The Mayor of Casterbridge as a Novel of Series of Chances and Coincidences

In Hardy's novel chance and coincidence play very vital and dominating role in determining the destiny of the character. In his novel The Mayor of Casterbridge too, there are a series of chances and coincidences throughout the whole plot structure. He is guided by his fate in every step of his life. Selling his wife and daughter in his drunkenness, taking them by Richard Newson, successive establishment of Farfrae, Susan's death, naming the newly born child of Susan and Newson as Elizabeth-Jane, Henchard's failure in business, getting Susan and Elizabeth-Jane at Casterbridge, becoming the mayor of Casterbridge from a hay-trusser, coming to know the child as the sailor's daughter - all events of the novel are guided by the chances and coincidences.

It is a kind of coincidence that he drinks at Weydon-Priors and in his drunkenness, he sells his wife and daughter. This is very first and crucial coincidence which cause further ups and down in his whole life. The arrival of the person who is ready to buy the wife and child of Henchard has also been presented in a very coincidental manner.

Susan's return to Henchard after a period of eighteen years is a pure chance for Henchard. Her arrival coincides with Henchard's decision to marry Lucetta. The unexpected return of Susan upsets all Henchard's calculations and brings a series of misfortunes to him.

Henchard's effort to win Elizabeth-Jane's filial love almost coincides with his discovery that she is not his own daughter. Had not Henchard found Susan's letter, or if that letter had been properly sealed, he would have lived happily with Elizabeth-Jane, at least till her wedding-day.

It is a pure accident that Elizabeth-Jane and Lucetta meet for the first time in the churchyard. This accidental meeting leads to several complications afterwards. Lucetta engages Elizabeth-Jane as a companion, her motive being partly to attract Henchard to her house. Henchard on his part is now ready to marry Lucetta. But fate intervenes. Farfrae pays a visit to Lucetta's house in order to meet Elizabeth-Jane whom he wants to court with the object of marriage. It so happens that Elizabeth-Jane is at that particular moment not in the house, and Farfrae meets Lucetta just by chance. Lucetta has been expecting Henchard to visit her, but Farfrae turns up there instead. Far-reaching are the consequences of this coincidence. Lucetta would now like to marry Farfrae, not Henchard. Farfrae would like to marry Lucetta, not Elizabeth-Jane. Henchard who has lost Susan, Farfrae, and even Elizabeth-Jane, will now lose Lucetta also. Evidently fate is hostile to Henchard, and has played a trick upon him by sending Farfrae to Lucetta's house just when Elizabeth-Jane is away.

The appearance of the old furmity woman in Casterbridge is another accident. It was absolutely unforeseen that the furmity woman would one day disclose the secret of Henchard's early life. And, yet, perhaps the disclosure would not have come if the furmity woman had not been produced before Henchard for trial. The disclosure of Henchard's secret of his early life affects Henchard's reputation badly.

Newson's arrival in Casterbridge to claim his daughter Elizabeth-Jane is another unforeseen and accidental occurrence. It was the news of Newson's death that had made it possible and even necessary for Susan to return to Henchard. But Newson comes to claim his daughter just when Elizabeth-Jane is the only source of comfort that Henchard has got - in every other respect he is a ruined man. Newson's arrival in the town almost coincides with Henchard's new emotional attitude towards Elizabeth-Jane.

In this way there are so many coincidental events in the novel that plays vital role in the holistic plot development of the novel. Henchard has become the puppet of his own destiny. Everything goes beyond the control of Henchard during the whole life journey of Henchard. Henchard has been depicted as a helpless protagonist in the hands of chances and coincidences. All these coincidental forces have come from the outside world rather than the characters' own intentional commitment. Henchard always tried to maintain his power, prestige, glory and dignity, but after all he faced only the tragic end of his life. No doubt Henchard plays his part in his ruin, but the determining factor of the destiny of the character in Hardy's novel is only chances and coincidences.