Fate vs Free Will the Mayor of Casterbridge

447 Words2 Pages
Thomas Hardy, “The Mayor of Casterbridge”, illustrates the idea of a person's character determining their providence by introducing a relationship between the main character's character and the future and by implying coincidence when poor decisions are made. Hardy's purpose is to show that the protagonist is to fault for the serendipity that was tragically played out. This story probes the mind when thinking about the choice of fate vs. free will and the idea of comeuppance. The characters seem to have no complete control over their lives or the actions that contribute to their destiny. Fate is the predetermination of events beyond a person's control. The ancient Greek writer, Sophocles, suggests that while there are factors beyond mankind's control that we have the power to make choices that affect our destiny. In the text, it is said that “Character is fate”. A man is responsible for his own destiny, although there may be a scarce amount of outside forces acting beyond the control of an individual it is that person's actions and personality that shape the outcome of their lives. In the story, it is shown that Michael Henchard has several personality flaws, alcoholism and a “short fuse”, and flawed decisions such as selling his wife and daughter in a drunken rage, losing a relationship with his family, and leading a life of depression which causes him to not want to be acknowledged after his death. There is a direct relation between character and fate in the first chapter of the story. It is shown that the future mayor is an alcoholic with a bad temper. Disappointed with being married and having a family at a young age, he acts on impulse while intoxicated and sells his wife and young daughter for five guineas. The protagonist sealed his fate when under the combination of being emotionally unstable and being intoxicated, his emotions became too much to handle as
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