1 characters
1.1 michael henchard
1.2 donald farfrae
1.3 susan henchard (newson)
1.4 elizabeth-jane newson
1.5 lucetta templeman (lucette le sueur)
1.6 joshua jopp
1.7 richard newson
characters
michael henchard
the first of 2 mayors of casterbridge presented, michael henchard starts life poor journeyman hay-trusser. rises above humble beginnings become successful businessman, until secrets catch him , combine inherent character flaws bring him down. henchard belongs @ time working class, aspires genteel status. although literate, poorly educated, , not @ arithmetic or record-keeping aspect of business.
henchard physically strong , stands more 6 feet tall. twenty-one years old @ start of story, forty-two forty-three @ end, , described having dark hair , eyes.
henchard has impulsive temperament, although has tendency depression. tends take sudden liking, or sudden dislike, other people , can verbally aggressive when sober. henchard respected in casterbridge, having built strong business nothing, not liked, , when drinks, can abusive. indeed, 1 of reasons in business because, after sells wife , child, swears oath not touch alcohol twenty-one years. when decides farfrae enemy, wages economic war that, @ first, extremely one-sided. risk-taker, henchard lets personal grudge against farfrae in way of reasoning abilities. takes many risks, gambles aggressively, , loses credit, business, , of fortune.
henchard has softer, emotional side. shown through genuine love has elizabeth-jane; how cannot bring himself reveal farfrae fact lucetta wrote love letters reading out; fact gives food poor , provides abel whittle s mother. furthermore, guilt past leads him reunite susan though not love her.
donald farfrae
a scotsman named donald farfrae second character in novel becomes mayor of casterbridge. michael henchard s opposite in every way. physical opposites. whereas henchard tall, strong, , clumsy farfrae short, lithe, , coordinated. whereas henchard not well-educated, farfrae intelligent , informed scientific , business aspects of grain , corn industry. henchard aggressive , abrasive, farfrae gentle , likeable. henchard labourer, farfrae well-educated member of merchant class. in short, farfrae henchard love be, , loves pretend is. causes henchard admire , farfrae, leads jealousy , resentment.
donald farfrae arrives in town chance , passes along valuable technique improving wheat, saves henchard great deal of money , embarrassment. henchard prevails upon him stay in town, hiring him manager on head of man named jopp whom had made job offer. brings henchard s business date in terms of technology , business discipline, , charismatic enough far better manager , leader henchard himself.
farfrae takes interest in elizabeth-jane newson, @ time living henchard s stepdaughter. both mr. , mrs. henchard approve of match, until henchard s growing jealousy , resentment of farfrae cause him feel threatened. yet farfrae naïve realise henchard competing him. shows henchard quite unintentionally throwing better party henchard himself, , henchard fires him. afterwards, farfrae considers leaving town stays elizabeth-jane s sake until henchard tells him keep away her. henchard revokes order later, after reads susan s deathbed confession , realises elizabeth-jane not daughter, @ point farfrae attempts start courting elizabeth-jane again , distracted lucetta.
farfrae not realise competing henchard lucetta s attention, or lucetta woman former boss wooed, abandoned, , trying reclaim. farfrae marries , not learn of association henchard until after lucetta s first seizure. after lucetta s death , henchard s return bottle, followed return of captain newson, farfrae marries elizabeth-jane.
susan henchard (newson)
susan honest simple-minded woman who, young woman, married michael henchard sold (along baby girl elizabeth-jane) @ drunken auction sailor name of newson. believes there legally binding sale, , goes live newson wife. baby elizabeth-jane dies 3 months later, , susan has daughter newson whom names elizabeth-jane. second elizabeth-jane whom later passes off henchard s daughter.
after living years newson in canada, family of 3 returns england. 1 spring, newson (who believes wife having second thoughts validity of marriage) lost @ sea. impoverished widow newson returns elizabeth-jane, eighteen years old. susan has never told elizabeth-jane henchard or first marriage, , never told auction incident.
because has no way earn living, susan approaches henchard help. not correct assumption elizabeth-jane s father, nor tell auction incident. henchard sends gift of 5 guineas (the amount sold newson) , sets genteel new arrival town. courts , remarries her. not tell him truth elizabeth-jane until death year or 2 later, when writes deathbed confession , seals in envelope opened on elizabeth-jane s wedding day.
