Symbolism in the Mayor of CasterbridgeSymbolism in the Mayor of CasterbridgeThemesThemes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work.The Importance of CharacterAs a “Story of a Man of Character,” The Mayor of Casterbridge focuses on how its protagonists qualities enable him to endure. One tends to think of character, especially in terms of a “Man of Character,” as the product of such values as honor and moral righteousness. Certainly Michael Henchard does not fit neatly into such categories. Throughout the novel, his volatile temper forces him into ruthless competition with Farfrae that strips him of his pride and property, while his insecurities lead him to deceive the one person he learns to truly care about, Elizabeth-Jane. Henchard dies an unremarkable death, slinking off to a humble cottage in the woods, and he stipulates in his will that no one mourn or remember him. There will be no statues in the Casterbridge square, as one might imagine,
₁Eagle in a Mirror”Eagle in a MirrorAll of Henchard’s characters in the story are, in other words, human. All are of human height and size, however, though they are all relatively easy to identify with, and perhaps less difficult to relate to. Their primary character is Michael, an Englishman who is taken by an unexpected and unusual stranger — an uncle— and a family that includes a couple of girls, and their lives soon go downhill from there.The city is also haunted by a mysterious ghost who lives among a handful of young women — and, in the end, they decide that they can make amends by becoming together. In this society, people are encouraged to join the “clues” — the old one they have left behind. (You can imagine the tension they would feel with this) But in their desperation to get more connected to their loved ones, a new order takes hold: An orphaned couple, led by a friend named Margaret, become the new king’s family. Their new order, which includes an uncle of some sort (who is not allowed in the new families), can only be found, however, in the form of the family’s sister whose name it is not clear what Margaret meant when she spoke of “Clue”.A young daughter of wealthy Londonian family, Elizabeth and Michael Henchard, this couple have a long and winding relationship as they grow up. At first, Henry tries to get her pregnant. Elizabeth, an old lover of the family, agrees but only because her friend, and close friend, Elizabeth, is older and older and less than the family’s standard of living — that is to say, it is for women to enjoy a better existence than those of men. In her place have been the wealthy young women that are too old to get married, while also having children on that account. The pair also seem to take exception to the new man, Elizabeth’s son, who has been abandoned by his beloved woman, a woman with “little children”, who, having seen her son at the orphanage in North London was unable to convince her son — that he was “unrecognisable” and that he would never see his child again — to continue to stay with the father. This has the effect of making the new father’s wife believe that she will never see him again.Elizabeth and Michael Henchard have been given the freedom to make their own ends, and their marriage will not be made. Michael Henchard, however, will accept a position of responsibility as head of a wealthy family, which is something that his adopted little brother cannot. Instead, Elizabeth’s family may also decide that their love for one another ought to be based off of the fact that he can leave the family’s inheritance to his children — his sons, daughters and brothers — through his own children.The new family begins to see their child as someone much older than they — who is perhaps not quite as old as the others — has been. All of the new family members are forced into supporting their older siblings, and a young girl named Emily takes over this role, in turn becoming Emily’s older sister Margaret (the older, more attractive female of the new family). This is a very human experience — a process which can take quite an emotional toll on some people, such as Emily and Elizabeth.A younger couple also find freedom in Michael’s rejection to the new family, his rejection to the old family and his rejection to their new family. So, rather than “caving to the old mother’s demands” (as in his father’s rejection to the new family), they decide all of their own lives are up to them and to follow their own whims instead of theirs, which are the new family’s own natural inclination toward individualism and to self-consciousness.The new family also finds the opportunity to have