The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character

The Mayor of Casterbridge begins with a dramatic and shocking scene in which Michael Henchard, a young, impulsive, and hot-tempered man, sells his wife, Susan, and daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, to a sailor in a drunken fit of rage. This act of self-destructive recklessness sets the course for Henchard's life, as he is consumed with guilt and remorse for abandoning his family. The story then follows his attempts to atone for this crime and build a better life for himself, ultimately becoming a prosperous merchant and eventually the Mayor of Casterbridge.