The Mayor Of Casterbridge As a Novel Of Series Of

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In Hardy's novel coincidence play very vital and dominating role in determining the destiny of character. In his novel The Mayor of casterbridge too there are series of coincidences throughout the whole plot structure. Michael Henchan, the protagonist is a laborious hero but everything goes beyond his control and at last he meets his tragic death in a very sympathetic mood. He is guided by his fate in every step of his life. The series of coincidences are started from beginning to the end of the novel. Selling his wife and daughter in his unconsciousness, taking them by Richard Newson, successive establishement of Farfrae, Susan's death, naming the newly born child of Susan and Sailor as Elizabethan Jane, Henchard's failure in business, getting Susan and Jane at Casterbridge, becoming the mayer of Casterbridge from a hay- trusser, knowing the child as sailor's daughter etc. all events of the novel are guided by the coincidences and fate in the novel. By filling the whole plot structure with so many coincidences Hardy imposes his philosophy of life. According to the life philosophy of Hardy, we do not have any free will, though we have we are manipulated by our fate or coincidences. This sort of philosophy is proved as true by presenting the protagonist of the novel, Michel Henchard as a victim of his own fate or coincidence. The very starting event of coincidence is his act of selling his wife and daughter in his unconsciousness. Before then selling his wife and daughter there is not any clues to say that Henchaed doesn't like his wife and daughter. By intentionally he doesnot want to sell his wife and daughter. So it is a kind of coincidence that he drinks there and in his drunkard mood he sells his wife and daughter unconsciously. This is very first and crucial coincidence which cause further ups and down in his whole life. Not only that the arrival of the
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