The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy wrote the novel 'The Mayor of Casterbridge' in 1886. Two
of the main characters, Donald Farfrae and Michael Henchard have a
contrast in luck and Hardy uses characterisation, language, historical
and social background and a craft in the structure of his novel to
help bring across this point. During this essay I am going to comment
upon how Hardy does this and further consider the view that, Farfrae's
good fortune is a result of Henchard's ill luck.
Throughout the novel there are many examples of Farfrae's good fortune
resulting in Henchard's ill luck. One of the most important examples
in the book is when Henchard and Farfrae both gamble on the weather.
Henchard is told that the weather will be awful and the harvest would
be ruined so he buys up all the grain early hoping to sell it off for
more. Farfrae on the other hand risks the weather hoping it'll be a
good harvest. When the weather turns out good and Henchard has to sell
his grain off for even less than he brought it for, he becomes
bankrupt and looses everything. Whereas Farfrae makes a lot of money
on the good harvest and ends up owning Henchard's manor house,
furniture and even his business. This good fortune for Farfrae is a
result of Henchard's ill luck because if Henchard risked the weather
he wouldn't have lost his money, home or business which means Farfrae
wouldn't have got any of it.
Hardy uses characterisation to shape his characters and to make them
who they are. As an author he is very good at this as he is seen as a
novelist of character and environment because of his great in-depth
descriptions of bot...
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...y. From that time onwards
Henchard's life went down hill at the same rate Farfrae's got better.
In the end Henchard was back where he started (after he sold Susan and
before he went to Casterbridge) with absolutely nothing. Farfrae
though had everything, - a business, plenty of money, a home, a wife
and the status of Mayor in Casterbridge. These two nearly exact
mirrored lines show that Farfrae's good fortune must be the result of
Henchard's ill luck because as Henchard lost something at the same
time Farfrae gained something e.g. Lucetta.
After considering the view "Farfrae's good fortune is a result of
Henchard's ill luck," in detail and commenting upon how Hardy used
characterisation, language, social and historical background and his
craft in the structure of the novel to show this, I know that it is
correct.
The author uses many way of telling the story buy enhancing the reader understanding in rregrades to the point of view of the story line. The author, Jon Krakauer expresses and explains this stroy in many unique ways throughout the entire book using other authors quotes to tie in with his story, the constant change in the setting, and references the creates a unique structure to the book.
The scientific and technological advancements of the early 20th century entered people’s daily lives with the intention of bringing the whole of humanity into a brighter, more modern era. However, the darker side of such immense achievement was the increasing encroachment on the previously untouched natural world. Many great minds grew weary of such advances and conveyed their apprehension through the popular literature of the time. The pivotal novel Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy explores the impact that industrialists with access to technology had on the pastoral countryside and lower classes. Conan Doyle expands on this message in his novel The Hound of the Baskervilles, by examining how the well-educated elite began using science to their advantage, threatening nature in the process. While each novel warns against abusing available technologies, the authors differ in how they believe nature will eventually respond and have incited a debate that has lasted well into the 21st century.
powerful speaker that apply to his writing style to get them attention.. The similar that
what they say in their writing and by the very act of writing, which is an act of perception
The literary element characterization played a major role in this novel. In the story there
Often times, one’s impression of something is based on people or things that ‘stick out,’ or are memorable. People in the spotlight in contemporary popular culture, such as: musicians, writers, actors and other celebrities, are purposely making themselves ‘stick out,’ so that these people are memorable, or become more famous by heightening their national profile with outrageous statements, outfits, and actions. Literature, rather than using outrageous statements or actions, uses different kinds of characters and their corresponding actions to make works more memorable. J.D. Salinger, in his novel The Catcher in the Rye, uses the character of Holden Caulfield, a rebellious adolescent, and his stream of consciousness to captivate and relate
being the author described him in such a way as to just barely know him enough
In the poem “The Widow at Windsor” Rudyard Kipling uses the voice of one of the men to explain what it means to be one of Queen Victoria’s soldiers. The soldier explains how powerful the Queen is and how she uses her power over others to gain what she wants. He also talks about the soldiers that do her bidding. Any idealistic notions the soldiers may have had at the thought of being soldiers is countered by the reality of their day-to-day lives. Kipling’s own life experiences lends credence to the doublespeak that this poem brings to light. “The Widow at Windsor” uses a rapidly paced cadence to draw the reader into a conflicted world where soldiering for a powerful woman is a source of pride and disrespect and furthermore, the readers sees this duality of mind as demonstrable in any time period, regardless of the date.
They write about the unspoken mysteries of the life of their protagonists. Each of them has produced extraordinary works which make the reader observe the world in new eyes.
Michael Henchard in The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy Michael Henchard is a character with traits that have both a positive and negative traits effect on his life. I believe the characteristics that allowed Henchard to rise to social respectability and fall into destitution where the same. "Character is fate"(Plato) For example Henchard stubbornness and pride allowed him to keep his 21-year vow not to drink. This shows his stubbornness brought an aspect forbearance. However the same character traits also made him rely on a prediction from a fortuneteller becoming his financial downfall.
Only once during the two years that we have him under view, does he venture
“In my estimation a good book first must contain little or no trace of the author unless the author himself is a character. That is, when I read the book I should not feel that someone is telling me the story but t...
Utopia as a text is a clear reflection and representation of More’s passion for ideas and art. Through the character of Raphael, More projects and presents his ideas, concepts and beliefs of politics and society. More’s Utopia aims to create a statement on the operations and effectiveness of the society of England. This text is a general reflection of More’s idea of a perfectly balanced and harmonious society. His ideas and concepts of society somewhat contrast to the rest of 16th century England and indicate a mind that was far ahead of its time. A number of issues and themes are raised throughout the text to which More provides varying views and opinions. These are transmitted and projected through the perspectives of the fictional Raphael, More and Giles.
Through attention to detail, repeated comparison, shifting tone, and dialogue that gives the characters an opportunity to voice their feelings, Elizabeth Gaskell creates a divide between the poor working class and the rich higher class in Mary Barton. Gaskell places emphasis on the differences that separate both classes by describing the lavish, comfortable, and extravagant life that the wealthy enjoy and compares it to the impoverished and miserable life that the poor have to survive through. Though Gaskell displays the inequality that is present between both social classes, she also shows that there are similarities between them. The tone and diction change halfway through the novel to highlight the factors that unify the poor and rich. In the beginning of the story John Barton exclaims that, “The rich know nothing of the trials of the poor…” (11), showing that besides the amount of material possessions that one owns, what divides the two social classes is ability to feel and experience hardship. John Barton views those of the upper class as cold individuals incapable of experiencing pain and sorrow. Gaskell, however proves Barton wrong and demonstrates that though there are various differences that divide the two social classes, they are unified through their ability to feel emotions and to go through times of hardship. Gaskell’s novel reveals the problematic tension between the two social classes, but also offers a solution to this problem in the form of communication, which would allow both sides to speak of their concerns and worries as well as eliminate misunderstandings.
Thomas Hardy was a famous author and poet he lived from 1840 to 1928. During his long life of 88 years he wrote fifteen novels and one thousand poems. He lived for the majority of his life near Dorchester. Hardy got many ideas for his stories while he was growing up. An example of this was that he knew of a lady who had had her blood turned by a convict’s corpse and he used this in the story ‘The Withered Arm’. The existence of witches and witchcraft was accepted in his lifetime and it was not unusual for several people to be killed for crimes of witchcraft every year.