The Mayor of Casterbridge

When 21 year-old hay-trusser Michael Henchard gets drunk and sells his wife and her baby for 5 guineas at Weydon-Priors Fair to a sailor, he reaches a turning-point in his life. He vows temperance, tries in vain to find his wife, applies himself to such an extant that he becomes a substantial businessman and Mayor of Casterbridge. But he never manages to escape his inner loneliness and his need to impose his will on others and command their total loyalty. The rich pageant of characters who create impact on his life include amongst others the too-brilliant Scotsman, Donald Farfrae, and three women – his rediscovered wife, Susan, his mistress and intended wife, Lucetta, and the girl who may be his daughter, Elizabeth-Jane.

Dorset Museum