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Essay on thomas hardy
The setting of the mayor of casterbridge
The mayor of casterbridge as a tragedy of character
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George Meredith had once written that “In tragic life God wot (knows)/ No villain need be! Passions spin the plot: / We are betrayed by what is false within.” What he implied was that it is not so much circumstances but rather the character of the protagonist which often lets them down and allows emotion to get the upper hand over rational thought. Meredith’s lines can very much be applied to the protagonist of Thomas Hardy’s novel which is popularly referred to as The Mayor of Casterbridge -Michael Henchard who has all the elements of a traditional tragic hero. In Hardy’s novel - The Mayor of Casterbridge, Henchard is undoubtedly the tragic hero whose undoing can be owed to his own character flaw – his impulsiveness and rash choler; however his the way his life is reduced to rubble can also be credited to circumstances as well as the malicious forces of Nature and Fate.
As mentioned Henchard is the tragic hero of the novel and his character has both positive and negative aspects which are brought out through various incidents in the novel. Henchard’s character is very significant and this point is mentioned in the title of the book itself wherein Hardy emphasises that his novel a ‘Story of a man of Character’. Throughout the novel, his volatile temper forces him into ruthless competition with Farfrae that soon strips him of his pride, reputation and property, while his insecurities lead him to deceive the one person he began to love-Elizabeth-Jane. His impulsiveness and temper is evident on the three occasions: initially when he sells off his wife to Newson, then in his unsympathetic behaviour towards Whittle who oversleeps and finally when he dismisses Jopp. Yet Hardy insists that Henchard is a worthy man and does have some c...
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...as responsible in a way for the wheat and will be liable for the bad harvest later which makes Henchard bankrupt. Fate sends the child who sings praises of Farfrae to Henchard and Henchard becomes aware of the true feelings the people of Casterbridge have for Farfrae. Ironically, Henchard finds out that Elizabeth –Jane is not his own daughter on the very day that he revealed to her that he was her father! This is the nasty game Fate and Nature together play with Henchard.
Therefore Hardy doesn’t chiefly hold Henchard’s own character solely responsible for his downfall as there were many factors beyond his control (chiefly destiny) which callously played a pivotal role in his undoing. Character is destiny but Destiny also determines your real character and this is very evident in the case of the Mayor of Casterbridge- Michael Henchard who was a ‘Man of Character’
Heroes in literature and history, more often than not, meet tragic ends, unless they were created by Walt Disney. These particular people are often seen as someone who is apart from the masses in morals and attempt to accomplish a higher calling for the common good. The problem with this type of hero is that they are destined for suffering.Two such characters exist in classic literature, Winston Smith of George Orwell’s 1984 and Hamlet of William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.” Hamlet is the true classic tragic hero, though, because he is of noble birth, possesses high moral standards, completes the task he is given to better the world, and causes tragedy in both his life and the lives of others.
The idea of falling victim to one’s own flaws is often closely associated with the Aristotelian definition of tragedy, particularly the concepts of hamartia (a tragic or fatal flaw) and hubris (pride before a fall). Although The Winter’s Tale, The Great Gatsby and The Remains of the Day are not widely considered to be tragedies, yet there are elements of the definition that are relevant. This c...
A tragic hero is a protagonist with a fatal flaw which eventually leads to a character's downfall. The tragic hero is often introduced as happy, powerful and privileged, and ends up dying or suffering immensely due to their own faulty action. John Proctor’s, the protagonist in the play, flaw that lead to his “downfall” was his inability to accept his fate and his pride in which he holds in the town of Salem, Massachusetts. John Proctor had displayed the four characteristics of a tragic hero goodness, superiority, a tragic flaw, and has an eventual realization
The novel's characters had been deeply influenced and pressured by British society when making crucial decisions that affected them emotionally. The quintessential character who had been manipulated by British society is Catherine Earnshaw who had been deeply in love with Heathcliff. They had frolicked together everyday; she would read to him and educate him in various instances. When she ...
The complicated nature surrounding Heathcliff’s motives again adds an additional degree of ambiguity to his character. This motivation is primarily driven by Catherine’s marriage to Edgar and past rejection of Heathcliff, since he was a servant whom Hindley disapproved of. Prior to storming out of Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff overhears Catherine say, “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now…” (Brontë 87). The obstacles that ultimately prevent Heathcliff from marrying Catherine provide insight into Heathcliff’s desire to bring harm to Edgar and Hindley. The two men play prominent roles in the debacle, Edgar as the new husband and Hindley as the head figure who refused Heathcliff access to Catherine. Following this incident, Catherine says, “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same…” (Brontë 87). Catherine’s sentiment indicates she truly would rather be with Heathcliff, but the actions of others have influenced her monumental decision to marry Edgar. Furthermore, Heathcliff is motivated to not only ruin Edgar’s livelihood, but also gain ownership of his estate, Thrushcross Grange. This becomes clear when Heathcliff attempts to use Isabella
At the heart of every great tragedy lies the universal struggle between the human inclination to accept fate absolutely and the natural desire to control destiny (Stockton). Like most of his plays, in Shakespeare’s masterpiece Hamlet one of the prevailing themes centers on the question, “Does fate and providence overrule man’s own choices and decisions?” Throughout the work, the main character Hamlet views Fortune in various differing lights as he plots and plans his revenge. This complex interpretation of Fate’s influence is also shared with Horatio, Hamlet’s most treasured friend. Their assessments seem to waver in different situations, or as they experience something in particular. Fate and Fortune, and Providence in all her ambiguity are all sometimes seemingly bound to the actions of man and other times they are inescapable.
