Michael Henchard As a Man of Character
Michael Henchard, the central figure in Thomas Hardy’s novel The Mayor of Casterbridge, emerges as a complex and compelling character whose life unfolds against the backdrop of rural 19th-century England. Hardy has portrayed Henchard as a man of character, but his journey is fraught with both admirable virtues and tragic flaws.
From his initial act of impulsivity, selling his wife and child in a fit of drunken desperation, to his later rise to prominence as the mayor of Casterbridge, Henchard’s character undergoes a profound evolution. His strengths, such as determination and hard work, are juxtaposed with his weaknesses, notably a quick temper and a tendency toward self-destructive behavior. As readers delve into the narrative, they grapple with the question of whether Henchard’s actions are dictated by fate or the consequences of his own choices. This exploration of Michael Henchard as a man of character unfolds as a nuanced examination of human nature and the intricate interplay between one’s innate qualities and the external forces that shape one’s destiny.
AN EXCEPTIONAL PERSONALITY
The sub-title of the novel The Mayor of Casterbridge is ” A story of a man of character”. A man of character means a man of striking, outstanding qualities. Michael Henchard is not just any man. There is something distinctive about him which marks him off from other human beings. He is not a colourless man. A colourless man is one who does not or cannot assert himself. Such a man has no independent opinion or views of his own. He simply borrows opinions from others. But Michael Henchard is a force to be reckoned with. He makes his mark upon men and affairs. He has qualities which lift him above the level of average humanity.
A man of character is of course no embodiment of perfection. There are faults in him; but his faults are not so serious or morally objectionable as to lower him in our estimation. He is, on the whole, a good rather than a bad man. But he is an exceptional or extraordinary kind of man, with the element of goodness preponderant in him. It is in this sense that Michael Henchard is a man of character. The sub-title shows the importance which Hardy attaches to this man. This novel is the story of certain, other persons also Farfrae, Elizabeth-Jane, and Lucetta. But it is Michael Henchard who attracts our attention the most.
Henchard has a towering personality. The spot-light is throughout on him. He wins our sympathy, our regard, and our admiration despite his weaknesses and lapses. He is truly a hero.
STRENGTH, PHYSICAL AND MORAL
Strength is, indeed, the keynote of his character. He rises to his position as the mayor by sheer energy and strength. He has no pity for weakness and he admires strength in others who may possess it. His strength is especially seen in his keeping his vow not to drink for twenty-one years. When we recall that he was previously addicted to liquor, we really feel surprised at his giving up liquor altogether for such a long time.
He is also a man of his word. When he promises Lucetta that he will return her letters to her, he says: “Now don’t doubt me. I can keep my word.” Surely, he can keep his word. It is another matter that he sends the letters to her through the wrong man, and his mistake in trusting Jopp with those letters costs Lucetta her life. But he sends the letters to her with the best of intentions.
HONESTY AND FAIR PLAY
Henchard’s other distinguishing qualities are honesty, integrity, and a strong sense of justice and fairness When he decides to crush Farfrae, he makes it clear to Jopp that he wishes to do so by fair competition. Again, when he declares himself a bankrupt and his assets have been valued, he surrenders even his gold pocket-watch and his canvas money bag. Everything about Henchard is fair and above board. He shows his sense of justice also in receiving Susan back even though in doing so he has to give up his intention to marry Lucetta. Later, when Susan dies, he gets ready to marry Lucetta to whom he had pledged himself.
NO WEAKNESS FOR WOMEN
Henchard’s attitude towards the female sex also distinguishes him from ordinary men. A prosperous man like him would easily have become philanderer. But Henchard has no weakness for women. As he tells Farfrae, his attitude towards women is one of indifference. He cannot appreciate the feminine graces. He keeps aloof from women.
A MAN OF STRONG LIKES AND DISLIKES
The character of Henchard is distinguished also by his having strong likes and dislikes. He has taken a sudden fancy to Farfrae and insists upon Farfrae staying in Casterbridge.
“When a man takes my fancy, he takes it strong,” he says to Farfrae.
