I've just finished this book, and your analysis has added so much to my interpretation of this book. You're a legend! Thank you for all this hard work you're doing. It's so enriching and illuminating!
Your review is brilliant. I am a big Hardy fan. Here is my favourite Hardy quote " There is no greater difference between any two men, than one man and his moods " When i read that i was hooked.
It’s my favourite book of all time. It’s a book that that pretty much explains all you need to know right up to the end. 👍 I agree it’s a book that is a moral lesson that is relevant even up to today. But it is also a great historical capture of the times, for the rural craft and trades. Some obsolete today. 👍
Just finished The Mayor of Casterbridge a couple days ago. This is really an underrated novel in my opinion. Having also read Tess of the d'Urbervilles & Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy has become one of my favorite authors. My compliments to Tristan for his "deep" analyses, as it provides so much more meaning to these novels than other's reviews on UA-cam which are typically basic/shallow/superficial. Reminds me of being back in college with the in-class discussions of literature we did, talking about symbolism, foreshadowing, etc. Love it!!
That was fascinating, thank you. I studied the Mayor of Casterbridge for my A level, back in 1980! Haven't looked at it since, but I really feel like revisiting it now, with these new insights. I love Hardy, even though he can be so depressing at times!!
It struck me somewhat too, Grace. I'd made a note in the margins as I was reading and then there were three references to the account which confirmed it for me. I wondered whether Hardy thought Saul was treated harshly.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 funny you should bring up if Hardy thought Saul was treated harshly as I have always seen his story as a warning lesson and a tragic one ... his downwards spiral and loss of everything punched me in the Gut... how sour and biting it must have been to see your kingdom and throne be given to another, younger and better because of envy and jealousy. A warning for all of us indeed.
@@GraceKugrena Hey! I really love how you caught the Saul and David references. I agree that Hardy must have use them to create a Parallel of a older man vs an younger man losing and gaining. I think it’s very easy to see God or the order of the universe treating Saul or Michael harshly. But I think we must remember the tragic flaw of both characters. Really, whether Hardy intends to or not, he gives a great flaw to most of his characters that destroys them. For Michael, it’s that he’s just mean. Like Saul, he begins with promise. He becomes the mayor, but when circumstances arise he allows his pride and jealousy to get in the way. Saul was caught in many complex situations where he would react with cruelty. And when he starts to feel wrong he wants people to forget it, or ignore it, so he could be king again. He shows this to everyone he meets, whether he is disobeying God or interacting with his own son. Just like Saul, Whenever Michael wants to do something right, he does it too late, doesn’t like people’s responses, or recants right afterwards. David and Donald are too similar, they are young, wiser and more loved by people is evident. But they also have their many trashy, low human moments. Difference is when it’s time for change they don’t continuously seek revenge, ignore, or treat others meanly. Again, Hardy has a cruel but beautiful world that almost can’t be compared. so I can’t always justify why everything hated his MCs in his story. I just think how the biggest regret with both Saul and Michael is that life never really chose them. but they use their mean actions to destroy even the smallest of good things in their lives that could change their outcome.
@@moodyreviews5498 I love the comment of how life didn’t really choose Michael and Saul and I agree. In fact I agree with all your comparisons, I feel like this is what makes the book so compelling and the character analysis is so well done, I feel like this is what a lot of modern books lack frankly
@@GraceKugrena Thanks. Out of all Tom Hardy’s works of fiction this was my favourite. I feel like Western fiction has potential but at times lacks depth. It’s all about what looks good on the big screen. It’s so bad that I’m actually reading more Eastern fiction now lol
Thanks for the excellent and insightful video. It was really helpful in thinking about how to understand the book. I just read the novel and it was striking how, especially in the second half, there are lots of references to Henchard being lonely. There are also a lot of references to his mental state, and no longer valuing himself as a person. It just goes to show what a great writer Hardy is, to produce a novel that can remain relevant to today's concerns about male loneliness and poor mental health, and the sad consequences of that.
