The Mayor of Casterbridge
The Mayor of Casterbridge, published in 1886, opens with a young hay-trusser, Michael Henchard, drunkenly selling his wife and child to a sailor at a country fair. Eighteen years later he is a prosperous corn merchant and mayor of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy's version of Dorchester, when the wife returns with a grown daughter. The novel follows Henchard's rivalry with the young Scotsman Donald Farfrae, whom he hires and then cannot bear, his dealings with the woman from Jersey who has a claim on him, and the slow working out of his old wrong through weather, markets and gossip. Hardy subtitled the book The Life and Death of a Man of Character, and Henchard is his most sustained tragic figure. The full text is available to read online in your browser on Vinteuil, and the first chapter is free.
Start reading right away, without signing up. The complete text is included in Vinteuil Reading, or yours forever with a one-time purchase.
Frequently asked questions about The Mayor of Casterbridge
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy can be read online on Vinteuil, directly in your browser. The first chapter is free for everyone; the complete book is included in Vinteuil Reading ($4.99/month or $39.99/year) or yours forever for $2.99.
Can I read The Mayor of Casterbridge online?
Yes. The Mayor of Casterbridge opens right on this page, in a reader designed for long reading: adjustable text size, light, sepia and dark themes, a clickable table of contents and your place saved when you are signed in. No download or app is needed.
Is The Mayor of Casterbridge free to read on Vinteuil?
The first chapter of The Mayor of Casterbridge is free, without an account. To read the whole book, either buy its online reading for $2.99 (£2.99 in the UK) and keep it forever, or subscribe to Vinteuil Reading for $4.99/month (£4.99/month in the UK) or $39.99/year, with 1 month free for new subscribers. The subscription opens every book in the library and can be cancelled at any time.
Is The Mayor of Casterbridge in the public domain?
Yes. The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy is a public-domain work. Vinteuil offers a carefully prepared digital edition made for comfortable reading on screen.
How long does it take to read The Mayor of Casterbridge?
About 7 h 41 min of reading, at an average reading pace. Your place is saved automatically when you are signed in, so you can read in several sittings and on several devices.
What kind of book is The Mayor of Casterbridge?
The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy is filed under "Fiction" in the Vinteuil library.
