Hardy: The Mayor of Casterbridge

In Thomas Hardy's classic novel, The Mayor of Casterbridge, Michael Henchard makes a devastating mistake at a fair, selling his wife and infant daughter in a drunken stupor. Soon filled with remorse, he vows to change his ways, transforming into a respected merchant and eventually becoming the town's mayor. However, as Henchard attempts to redeem himself, he discovers that his past choices continue to impact his future in unforeseen ways, intertwining themes of love and fate against a vividly depicted landscape.