His affection for Elizabeth-Jane is even strong After discovering the fact that Elizabeth-Jane is not his daughter but the sailor’s, he does become indifferent to her for a certain period of time but afterwards his liking for her again becomes so strong that he cannot live without her. He has now begun to look upon Elizabeth-Jane as his very anchor in life. His heart would be empty if she leaves him, and he dies broken-hearted after learning that Elizabeth Jane no longer has any room for him in her heart.
At the same time, if Henchard is capable of strong likings, he is also capable of strong hatreds. His strong love for Farfrae afterwards changes into a burning, fierce hatred. His hatred is as intense as his love previously was. He now publicly declares his determination to destroy Farfrae. The Psalm which he forces the singers to sing at the inn clearly shows the intensity of Henchard’s hatred for the Scotchman. That Psalm opens thus:
“His seed shall orphans be, his wife
A widow plunged in grief;
His vagrant children beg their bread
Where none can give relief.”
When he has been publicly humiliated by Farfrae on the occasion of the visit of a royal personage, Henchard cannot control his wrath. He fights a sort of duel with Farfrae and is about to kill him, though at the last moment he relents and lets the Scotchman go. It is noteworthy that, in fighting with Farfrae, Henchard has tied one of his arms to his side so as not to have an undue advantage over Farfrae. The incident of the fight shows also Henchard’s essential generosity.
INCAPABLE OF CRUELTY
Henchard is incapable of any inhuman cruelty. His heart is sound, and he cannot deliberately inflict any cruelty upon anybody. At the last moment he changes his mind and abstains from revealing to Farfrae his past intimacy with Lucetta. Any other man would have gratified his desire for revenge by disclosing the name of the writer of those love-letters which Henchard reads out to Farfrae. This act of Henchard greatly raises him in our estimation.
HIS CONFESSION IN THE OPEN COURT
There is another incident which also shows Henchard’s remarkable character. When in the open court the furmity woman exposes the secret of his having sold his wife many years ago, another man in Henchard’s place would simply have denied the charge and would have got away with it But Henchard admits the charge. The disclosure of his past secret creates a sensation in the town and does great damage to his reputation, but Henchard is not sorry to have told the truth.
SOME OTHER TRAITS OF HENCHARD
There are certain other traits of his character which also deserve mention.
Henchard is a lover of music. Music has a regal power over him. When he is about to fight with Farfrae and is waiting for the Scotchman, he hears the Scotchman humming a tune and he feels unnerved, because it has the effect of softening him.
Hardy also describes Henchard as a man of moods, glooms, and superstitions. His moods are unpredictable and his temper is uncertain. As the author says, Henchard’s personal goodness was of a very fitful cast—an occasional almost oppressive generosity rather than a mild and constant kindness.
His general outlook on life is gloomy. He is a lonely man whom fate treats cruelly even though many of his misfortunes are due to his own mistakes. When he is leaving Casterbridge, he says to himself: I—Cain—go alone as I deserve, an outcast and a vagabond.”
A TRUE HERO WITH EXCEPTIONAL POWERS OF ENDURANCE
In spite of his weaknesses and faults, Henchard arouses our deepest sympathy when he dies, a broken and defeated man. He was impulsive, rash, and even reckless. Though essentially kind-hearted, he was often haughty and rough in his dealings with others. His jealousy of Farfrae and his subsequent hatred of the Scotchman do not do him any credit, and yet Henchard produces a powerful impression upon us. His very endurance of his misfortunes distinguishes him from others. As Hardy says, “misery taught him nothing but defiant endurance of it.”
Although he suffers terribly, he says to himself: “But my punishment is not greater than I can bear.” He is, indeed, a remarkable man, and his ultimate fate moves us greatly. He is truly a hero, and he not only dominates the novel but is an unforgettable individual.
Related Questions
Q: Hardy calls Michael Henchard “a man of character”. What does this expression mean and how far is it an apt description of Henchard?
Or
Q: Explain the meaning of the sab-title “A story of a man of character” used by Hardy for his novel The Mayor of Casterbridge.
Or
Q: Examine the character of Michael Henchard to show the secret of his appeal to us.
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