In my continuing quest to broaden my knowledge of literature (see here and here), I recently read the elegant and convenient Oxford World's Classic volume of The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. The novel is famous for its scandalous beginning in which a traveling hay truser named Michael Henchard sells his wife to another man. The story then follows him from seeming redemption to ultimate downfall. It is a story of unbridled emotions, rivalry, betrayal, and tragedy. It may not be a page turner in the traditional sense but it is a fascinating portrait of human weakness and emotions.

In his introduction Rick Moody claims that The Mayor of Casterbridge is the first novel about alcoholism. In Moody's view Hardy didn't have the medical knowledge that we do today, but he was nevertheless describing the disease of alcolholism. Wether Moody's claim is true or not, it is certainly alcohol that gets Henchard into trouble in the first place. Traveling in search of work with his wife and young daughter he arrives in a large village on a fair day. Seeking out refreshments the wife steers him away from the ale and cider tent and toward the furmity (a "mixture of corn in the grain, flour, milk, raisins, currants, and what not") seller. Unfortunately, the old women serving the family was also selling liquor on the side. Henchard slyly figures this out and proceeds to get drunk on the concoction.

In a fit of bitterness and drunkenness Henchard begins to offer his wife for sale to the highest bidder. It is unclear at first if he means to go through with it or is just being a cruel drunk. But regardless of why he started down this road, he stubbornly continues to push the issue until it is too late. An out of town sailor steps forward and meets the bid (Henchard had even gone so far as to have an auctioneer in the tent ply his trade). The crowd watches dumbfounded as the sailor walks away with the wife and daughter. The drunken Henchard is left to sleep it off in the furmity tent.

With this emotionally powerful beginning the reader is pulled into the relationships Hardy charts for the rest of the novel. Henchard, after a rather quiet attempt to find his wife and daughter, vows to abstain from alcohol for twenty-one years and again sets out in search of work. He ends up in the town of Casterbridge where he rises from his lowly beginnings - the dark secret unknown to the town - to a position of respect and financial success in the community. In fact, the town council even votes him mayor for a term (hence the novel's title).