This was a very good review Captain. I did not catch the birds when I read it for our classics club, I think I read too fast. I fell in love with Hardy's writing and I would like to reread this particular book and slow down and see what I catch. I just purchased a biography on Hardy and am looking forward to learning more about him. Hope you and the family are doing well.
I finished The Mayor of Casterbridge this morning. I loved your analysis and learned from it. Like the other three Hardy novels I have read this year, this one was disturbing to me. I do think that in those times especially and also today for some people there are limitations to what they can change in life for different reasons regardless of character. For example, Henchard's behavior in response to Farfrae's successes in areas so very personal to Henchard to me were somewhat typical for a person who had endured past disappointments and then surprisingly rose to a life of riches and position. Also, do you think that through his writing Hardy like some other 19th Century authors was trying to impress upon us how not to think, act and be? I loved your explaining the symbolism of the swallow and goldfinch to us.
This was my A level prose text (unfortunately in my view) and I just feel his writing style killed off what interest I managed to have in the story - Hardy is just too morose, pessimistic and fatalistic for me. I switched to the other choice we had and luckily I still got an A !
You mentioned “twists and turns” as this was a good thing. As I said in my comments, I felt I was being teased and jerked around. I’ve had too much of that with co workers to enjoy this in my casual reading at my old fart center. Forget that!
Wow! Thank you for this thorough look at one of my favorite novels of all time. This book convinced me Hardy was an Eastern mystic - a Yogi. Someday I will reread his novels and find all the evidence to support that. BTW, did you catch the Far From the Madding Crowd crossover in this? There is a scene where Henchard has a reckoning with farmer Everdene, Bathsheba's uncle, and young Boldwood. I imagine Bathsheba was just a little one at that time. 😅
Thank you Souad , that is a lovely compliment. Hardy writes some beautiful works. Please forgive me for not replying earlier, life as a father is quite busy. I really appreciate your taking the time to comment.😀
And Elizabeth even though he’s horrible to her after finding out he’s not her father, she was there for him but he didn’t know what he had and died a lonely old man. It is a form of karma. He’s literally despicable.
I don't believe that Henchard ever told Elizabeth Jane that he wasn't her father. She found that out from Newson when he returned. What chapter are you referring to?
Did most of the people in the 1800s know the symbolism of goldfinches and swallows? In other words, did people of that era get the symbolism whereas we didn't?
I’ve read about 4 Hardy novels. However with this novel I lost almost complete interest. The novel has this teasing style as the plot unfolded. It seemed Hardy was getting carried away with his brilliance. I wanted to get more to the point and focus. Then I felt the novel would digress into superficial relationship angles. I felt I was getting jerked around. I still haven’t finished novel. I fell asleep reading key plot details. Then, I would mistakenly turn 2 or 3 pages without realizing it. Now. I’m getting upset with the book. No. I would not recommend novel to anyone.
Thanks for this comment, Richard. I love it when people leave their opinions of a book and the reasons. I hope my mother doesn't see this comment, though, as Mayor of Casterbridge is her absolute favourite. 😅
Oh, Trisan you outdid yourself with this one! Thank you
Aw thanks Terri, its a really good book. Pleased you liked the vid.
I've just finished this book, and your analysis has added so much to my interpretation of this book. You're a legend! Thank you for all this hard work you're doing. It's so enriching and illuminating!
It realliy is an excellent book isn't it? I must read it again.
Your review is brilliant. I am a big Hardy fan. Here is my favourite Hardy quote " There is no greater difference between any two men, than one man and his moods " When i read that i was hooked.
It’s my favourite book of all time. It’s a book that that pretty much explains all you need to know right up to the end. 👍 I agree it’s a book that is a moral lesson that is relevant even up to today. But it is also a great historical capture of the times, for the rural craft and trades. Some obsolete today. 👍
Just finished The Mayor of Casterbridge a couple days ago. This is really an underrated novel in my opinion. Having also read Tess of the d'Urbervilles & Jude the Obscure, Thomas Hardy has become one of my favorite authors. My compliments to Tristan for his "deep" analyses, as it provides so much more meaning to these novels than other's reviews on UA-cam which are typically basic/shallow/superficial. Reminds me of being back in college with the in-class discussions of literature we did, talking about symbolism, foreshadowing, etc. Love it!!