In the early lives of Catherine and Hindley Earnshaw, their father 's overzealous love for Heathcliff causes a jealous rage in Hindley that starts the chain of disastrous events to come in the future. Mr. Earnshaw fails to remedy the situation, and Hindley, "learnt to regard his father as an oppressor rather than a friend … and he grew bitter with brooding over these injuries." The envious feelings that Hindley harbors for Heathcliff leads him to treat the orphan with contempt and cruelty. This in turn generates an intense hatred in Heathcliff for Hindley that fuels a craving for revenge that lasts for nearly all of his life.
Heathcliff is a character who was abused in his childhood by Catherine’s brother, Hindley, because of his heritage as a “gypsy”, and Hindley was jealous of the love that Heathcliff got from Mr. Earnshaw, Hindley’s father. This is also selfishness upon Hindley’s part since he only wanted his father’s love for his sister and himself. So to reprimand Heathcl...
Jane Austen completes her story with a “Cinderella ending” of Catherine and Henry marrying. However, her novel is more than a fairytale ending. Although often wrong and misguided in their judgments, she shows the supremacy of males that permeated throughout her society. Jane Austen takes us from a portrayal of men as rude, self-centered, and opinionate to uncaring, demanding, and lying to downright ruthless, hurtful, and evil. John Thorpe’s and General Tilney’s total disregard for others feelings and their villainous ways prove Austen’s point. Whether reading Northanger Abbey for the happy ending or the moral lesson, this novel has much to offer.
Jane Austen's Persuasion is a dark novel. From the jolting breaks in the romantic drama--the falls of little Charles and Louisa Musgrove--to the heroine's depressing existence--Anne Elliot has a "great tendency to lowness" (Austen 66)-- to the overall autumnal mood, the work is at times a gloomy, though always interesting, read. Perhaps its darkest facet though is the ubiquitous presence of an antagonist. While Mr. Elliot appears, most blatantly, to be the villain, in actuality, it is Lady Russell, whose persuasions are both manipulative and, frighteningly, pervasive, who should truly bear that stigma.
Otis Wheeler describes how the surge in sentimental dramas was a direct reaction to the coarse comedies of the Restoration wherein man was depicted as ridiculous and nonsensical. In contrast “the drama of sensibility” was a display of the infinite promise of man. In this way the beginnings of the Cult of Sensibility is inextricably linked to the birth of Romanticism, yet where Romanticism preferred the superfluous and exaggerated the Cult of Sensibility preferred the delicate, softer emotions that would bring people together in harmony. As such it is fair to say that although these two styles were borne of a similar distaste for the neoclassical, they developed into very different types of drama. Romanticism created antagonistic protagonists, such as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights.
After Hindley’s father dies, he begins to abuse poor Heathcliff, taking away his education and forcing him to work out in the field’s and. Mr. Earnshaw’s resentful son Hindley oppresses Heathcliff and treats him as a servant. Ever since Heathcliff had arrived at Wuthering Heights, Hindley had loathed him and “from the very beginning, he bred bad feeling in the house; and at Mrs. Earnshaw’s death, which happened in less than ...
Hardy originated from a working class family. The son of a master mason, Hardy was slightly above that of his agricultural peers. Hardy’s examination of transition between classes is usually similar to that of D.H. Lawrence, that if you step outside your circle you will die. The ambitious lives of the characters within Hardy’s novels like Jude and Tess usually end fatally; as they attempt to break away from the constraints of their class, thus, depicting Hardy’s view upon the transition between classes. Hardy valued lower class morals and traditions, it is apparent through reading Tess that her struggles are evidently permeated through the social sufferings of the working class. A central theme running throughout Hardy’s novels is the decline of old families. It is said Hardy himself traced the Dorset Hardy’s lineage and found once they were of great i...
Brontë promotes the fact that personality is indicated in early age, in that while a person’s upbringing affects their outlook, the heart of the disposition is given at birth. If one is evil, it has been decided beforehand, and anyone wicked cannot be forgiven. Brontë’s views on personality can be interpreted as an argument for the innate qualities of humankind and its ultimate regard for the mind. While she acknowledges Heathcliff’s past and lack of assistance, Brontë implies that childhood is not the only indicator of lifestyle, and that an adjustment of mindset must be made as an active choice. There is satisfaction in that he never receives a redemption arc, nor does any character forgive him during his lifetime. By emphasizing his true nature, a statement is made in that fate will occur if unimpeded, and a lack of effort lets destiny continue its path. These examples of unforgiveness establish the idea that Heathcliff is an evil human from the beginning who will never be
Not only does revenge highlights important events, but also highlights personality flaws. Heathcliff is convinced that Hindley and Catherine are the reason for his loneliness and how he...