On the other hand, Henchard is a very sincere character who appreciates people. “I’d have shared my last crust with that young fellow at one time”. This is what Henchard says about Farfrae after they became foes. Farfrae was a former employee of Henchard but after a misunderstanding he left and became a rival corn seller. The quotation shows that Henchard is a humble person as he did not hate Farfrae for the problems of his past but he remembered that Farfrae had once aided him and was his secretary. The words “my last crust” show how much affection Henchard had for Farfrae as he was willing to share with him even to the last particle of food. This shows the reader Henchard’s gratitude for things that are done for him. Not many men are willing to sacrifice their well being for friends but sharing the last crumb means possibly risking his life as his last crumb is the last thing he’ll eat. Previously in the book he was described as having “an oppressive generosity rather than a mild and constant kindness” which shows that he is a man of extremes-when he likes someone, as he does Farfrae, he almost stifles them with is affection this. The word “oppressive” shows the reader that he was forcing his kindness upon others ad even within a good act he does it in a bad way. This is contradicted by what he says about Farfrae and the reader can see he is genuinely sincere.
However, Hardy presents Henchard as a character that deserves his fate because Henchard is portrayed to very selfish. “Don’t take it against me- though I was a drinking man once, and used your mother roughly- I’ll be kinder to you than he was! I’ll do anything, if you will only look upon me as your father.”Before this quotation Elizabeth Jane had just said that Newson was a good father that is why Henchard decided to make his remark. This quotations show that Henchard is very desperate for Elizabeth Jane to know her true father. The words “I’ll do anything show how Henchard cannot stand referring to Newson as her own father. The reader can infer that Henchard is really desperate for Elizabeth Jane to love him the way she loves Newson. The reader can imply from this that Henchard does not even contemplate the confusion and stress he would have caused her by revealing something so shocking. Furthermore, Susan told Henchard never to tell Elizabeth Jane. If Henchard was ever sincere about seeking forgiveness for the things he did to Susan, he should have kept their secret even after her death.
In addition, “The Mayor of Casterbridge” is a play from Victorian England. Women at that time were treated much worse than at the present time. As well as treatment they were also considered as second class citizens. The whole society was very patriarchal which was quite ironic as the head of the whole British Empire was Queen Victoria (a woman!). As well as women, men also were affected. Industrialisation meant that machines and automated apparatus were taking the places of men. An example of a man losing his job in the book is Jopp who had applied for a place in Henchard’s office. In the mayor of Casterbridge there are many examples of patriarchy. Henchard is shown to be deliberately exploitative by Hardy in his situation with Lucetta. “There arose a scandal which did me no harm but was of course ruin to her,” this quotation shows that Henchard knows that something that they both participated in was only to affect Lucetta. The whole Victorian world was like this but Henchard states the fact so carelessly as if it was a fact of life instead of a prevention of basic human rights. The words “was of course ruin to her” show how trivial the whole ordeal is to Henchard. The word “ruin” shows the severity of the consequences if Lucetta was ever found out. The reader can infer from this that Henchard is portrayed by Hardy to be a character that does not question injustice but is happy to carry on wrong things because it is a social norm. It also shows the reader that Henchard is not brave enough to stop following social norms that are morally wrong thus showing that if he inflicts pain and suffering he should expect it as well. The fact that Henchard knew the trouble it would have caused Lucetta however he still carried on with the scandal shows the lack of concern about her wellbeing.
Nevertheless, Henchard is shown by Hardy to be very remorseful as he vows to not drink alcohol for 21 years after the sale of Susan. “ I Michael Henchard- do take an oath before God here in this solemn place that I will avoid all strong liquors for the space of 21 years to come,” this quotation shows that Henchard is a person that feels very guilty for his actions (even though some of them are quite rash). The fact that he has decided to make a religious vow shows that he is very committed in rectifying his mistakes. The word “strong” shows the seriousness of Henchard as he is not trying to leave any loopholes or exceptions, so by using the word strong, Henchard is implying that all intoxicated beverages are forbidden from him. “Strong liquor” means alcohol however by saying the word “strong” Henchard is trying to forbid from himself any drink that has the possibility to be intoxicating. This shows the reader the regret he feels of the sale of his family. The reader might also think that Henchard is overwhelmed by intoxicants when he drinks them and is a bit vulnerable if he drinks the therefore he must stay clear. Hardy shows the strength of Henchard’s character because in the 19th century drinking was common placed and non-drinking people would be ridiculed as they were seen as weak or weird, Henchard was willing to sustain all this because of his past mistakes.
Finally, one of the most explicit characteristics of Michael Henchard shown by Hardy is the short temper that he has. “Henchard’s face darkened. There was temper under the thin bland surface,” this quotation is from the part of the book when Henchard is the Mayor of Casterbridge, a farmer had blurted out that Henchard was selling bad bread and demanded a resolution Henchard became very angry for being exposed in front of all the noblemen, it shows that he gets angry very quickly and over things that are quite trivial and not offensive. The words “thin bland” show that his cover is very small and he can get angry very quickly as he is very easily overwhelmed with emotion, previously in the novel Henchard was overwhelmed by his bitterness in the beginning when he sold his wife and daughter. This further expresses the fatal flaw of Henchard is his uncontrollable emotion as it has already flared up once and cost him his family, now it dramatically changed his view with the public. The word “darkened” shows that there was such a difference in Henchard that he physically got darker which shows the extent of his anger and how uncontainable it is. Hardy describes Henchard’s anger very explicitly and the reader can see that someone who has terrible anger than they have to expect terrible things to happen to them.
In conclusion, Hardy represents Henchard as a character that deserves his fate in many ways. Henchard is very impulsive as he speaks his mind and also acts without thinking things out. As well as that, Henchard is very selfish he wants the love of Elizabeth Jane for himself and doesn’t care about her feelings towards Newson but just what he thinks she should feel for him. On the other hand, there are many examples when Henchard doesn’t deserve his fate, he is remorseful and tries to make up for his mistakes in the best way possible. Also, he is very sincere and treats his friends and loved ones with the utmost care. Henchard has many characteristics that contradict each other. He does things that he regrets. Henchard was in many cases a human; prone to mistakes but hastened to repentance. In my opinion, Michael Henchard does deserve his fate; this is because although he made many mistakes and he repented many of them I think that sometimes it was a case of ‘out of the frying pan and into the fire’. When Henchard finally told the truth to Elizabeth Jane after letting her live a lie and also punishing her for his agony that she wasn’t his daughter, he then told Newson the last thing that a father would want to hear which was that his daughter was dead. I think that after Henchard went through all that he did and he knew how Newson would feel, that this was blatant disregard to any humane feeling and was the most rash and unexplainable thing in the novel. Although he died the loneliest and most forlorn death, I think that he was the crafter of his demise.