The Mayor of Casterbridge
The Mayor of Casterbridge
1. Discuss the ways in which Hardy has raised awareness of social issues in the readers of The Mayor of Casterbridge.
The Mayor of Casterbridge written by Thomas Hardy in 1884/85 reflects upon the Progression of Modernism during the first half of the 19th century English society that was progressing in a difficult transition from a pre-industrial Britain to “modern” Victorian times. Much of the action and plot in Hardy’s novel The Mayor of Casterbridge takes place during the years surrounding 1846. These were the years in which traditionalists took their last stand before being defeated in the name of progress. Hardy undoubtedly and repeatedly illustrates in his novel the problems of everyday life and noticeably raises the awareness of social issues in the readers. The Mayor of Casterbride deals with social issues such as the industrialization, social classes within societies and communities, the self-destruction of individuals and portrays mankind’s flaws and the view upon woman.
The foremost contrast right through the novel is between the protagonist Michael Henchard, a man relying on the traditional way of life and the antagonist Donald Farfrae, a man intrigued by modern ideas. This illustrates the inevitability that progress and modernization will overcome tradition. The conflict of tradition versus modernization is highly visible through Henchard and Farfrae’s dissimilar approaches to business, their contrasting attitudes toward modernization and also their changing roles in the society of Casterbridge. The two men take extremely different approaches to bookkeeping, accounting, managing the employees and so forth of Henchard’s business. Henchard being a man of old-fashioned attitude and methods towards business; he is unable to write properly, thus leading to poor and unorganised kept financial records and relying upon his memory. Farfrae, however, is a young and bright chap who approaches business methodically and with
1. Discuss the ways in which Hardy has raised awareness of social issues in the readers of The Mayor of Casterbridge.
The Mayor of Casterbridge written by Thomas Hardy in 1884/85 reflects upon the Progression of Modernism during the first half of the 19th century English society that was progressing in a difficult transition from a pre-industrial Britain to “modern” Victorian times. Much of the action and plot in Hardy’s novel The Mayor of Casterbridge takes place during the years surrounding 1846. These were the years in which traditionalists took their last stand before being defeated in the name of progress. Hardy undoubtedly and repeatedly illustrates in his novel the problems of everyday life and noticeably raises the awareness of social issues in the readers. The Mayor of Casterbride deals with social issues such as the industrialization, social classes within societies and communities, the self-destruction of individuals and portrays mankind’s flaws and the view upon woman.
The foremost contrast right through the novel is between the protagonist Michael Henchard, a man relying on the traditional way of life and the antagonist Donald Farfrae, a man intrigued by modern ideas. This illustrates the inevitability that progress and modernization will overcome tradition. The conflict of tradition versus modernization is highly visible through Henchard and Farfrae’s dissimilar approaches to business, their contrasting attitudes toward modernization and also their changing roles in the society of Casterbridge. The two men take extremely different approaches to bookkeeping, accounting, managing the employees and so forth of Henchard’s business. Henchard being a man of old-fashioned attitude and methods towards business; he is unable to write properly, thus leading to poor and unorganised kept financial records and relying upon his memory. Farfrae, however, is a young and bright chap who approaches business methodically and with