Set against the backdrop of peaceful south-west England, where Thomas Hardy spent much of his youth, The Mayor of Casterbridge captures the author's unique genius for depicting the absurdity underlying much of the sorrow and humor in our lives. I hope this can be ratified and a full version is available on Kindle because those four stars above this writing seen like they need a fifth so as to not leave them wanting. Hardy replied, "It is not improbabilities of incident but improbabilities of character that matter." Thomas Hardy's wonderful portrayal of the ambition, rise and fall of one man and how his actions affect a whole village is a classic. He really suited the role even though I was more used to seeing him in Persuasion. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2019. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Without going into meticulous detail and spoiling the novel for any future potential reader Thomas Hardy takes us on a uniquely human journey which delves into our nature and emotional frailties and insecurities through the lens of the various characters in the novel. In this marvelous work by Thomas Hardy the reader is taken into the quaint town of casterbridge England and into the lives, minds, hearts and in some cases even the very souls of a few of it's inhabitants. This Modern Library Paperback Classic reprints the authoritative 1912 Wessex edition, as well as Hardy’s map of Wessex. The Mayor of Casterbridge is a novel by Thomas Hardy that was first published in 1886. Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2018. Initially, he gained fame as the author of novels such as Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895). The Mayor of Casterbridge is a rich, psychological novel about a man whose own flaws combine with fate to cause his ruin. Inside you'll find 30 Daily Lessons, 20 Fun Activities, 180 Multiple Choice Questions, 60 Short Essay Questions, 20 Essay Questions, Quizzes/Homework Assignments, Tests, and more. When they return to Casterbridge some nineteen years later, Henchard having gained power and success as the mayor finds he cannot erase the past or the guilt that consumes him. The Mayor of Casterbridge, novel by Thomas Hardy, published in 1886, first serially (in the periodical The Graphic) and later that year in book form.The fictional city of Casterbridge provides a picture of Dorchester in the 19th century. Last Updated on May 5, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. The first publication in book form was later that year. Thomas Hardy hoped to capture the lifestyles of Wessex County, particularly the farming practices, technologies, and the relationships farmers and villagers had with the land in England during the 1800s. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. He has a wonderful way of painting a picture with his words! You all of a sudden can see exactly what he is saying even though the language is so unlike the way we would talk today, I love it! Yes, we said "poet" first for a reason: Hardy always thought of himself first and foremost as a poet, even though nowadays he's remembered most for his novels. The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) is a tragic novel by English author Thomas Hardy subtitled, "The Life and Death of a Man of Character". I am reviewing the Trillium Classics version on Kindle. The Mayor of Casterbridge opens with a shocking and haunting scene: In a drunken rage, Michael Henchard sells his wife and daughter to a visiting sailor at a local fair. Casterbridge that the masterful, coercive Mayor of the town was raptured and enervated by the genteel widow Mrs. Newson. The Mayor of Casterbridge, by Thomas Hardy, is part of the Barnes & Noble Classics series, which offers quality editions at affordable prices to the student and the general reader, including new scholarship, thoughtful design, and pages of carefully crafted extras. Irritated and drunken, an itinerant farm-worker sells his wife and child to a stranger. So heavy, sad and burdensome a life some people bear. A nineteenth century literary masterpiece, Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2018. A cruel joke at a country fair goes too far when a drunken laborer auctions off his wife and child to the highest bidder. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Sheesh!! It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. I read the book first and I really liked this adaptation of it. Henchard has a dark and shameful secret which occurs nearly 20 years before when he is then just a poor hay trusser. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 3, 2016. Normal English. Dover Publications has the most affordable editions available of the world's greatest literature — the lowest-priced choice for today's students, educators, and anyone who loves classic literature! Dickens, Trollope and George Eliot do not affect me in this way at all. I haven't read the book so I can't say if it was true to the book or not, but this was a gripping story and a very emotional one. The Mayor of Casterbridge. I haven't seen any other film version, but have read the book, and consider it one of my favorites, as well as one of Thomas Hardy's best. The Mayor of Casterbridge is a classic novel written by Thomas Hardy. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. It left my husband and I needing to discuss the questions the book raised, such as the problem of evil and where it starts. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism. Beware! As with Tess and Jude, the eponymous mayor of Casterbridge in this book takes one figurative beating after another. The novel was first published in 886 under the complete title The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character. I saw it many years ago starring Alan Bates as the Mayor but thought Cieran Hinds was superb and, though the Mayor was a pretty unpleasant person, he made him as sympathetic as he could. The novel is perfectly crafted, and a masterly evocation of Wessex. Even the momentary joys and reunions end up wrought with unexpected dismal twists and turn oppressive under his seething glare and jealousies. The Mayor of Casterbridge is one of Thomas Hardy’s novels set in Wessex County in Western England. I also really liked Ciarán Hinds as the mayor. I highly recommend this timeless work of fiction to anyone who is new to the writing of Thomas Hardy as well as those discovering him for the first time. The 5 major characters in this drama will hold your attention throughout as you watch how their lives intertwine and the tragedies unfold. The Trillium Classics people succeeded perfectly at formatting this classic novel for Kindle, so 5 stars for that. Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2004. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character is an 1886 novel by the English author Thomas Hardy. Very few movies do that and I recommend it, but its not for an evening of popcorn, chocolate and pink fluffy slippers on the sofa. A timeless classic for sure — this is probably my second favorite Thomas Hardy novel, behind only Jude the Obscure and probably just because I read Jude first. Michael Henchard is a young migrant farm laborer who works his way up to a position as a wealthy agricultural merchant and mayor of the town of … He overcame alcohol, poverty and homelessness to rise to the top of his community and know what wealth is----only to lose it all through an untempered hatred of anybody who succeeded more than him and an uncontrolled temper. They learn that Henchard is now the mayor of Casterbridge. Just when you think things might be starting to look up, when it seems he's found his footing and is turning his life around, Hardy says "nuh-uh" and throws another load of shit at him. Even when whole chapters are devoted to Donald Farfrae, Lucetta Templeman, Elizabeth-Jane, or some of the minor characters, Michael Henchard's strength of character lingers on each page like bass notes of impending doom. Wife selling happened occasionally in the Victorian Era, but it was far from common and generally frowned upon. Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2018. The Ring at Casterbridge was merely the local name of one of the finest Roman Amphitheatres, if not the very finest, remaining in Britain. Classic novel but deficient in understanding of God's world, Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2019. For some reason, this particular edition has been published in a very strange sort of mangled English. First published serially in 1886, the novel was praised by critics for its realism and poetic style. The book is one of Hardy's Wessex novels, all set in a fictional rustic England. The story centers on Michael Henchard, Mayor of Casterbridge. I enjoyed this version of The Mayor of Casterbridge, although it took me a second start watching it to truly connect and enjoy the ride. One of Hardy's Wessex novels, it is set in a fictional rural England with Casterbridge standing in for Dorchester in Dorset where the author spent his youth. Travelling or based outside United States? It is set in the fictional town of Casterbridge (based on the town of Dorchester in Dorset). I loved this movie. The Mayor of Casterbridge is one of Thomas Hardy's most unified works. Although a bit breathy and winding at times this work by Mr. Hardy delivers in the end through the many various plot twist and turns to leave the reader in the end feeling that the journey was well worth it. Thomas Hardy (1840 - 1928) The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) is a tragic novel by English author Thomas Hardy subtitled, "The Life and Death of a Man of Character". It is reasonably close to the original. 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