That was fascinating, thank you. I studied the Mayor of Casterbridge for my A level, back in 1980! Haven't looked at it since, but I really feel like revisiting it now, with these new insights. I love Hardy, even though he can be so depressing at times!!
The comparison with David and Saul was perfect! Loved this review
It struck me somewhat too, Grace. I'd made a note in the margins as I was reading and then there were three references to the account which confirmed it for me. I wondered whether Hardy thought Saul was treated harshly.
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 funny you should bring up if Hardy thought Saul was treated harshly as I have always seen his story as a warning lesson and a tragic one ... his downwards spiral and loss of everything punched me in the Gut... how sour and biting it must have been to see your kingdom and throne be given to another, younger and better because of envy and jealousy. A warning for all of us indeed.
@@GraceKugrena Hey! I really love how you caught the Saul and David references. I agree that Hardy must have use them to create a Parallel of a older man vs an younger man losing and gaining. I think it’s very easy to see God or the order of the universe treating Saul or Michael harshly. But I think we must remember the tragic flaw of both characters. Really, whether Hardy intends to or not, he gives a great flaw to most of his characters that destroys them. For Michael, it’s that he’s just mean. Like Saul, he begins with promise. He becomes the mayor, but when circumstances arise he allows his pride and jealousy to get in the way. Saul was caught in many complex situations where he would react with cruelty. And when he starts to feel wrong he wants people to forget it, or ignore it, so he could be king again. He shows this to everyone he meets, whether he is disobeying God or interacting with his own son. Just like Saul, Whenever Michael wants to do something right, he does it too late, doesn’t like people’s responses, or recants right afterwards. David and Donald are too similar, they are young, wiser and more loved by people is evident. But they also have their many trashy, low human moments. Difference is when it’s time for change they don’t continuously seek revenge, ignore, or treat others meanly. Again, Hardy has a cruel but beautiful world that almost can’t be compared. so I can’t always justify why everything hated his MCs in his story. I just think how the biggest regret with both Saul and Michael is that life never really chose them. but they use their mean actions to destroy even the smallest of good things in their lives that could change their outcome.
@@moodyreviews5498 I love the comment of how life didn’t really choose Michael and Saul and I agree. In fact I agree with all your comparisons, I feel like this is what makes the book so compelling and the character analysis is so well done, I feel like this is what a lot of modern books lack frankly
@@GraceKugrena Thanks. Out of all Tom Hardy’s works of fiction this was my favourite. I feel like Western fiction has potential but at times lacks depth. It’s all about what looks good on the big screen. It’s so bad that I’m actually reading more Eastern fiction now lol
Excellent and thought provoking lesson. Just grand. Thanks, Tristan.
Thanks for the excellent and insightful video. It was really helpful in thinking about how to understand the book.
I just read the novel and it was striking how, especially in the second half, there are lots of references to Henchard being lonely. There are also a lot of references to his mental state, and no longer valuing himself as a person. It just goes to show what a great writer Hardy is, to produce a novel that can remain relevant to today's concerns about male loneliness and poor mental health, and the sad consequences of that.
Tomorrow's my English literature exam and this in-depth review really helped, thank you so much!
Oh I hope your exam goes very well. I'm sure you will be awesome. Good luck.😀👍
Same here 🤗
@@bellobisola9819 good luck with your exam.
This was a very good review Captain. I did not catch the birds when I read it for our classics club, I think I read too fast. I fell in love with Hardy's writing and I would like to reread this particular book and slow down and see what I catch. I just purchased a biography on Hardy and am looking forward to learning more about him. Hope you and the family are doing well.
Hey Mandy, hows it going?? Hardy's writing is a treat. I was thinking about getting a biography on him myself. Let me know how you get on.
