Pessimism in The Mayor of Casterbidge

Thomas Hardy's novel The Mayor of Casterbridge is a story of tragic hero who from hay-trusser becomes the mayor of Casterbridge and dies again being a hay-trusser which obviously adds to pessimism. Moreover, the recurrence of coincidences and play of fate upon characters do reinforce pessimism. Likewise, the images and symbols such as dark places, rain, skimitty-ride, dead caged bird etc. all contribute to pessimism. In subtle study, setting, character portrayal etc. do indicate pessimism in the novel.

            When once ends where one had begun, everything whatever done in between loses significance nullifying importance of attempts made brings pessimism in one's life. Michael is seen as a hay-trusser at the beginning of the novel. After 18 years, he's shown to be the mayor of Casterbridge, a prestigious, famous, well-to-do, well mannered, popular or successful person. But when the novel ends, Michael dies a death of hay-trusser. In this way, Michael's journey ended where it began from. Whatever happened in between was as if just dreams dreamt in broad day-light or at least, they aren't pleasing, they are just traumas. On the other hand, Michael falls because of hubris. He didn’t' cause his fall consciously or because of vice. His fall was because of his excessive pride, jealousy, anger, ego etc. if he had fallen because of obvious vices, we wouldn't have sympathy over him. But he falls despite having so many virtues. In this way, his ending in the same place where he began and our sympathy towards him adds pessimism.

The novel is full of coincidences. From selling of Susan and Elizabeth to Michael's fall all are not planned, programmed or motivated. They just happen in the course of time. Susan and Elizabeth weren't sold and bought purposefully or with a plan. Had Newon not happened to be crossing through when people at furmity were joking with Susan's selling and buying it would have been just a joke. But it was a coincidence that Newson was crossing through he same way. Michael's becoming of mayor is also not planned but circumstantial. Farfrae's becoming of the manager is also coincidence as he overheard Michael's announcement of someone who could handle wheat and corn problems well when he was passing by the same way. There are a lot of such coincidences which signify that people don't have control over their lives. They are a lot of such coincidences which signify that people don't have control over their lives. And when life runs circumstantially, people become mere passive recipients, such a situation of human beings is really pessimistic.

The image of rain also adds to pessimism. The rain represents gloominess and tear. The rain on national day foreshadows Michael's ruin, gloominess and tear. The amphitheatre, where Michael and Susan met was also dark. The darkness foreshadows their dark future where Susan dies and Michael falls. Likewise, the dead caged bird symbolizes Michael's imprisonment in the cage of fate. He is guided by chances and coincidences. Just like the bird is caged and can't move freely so as Michael is caged by fate, chance and coincidences. He also can't move independently. In the same manner, skimmity-ride symbolizes public condemnation. Since the characters are highly deterministic, the condemnation brings pessimism in their life.