'Mayor of Casterbridge' as a Tragedy

Thomas Hardy incorporates many elements of the classical Aristotlean tragedy in his novel The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886). In an Aristotelian tragedy, the most important element is the experience of catharsis, the arousing of pity and fear in the audience. The effect of catharsis on the audience depends on the unity of the plot and the effective presence of a tragic hero. The plot in an Aristotelian tragedy consists of the reversal, the recognition and the final suffering. In the protagonist’s following a pattern of decline and alienation, Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge is similar to the Greek tragedies, in particular Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. Both literary works use three elements — catharsis, a complicated plot containing a secret, and the presence of a tragic hero — to create the effect of tragedy. In The Mayor of Casterbridge, however, Hardy uses these three characteristics to create a modern Aristotelian tragedy played out in mid-nineteenth century England.

Thomas Hardy incorporates many elements of the classical Aristotlean tragedy in his novel The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886). In an Aristotelian tragedy, the most important element is the experience of catharsis, the arousing of pity and fear in the audience. The effect of catharsis on the audience depends on the unity of the plot and the effective presence of a tragic hero. The plot in an Aristotelian tragedy consists of the reversal, the recognition and the final suffering. In the protagonist's following a pattern of decline and alienation, Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge is similar to the Greek tragedies, in particular Sophocles' Oedipus the King. Both literary works use three elements — catharsis, a complicated plot containing a secret, and the presence of a tragic hero — to create the effect of tragedy. In The Mayor of Casterbridge, however, Hardy uses these three characteristics to create a modern Aristotelian tragedy played out in mid-nineteenth century England.
According to Aristotle, a tragedy must contain the presence of a tragic hero: "a leader in his society who mistakenly brings about his own downfall because of some error in a judgement or innate flaw". Both Oedipus of Thebes and Michael Henchard of Casterbridge satisfy many Aristotelian requirements of the tragic hero. Thomas Hardy's novel records Henchard's rise and fall, revealing him at the outset as an ambitious, proud, and impulsive hay-trusser who (between chapters, and outside the narrative, as it were) "rises from shameful obscurity to the mayoralty". Early in the novel, Henchard is at the height of his prosperity and resides at the top of fortune's wheel. He is well liked and highly esteemed by the townspeople of Casterbridge. Consequently, Henchard position in society is high enough for his fall to be considered tragic.
In The Mayor of Casterbridge, Hardy unites Michael Henchard's tragic fall with his excessive pride, his impulsive nature and his ambition to succeed. Throughout the novel, Henchard makes many mistakes: he fails to maintain his wealth, his social position and his relationships with those who care for him. His jealousy of Farfrae causes "him to lose both a faithful employee and a good friend". Henchard's pride cannot accept the fact that Farfrae has become more popular then he among the townspeople of Casterbridge. Furthermore, he feels threatened by Farfrae's sudden success; thus, he dismisses Farfrae. Donald Farfrae's dismissal leads to a drawn-out business competition between the two corn-factors that strips Henchard of his personal possessions, his public favour as mayor, and the two women in his life: Lucetta Templeman and Elizabeth-Jane Newson.
Michael Henchard's excessive pride not only destroys his relationship with Donald Farfrae, but it also causes him to alienate Elizabeth-Jane. In The Mayor of Casterbridge, Henchard's "discovery that [Elizabeth-Jane] is not his daughter" wounds his fatherly pride; as a consequence of this knowledge, his treatment of Elizabeth-Jane changes dramatically. He becomes very cold toward her and even avoids addressing her by name. Hardy notes that "Henchard showed a positive distaste for the presence of this girl not his own, whenever he encountered her". Consequently, Elizabeth-Jane eventually moves in with Lucetta and this separation further weakens Henchard and Elizabeth-Jane's already strained relationship. Henchard's relationship with Lucetta suffers as well. He is too proud to visit Lucetta when his stepdaughter is present, in addition, his pride prevents him from accepting Lucetta's invitation for a private meeting. His recurring absent disheartens Lucetta, who "no longer  Henchard all that warm allegiance which had characterized her in their first acquaintance". Subsequently, she marries Donald Farfrae instead, rationalizing that Henchard's conduct at Weydon-Prioirs negates his elibility as a socially accepotable husband.
In an Aristotelian tragedy, the most important element in the audience's response, catharsis, depends upon the emotional effect of the literary work. Despite being classified as a novel, Thomas Hardy's The Mayor of Casterbridge evokes both the feeling of pity and fear in response to Michael Henchard's suffering. Henchard is a man "who reacts to circumstances according to his character — a man ready to absorb greater opposition than he receives, and then laying himself open, willing to accept full blame for what unexpectedly happens". For instance, Henchard refuses to defend himself against Elizabeth-Jane's accusation regarding his deception of Newson; he does "not sufficiently value himself to lessen his sufferings by strenuous appeal or elaborate argument". Furthermore, Henchard seeks out his own punishment because he is determined to shoulder the burden of his own mistakes. Even in death, he is punishing himself for his past misdeeds. An example is the closing lines of Henchard's will where he asks ?that no man remember" him. In The Mayor of Casterbridge the more Henchard condemns and punishes himself for his past transgressions, the more sympathy and pity the reader feels for him.
In addition to evoking readers' sympathy and pity, Thomas Hardy also arouses their sense of fear. The destruction of harmony in the novel following Henchard's tragic fall affects the lives of those around him, such as Farfrae, Lucetta, and Elizabeth-Jane. These individuals are witnesses to the repercussions of Henchard's actions and are also subject to suffer from his transgressions. For instance, the reader fears for Farfrae's life immediately following "the battle of physical strength" between himself and Henchard. Hardy uses the reader's uncertainty regarding Farfrae's fate to instill the emotion of fear. Like the bull, Henchard?s nature is self-destructive. His death at the end of the novel is tragic, yet it also alleviates the reader's anxiety. Subsequently, Hardy succeeds in creating a cathartic experience.