I finished The Mayor of Casterbridge this morning. I loved your analysis and learned from it. Like the other three Hardy novels I have read this year, this one was disturbing to me. I do think that in those times especially and also today for some people there are limitations to what they can change in life for different reasons regardless of character. For example, Henchard's behavior in response to Farfrae's successes in areas so very personal to Henchard to me were somewhat typical for a person who had endured past disappointments and then surprisingly rose to a life of riches and position. Also, do you think that through his writing Hardy like some other 19th Century authors was trying to impress upon us how not to think, act and be? I loved your explaining the symbolism of the swallow and goldfinch to us.
I see it the other way around.
That by selling his wife he breaks whatever gate he had, and by her reappearence he adopts the guilt of fate.
An interesting perspective and quite true. There is an interplay on these ideas. A tragic circle like the snake swallowing it's own tail.
Thomas Hardy and John Steinbeck 🥰🧡💜
This was my A level prose text (unfortunately in my view) and I just feel his writing style killed off what interest I managed to have in the story - Hardy is just too morose, pessimistic and fatalistic for me. I switched to the other choice we had and luckily I still got an A !
Great synopsis! I also loved this book. There's a lot of depth to the book and many twists and turns which make it even more interesting!
You mentioned “twists and turns” as this was a good thing. As I said in my comments, I felt I was being teased and jerked around. I’ve had too much of that with co workers to enjoy this in my casual reading at my old fart center. Forget that!
Wow! Thank you for this thorough look at one of my favorite novels of all time. This book convinced me Hardy was an Eastern mystic - a Yogi. Someday I will reread his novels and find all the evidence to support that. BTW, did you catch the Far From the Madding Crowd crossover in this? There is a scene where Henchard has a reckoning with farmer Everdene, Bathsheba's uncle, and young Boldwood. I imagine Bathsheba was just a little one at that time. 😅
I did not catch that reference! Thank you so much.
Thank you that was so simple
Thank you Souad , that is a lovely compliment. Hardy writes some beautiful works. Please forgive me for not replying earlier, life as a father is quite busy. I really appreciate your taking the time to comment.😀
Love Thomas Hardy .On my list TBR. Thank you.
Hope you enjoy it! Let me know your thoughts.
Wonderful. Thank you.
"Character is fate. Character is another word for fate."
But, if one really is willing to change, character can be altered for good or bad.
I remember crying im chapter 1
And Elizabeth even though he’s horrible to her after finding out he’s not her father, she was there for him but he didn’t know what he had and died a lonely old man. It is a form of karma. He’s literally despicable.
Fabulous review, I thoroughly enjoyed that
Thanks mum 😊 I know its one of your favourites.
I don't believe that Henchard ever told Elizabeth Jane that he wasn't her father. She found that out from Newson when he returned. What chapter are you referring to?
That’s how book reviews should be
Thank you Ziad, this was such a kind comment. Really appreciate it.
If character is fate, what makes up character.
Good question. What would be your initial thoughts?
Did most of the people in the 1800s know the symbolism of goldfinches and swallows? In other words, did people of that era get the symbolism whereas we didn't?
Really good points!
Thank you.
You amazed me with this review!
Thank you so much. That's really kind of you.☺😀
Very nice sir. Love❤ from India🇮🇳
Thank you very much to you too sir. ❤ from UK
@@tristanandtheclassics6538 nice to talk you sir 🙏🙏🙏
👍great interpretation! Thank you. Subscribed.
I'm still figuring out if I feel bad for Hardy or if I think he was just fundamentally wrong in many things
I’ve read about 4 Hardy novels. However with this novel I lost almost complete interest. The novel has this teasing style as the plot unfolded. It seemed Hardy was getting carried away with his brilliance. I wanted to get more to the point and focus. Then I felt the novel would digress into superficial relationship angles. I felt I was getting jerked around. I still haven’t finished novel. I fell asleep reading key plot details. Then, I would mistakenly turn 2 or 3 pages without realizing it. Now. I’m getting upset with the book. No. I would not recommend novel to anyone.
Thanks for this comment, Richard. I love it when people leave their opinions of a book and the reasons. I hope my mother doesn't see this comment, though, as Mayor of Casterbridge is her absolute favourite. 😅