After selling his wife at a fair, Henchard swears an oath to abstain from alcohol as an act of atonement. Does this adequately address his actions? Why or why not? What would Henchard have needed to do to atone for his actions?

The Mayor of Casterbridge contains complex, sometimes contradictory depictions of fate. In your opinion, what is the true role of fate in the characters’ lives? Is fate separable from human action?

Why does Hardy parallel Henchard’s life with Farfrae? What truths about the town, the characters, or human nature does the contrast between the two men reveal?

How does Henchard’s relationship with Elizabeth-Jane evolve throughout the novel? How does their relationship illustrate the theme of forgiveness and atonement?

The people of Casterbridge organize a skimmity-ride to publicly shame Lucetta. What does she represent to them that they are seeking to destroy?

Pick two characters and describe their relationship to money. What does each character reveal about the meaning of money in The Mayor of Casterbridge?

Henchard’s fall from grace is swift and severe. To what extent is he the architect of his own downfall?

Why might Hardy have chosen to have the character representing Henchard’s potential for atonement, Abel Whittle, be such a minor character? How does his insignificance in the overall plot fit with the themes of the novel?

What moral lesson, if any, can we take from the fact that Henchard’s self-destructive behavior also harms the people around him? What is the relationship between personal emotion and social obligation in the novel?