elizabeth-jane newson
about eighteen years old when , mother arrive in casterbridge, elizabeth-jane daughter of newson. sweet, innocent young woman ignorant of social graces required of mayor s stepdaughter. strives improve herself, reading , studying latin , geography. gradually transforms herself kind of sophisticated young lady henchard believes ought have daughter. when henchard alternates between doting on , verbally abusing her, never understands why, when henchard (mistakenly) reveals truth father was.
after mother s death accepts lucetta s invitation live companion or chaperone. develops feelings donald farfrae until lucetta attracts him away her, , disappointed while happy when reunited father newson (who turns out not lost after all) , marries farfrae.
lucetta templeman (lucette le sueur)
a native of island of jersey, francophone lucette le sueur daughter of military officer. lives nomadic life, , after death of parents takes lodging in boarding-house in jersey. there meets michael henchard, travelling on business , taken sick bout of severe depression. becomes infatuated him, , indulges affection him without regard appearances.
lucetta few years older elizabeth-jane , far more refined. speaks fluent french english, conceals knowledge of language because not want history in jersey become known. s impulsive, henchard, not spiteful or mean although lets money , status go head. after marries, slights henchard , puts on airs, alienating henchard , refusing jopp (an old acquaintance of hers) obtain employment.
exactly how far affair between lucetta , henchard went unclear. book suggests 2 of them have had sexual relations, ambiguous enough not offend sensibilities of 19th century readers. whatever happened enough lucetta s reputation irreparably tarnished solution leave jersey , change name. takes last name of deceased relative, templeman, , alters first name make sound more english.
it important notice scandal not have broken out if lucetta , henchard did walk, talk, or dine in boarding house. have had spend considerable amount of time alone together, or have had caught in compromising situation. in case henchard propose marriage, stating there risk first wife return. lucetta accepts proposal, 2 engaged. henchard returns casterbridge leaving lucetta bear full brunt of scandal until ready bring town, , writes him passionate letters on daily basis. of course, @ inopportune time susan arrives. henchard cancels engagement , sends lucetta substantial gift of money.
lucetta scheduled stop , pick love letters henchard, family emergency (specifically, death of living relative quite wealthy) intervenes. lucetta left substantial means. when learns of susan s death, moves casterbridge determine whether should pick association henchard left off. s agreeable match @ first, learns more henchard likes him less , rosy outlook , tendency rationalise away cruel treatment of others decreases on time. besides, s attracted donald farfrae instead.
given henchard married else, original engagement each other null , void. yet henchard, finds himself interested in lucetta particularly since has come money, bullies lucetta accepting proposal again. lucetta elopes farfrae, , incurs henchard s wrath. retrieves love letters, toys idea of exposing secret new husband, , sends love letters way of jopp, has reason hate both henchard , lucetta. love affair becomes public, , scandal contributes lucetta s death.
joshua jopp
a relatively minor character, jopp lived in jersey until henchard invited him casterbridge work new manager , corn-factor. hired henchard, subject interview never happened because henchard impulsively hired farfrae instead, leaving jopp without employment.
after being brushed off henchard, jopp unable find regular employment , gradually sinks poverty. henchard hires him after dismisses farfrae, thinking bring farfrae down through lawful means. jopp not manager farfrae , business collapses, leaving jopp out of work , henchard bankrupt.
when lucetta marries donald farfrae, jopp (who knew in jersey) asks her, old acquaintance, put in word him farfrae him find work. lucetta refuses reasons not clear, read reluctance keep potential blackmailer close or high-and-mighty refusal anybody. henchard time using jopp run errands, , charges him important task of returning lucetta s love letters, jopp decides publicly read first. instrumental in putting skimmington ride, public procession designed mock , humiliate people, publicise affair between henchard , lucetta hurt both. during skimmington ride pregnant lucetta suffers first seizure , becomes fatally ill.
richard newson
newson starts out sailor of indeterminate rank. have ready money, uses buy susan , elizabeth-jane @ beginning of book, , described in latter stages of book captain.
newson has light-coloured hair, trait elizabeth-jane shares , causes confusion henchard, since infant daughter had dark hair henchard s own. appears have been kind elizabeth-jane, loves him dearly. seems gullible, believing @ first marriage susan legally binding. when returns after susan s death looking elizabeth-jane, believes henchard tells him elizabeth-jane died too. doesn t daughter s grave, leaves town return, hopefully, once more. reunited elizabeth-jane.
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