Sunday, June 15, 2003
JUST FINISHED: The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. Thomas Hardy was a bridge between the Victorian and the "modern" literary world, but if you asked somebody to name a Hardy book, The Mayor of Casterbridge probably wouldn't be their answer. That's a shame, because boy, was this ever a twisty story.
The scene is pre-industrial England, and a hay trusser named Michael Henchard has arrived at a city fair with his wife and newborn daughter. The evening ends in a bad way, as a drunken Henchard auctions both of them off to a sailor, and thinking the next day he'll never see either again swears off drink and promises to make something of himself. The scene jumps ahead 18 years; Henchard has settled in a nearby town, where he's the mayor and a successful businessman, when the family he though he had lost forever reappears in his life. He also takes on the managerial services of a bright young Scotsman with a good head for business.
With most people, this would be the happily-ever-after part, but Henchard is a man of mercurial moods, jealousies, and self-loathing, so there are no guarantees. While there are some who only have a grudging respect for this man, and others grow to actively hate him, Henchard's biggest enemy is Henchard.
At least one literary type has said he doesn't see how anybody can actually enjoy a Thomas Hardy novel, since Hardy was English lit's original downer. All I can say is that after a week of working my way through the first third in the down hours of an erratic schedule, I sat down with this book yesterday afternoon and didn't put it down until the last page. Maybe, as the commentary at the end says, there are a few too many dramatic coincidences for some people's comfort, but if you accept the premise of the first chapter, you'll probably hang with the rest. There are also lots of gorgeous descriptive passages--although you should be warned that a few of them run a bit long--that do a wonderful job in setting the time and the place, and that's where I think Hardy the poet and Hardy the storyteller come together best.
Also, for those of you who are wrestling fans, there is an action sequence. Don't panic.
One more note: some of the language used in Casterbridge is archaic enough that it might not be familiar. Barron's has posted an online glossary of the trickier parts to help you through.
The scene is pre-industrial England, and a hay trusser named Michael Henchard has arrived at a city fair with his wife and newborn daughter. The evening ends in a bad way, as a drunken Henchard auctions both of them off to a sailor, and thinking the next day he'll never see either again swears off drink and promises to make something of himself. The scene jumps ahead 18 years; Henchard has settled in a nearby town, where he's the mayor and a successful businessman, when the family he though he had lost forever reappears in his life. He also takes on the managerial services of a bright young Scotsman with a good head for business.
With most people, this would be the happily-ever-after part, but Henchard is a man of mercurial moods, jealousies, and self-loathing, so there are no guarantees. While there are some who only have a grudging respect for this man, and others grow to actively hate him, Henchard's biggest enemy is Henchard.
At least one literary type has said he doesn't see how anybody can actually enjoy a Thomas Hardy novel, since Hardy was English lit's original downer. All I can say is that after a week of working my way through the first third in the down hours of an erratic schedule, I sat down with this book yesterday afternoon and didn't put it down until the last page. Maybe, as the commentary at the end says, there are a few too many dramatic coincidences for some people's comfort, but if you accept the premise of the first chapter, you'll probably hang with the rest. There are also lots of gorgeous descriptive passages--although you should be warned that a few of them run a bit long--that do a wonderful job in setting the time and the place, and that's where I think Hardy the poet and Hardy the storyteller come together best.
Also, for those of you who are wrestling fans, there is an action sequence. Don't panic.
One more note: some of the language used in Casterbridge is archaic enough that it might not be familiar. Barron's has posted an online glossary of the trickier parts to help you through.
|| Eric 3:41 PM#
