The Mayor of Casterbridge

Michael Henchard, respected citizen, successful corn-merchant and Mayor of Casterbridge, has striven to shake off his tainted past.

But years of industry, abstinence and application cannot save him from his own history.

The flaws that mar his great spirit serve only to drag him back into the mire of drink and despair.

In depicting such a man, Hardy demonstrates profound psychological understanding, deeply rooted in his native Dorset.