The Mayor of Casterbridge

Henchard becomes increasingly cold and distant from Elizabeth-Jane. He criticizes her behavior, including her rural accent and her handwriting. He does not like when she subordinates herself before their servants. When one of the servants mentions that she once worked in the Three Mariners, Henchard is appalled by the supposed damage to his “local repute and position” (98). He also receives news that he will not be made an alderman when his term as mayor comes to an end. Instead, Farfrae will have the seat on the town council. Rather than eat his meals with Elizabeth-Jane, he more frequently dines with the farmers in the restaurant of the hotel. Wondering whether Farfrae might help him by taking away Elizabeth-Jane, he writes to his rival, seemingly giving his blessing for Farfrae to resume his “courtship of Elizabeth-Jane” (100). For her part, Elizabeth-Jane is sad and confused at her adoptive father’s distance. She worries that he hates her because she is not educated. Unbeknown to him, she studies hard whenever she can. She also visits her mother’s burial site. At her mother’s grave, she meets an unfamiliar woman. The woman is charismatic, and she convinces Elizabeth-Jane to reveal everything about her past and her unhappy present. Elizabeth-Jane finds the stranger’s refusal to condemn anyone to be odd. When the stranger announces her plan to move to Casterbridge, she invites Elizabeth-Jane to stay with her, “partly as housekeeper, partly as companion” (102). Elizabeth-Jane is happy to accept her new role.

A new resident has moved into the luxurious High-Place Hall. The people in Casterbridge talk about who this unknown person might be. Elizabeth-Jane visits the hall, which she notes can be accessed in many ways but always in an inconspicuous manner. She is keen to move into the house with her new acquaintance. She hears footsteps approaching the house and hides; as such, neither Elizabeth-Jane nor Henchard knows that the other is present. Later, Elizabeth-Jane notices that Henchard treats her with “absolute indifference” rather than anger (105). She mentions the prospect of taking a job as a woman’s companion, hinting that this new role might help her education. Henchard is happy to agree. He is relieved that she will be out of his house. When Elizabeth-Jane meets the strange woman again, she learns that her name is Miss Templeman. She is invited to move into Miss Templeman’s home that evening. When Henchard discovers that Elizabeth-Jane will be leaving so soon, he tries to convince her to stay. He is surprised to see the “endeavors of her improvement” (107), all the small, hidden efforts she made to endear himself to him. She assures him that she will not be far away. She promises to return if he needs her. Henchard is surprised that she will live in High-Place Hall.

The reason Henchard visited High-Place Hall was because he received a letter from Lucetta, telling him that she was moving to Casterbridge. On arrival, however, he learns that the house’s new resident is named Miss Templeman. Since he had always known Lucetta’s surname to be Le Sueur, he is confused. Later, he receives another note from Lucetta. She reveals that she has taken the name Templeman from an aunt who has recently died and left Lucetta a sizeable inheritance. She plans to keep her identity secret. Henchard, learning about Lucetta’s newfound wealth, wonders whether he should rekindle their relationship. The relationship between Lucetta and Elizabeth-Jane amuses him, as he will now have a pretext to visit her. When he does visit, however, he is told that Lucetta is busy. Annoyed, he resolves not to visit for some time. A few days pass and he remains away from High-Place Hall. During this time, Lucetta and Elizabeth-Jane have developed their friendship. Lucetta tells Elizabeth-Jane about her life in Jersey, not including her relationship with Henchard. When she suspects that Henchard may be staying away because of Elizabeth-Jane, thus undermining her “ingenious scheme” (115), she sends Elizabeth-Jane to run some errands. She invites Henchard to visit but she is surprised when someone else turns up instead. 

The unexpected visitor is Farfrae. He wanted to see Elizabeth-Jane, having received a letter from Henchard permitting him to rekindle his relationship with her. Though they are initially embarrassed, Farfrae and Lucetta notice that they are immediately attracted to one another. They flirt to pass the time until they are interrupted by the sounds from an open window. In the street, someone is trying to seal a business deal. Farfrae feels compelled to intervene in the unfair transaction, so he rushes outside. He is concerned that a young man has been asked to give up his girlfriend to take a job far away. He does not believe that this is fair; he hires the man, so that they will “not be parted” (120). Lucetta is impressed. She finds Farfrae to be an honorable, decent man. Before he leaves, he agrees to visit her again. As he exits, he seems to have forgotten about Elizabeth-Jane. Henchard arrives a short time later. Now, however, Lucetta has lost interest in him. She complains of a headache, so Henchard leaves without meeting her. From now on, Lucetta tells herself, she will keep Elizabeth-Jane nearby as a “watch-dog” to ensure that Henchard does not visit (122).

