The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886) by Thomas Hardy tells the tragic story of Michael Henchard, a poor hay-trusser who, in a drunken fit, sells his wife and baby daughter to a sailor at a country fair. Ashamed, he swears off alcohol and rises to become the wealthy mayor of Casterbridge. Years later, his wife returns, and his past resurfaces. Through rivalry with the capable Scotsman Donald Farfrae, bad business decisions, and his own impulsive pride, Henchard loses everything—wealth, reputation, and love. Exploring fate, guilt, and character as destiny in rural Victorian England, the novel ends with Henchard's lonely death.
