth-Jane had. She had to find Henchard, or she would risk never seeing him again, but Farfrae simply doesn’t understand this notion. To add insult to injury, Farfrae remarks “that will make a hole in a sovereign.” This shows the reader that with all his wealth, this important cause isn’t worth his time or money. As a result, the reader again sees him disregarding someone’s feelings.
In all this turmoil, Farfrae is a well-meaning and psychologically straight-forward character that cannot understand why Henchard has such hatred for him. This is shown when Henchard tries to kill him in the barn, and Farfrae shows that the relationship between the once great friends means more to him than his own life;
“Then take it, take it!” said Farfrae. “Ye’ve wished to long
enough!”
The audience sympathises with Farfrae as he does not deserve to be brutally murdered by his best friend.
The full title of the novel is as follows;
THE LIFE AND DEATH
OF THE
MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE
A STORY OF A MAN OF CHARACTER
The title “The Mayor of Casterbridge” could describe either Henchard or Farfrae, but this full title could only be describing Henchard as Farfrae cannot be described as a man of character. Farfrae shows short bursts or emotion but he does not seem to have the ability to show true passion. The audience warm to Henchard, as he has character, and again distance themselves from Farfrae. He becomes the rival of both Henchard and the reader
Farfrae is an intelligent young man that can do tremendous things with business, and possesses qualities that are very admirable. He also has a strange effect on people that seems to draw them to him. With these incredible virtues, it seems surprising that his personality is riddled with many unattractive traits. He is very shallow and seems unable to comprehend the emotions of distress, compassion and love. He is very naïve about human emotions and relationships, and though he is not the cause, he is an element of Michael Henchard’s downfall. Farfrae makes one decision after another, which are good decisions in themselves, but have terrible consequences for Henchard. But through all of this turmoil he causes, he is completely innocent. He was simply being true to himself and does not mean to cause trouble. It is for this very reason that the audience cannot loathe Farfrae, as he is simply obtuse about certain areas of life. The audience do dislike him, but there is not a good enough reason to really detest him. I believe Thomas Hardy has created a complex character that brings out a wide range of responses from different people but I hope I have given substantiation to what opinion of Farfrae I think Hardy was trying to communicate to the audience.