Elizabeth-Jane and Lucetta spend their days waiting for the town’s Saturday market. They both hope to see Farfrae pass by. A brand-new agricultural invention excites the townspeople and the two women join the crowd to watch the seeding machine in action. In the crowd, they run into Henchard. Elizabeth-Jane introduces him to Lucetta before he mumbles something and then departs. As he leaves, Elizabeth-Jane hears him complaining quietly to Lucetta that she refused to meet with him. Elizabeth-Jane does not realize that they have a standing relationship. After Henchard leaves, they see Farfrae inspecting the new machine. He was the person who recommended that it be purchased, as he believes it will revolutionize the agriculture industry. Elizabeth-Jane begins to realize that Farfrae and Lucetta are falling in love. A few days later, Lucetta decides to tell the truth about her past to Elizabeth-Jane. However, she pretends that the events of her life happened to another woman. She asks Elizabeth-Jane what this poor fictional woman should do, now that this woman has fallen in love with another man. Elizabeth-Jane says that she “cannot answer” (128). She knows that Lucetta is talking about her own life.

Henchard and Farfrae separately visit Lucetta. When Farfrae visits, Lucetta insists that Elizabeth-Jane be in the room. Elizabeth-Jane can see that any love Farfrae once felt for her is now directed toward Lucetta. She stays as long as she can before politely excusing herself. Henchard is jealous of Lucetta as she refuses to see him. When she finally accepts his visit, he asks her to marry him. Lucetta delays her answer. Henchard leaves, not realizing that the lack of an answer was actually a rejection. He wonders whether there is another man in Lucetta’s life. He has no idea that she loves Farfrae. Elizabeth-Jane deals with Farfrae’s change in affection by telling herself that Lucetta is the more desirable woman. What she cannot understand is why Henchard is completely uninterested in her or her welfare. She cannot imagine what she has done to hurt her stepfather, so she reflects on a life in which she has been neglected by two men for very different reasons and in very different ways.

During a conversation with Farfrae, Henchard’s suspicion is lessened when Farfrae seems to have no idea that the “second woman” in Henchard’s past (133)—regarding whom he provided Henchard with advice—is Lucetta. Not long after, however, Henchard’s suspicions are confirmed when he has tea with Lucetta and Farfrae, though he does not have “a grain of proof” (134). Elizabeth-Jane watches the awkward meeting from afar. She considers them to be acting like silly children. Henchard reinvigorates his rivalry with Farfrae, hiring the man who originally applied for the position he awarded to the Scotsman. This new hire, Jopp, is instructed to “grind” Farfrae out of business by whatever means necessary (136). Jopp, who still resents Farfrae for stealing his job, is happy to oblige and mentions that he once lived in Jersey and remembers Henchard from that time. When Elizabeth-Jane mentions that she does not trust Jopp, Henchard dismisses her concerns. Searching for good news, he visits Mr. Fall. Mr. Fall is said to be “a forecaster or weather-prophet” (137). He believes that this year’s harvest season will be very wet. Henchard takes this forecast and invests heavily in the prospect of a rainy harvest. Instead, harvest season is bright and warm. Henchard loses a large amount of money and must mortgage his home to cover his speculative losses. He blames Jopp for this failure and fires him. Jopp vows to make Henchard as “sorry as a man can be” (140).

With grain prices low, Farfrae invests in the market. When the weather turns rainy, his investment pays off. Two hay wagons—one belonging to Henchard, one belonging to Farfrae—crash outside High-Place Hall. Asked to give a witness account, both Elizabeth-Jane and Lucetta claim that Henchard’s driver was “in the wrong” (142). Henchard arrives on the scene and tells the local police officer, Constable Stubberd, that he will take the case to court. Since the current mayor is away, Henchard offers to hear the case in his stead. He learns that there is only one other case pending, involving “an old flagrant female” (143). After he has calmed the scene, Henchard tries to visit Lucetta. She claims to be otherwise engaged. Henchard lurks in the shadows and sees Farfrae collect Lucetta. They share a walk through the fields, where the moon allows the townspeople to harvest the hay at night. Henchard follows Lucetta and Farfrae, to the point where he must hide himself when they seem to double back on themselves. He overhears them exchange vows of love. Feeling despondent, he slumps away back to High-Place Hall. He enters and waits for Lucetta to return. When she finally returns home, he threatens her reputation. If she does not marry him, he says, he will reveal the truth about their “intimacy” (146). Elizabeth-Jane is called as a witness when Lucetta is forced to agree to the proposal. Lucetta collapses and Elizabeth-Jane criticizes Henchard for forcing her into a marriage. He leaves and Elizabeth-Jane is struck by his strange power over Lucetta.