The Mayor of Casterbridge · Chapter
XXII explained
Henchard receives letters from Lucetta revealing she has moved to Casterbridge under the name Templeman after inheriting her aunt's fortune.
What happens
Henchard receives letters from Lucetta revealing she has moved to Casterbridge under the name Templeman after inheriting her aunt's fortune. She proposes renewing their relationship. Henchard, emotionally void after learning Elizabeth-Jane is not his daughter, becomes interested. He attempts to visit but is refused entry. Meanwhile, Lucetta, having arranged for Elizabeth-Jane to live with her, sends her on errands to clear the way for Henchard's visit, but when a visitor arrives, it is not Henchard.
Themes in this chapter
Deception and Truth
Lucetta conceals her identity and manipulates Elizabeth-Jane's presence to engineer a meeting with Henchard, while Henchard is deceived about Lucetta's true intentions.
Social Class and Reputation
Lucetta's inheritance elevates her social standing, making her more desirable to Henchard and prompting her to worry about her 'equivocal relation' to him.
Love and Marriage
Lucetta seeks to renew her marriage promise with Henchard, while Henchard's interest is rekindled by her newfound fortune and his own emotional void.
Characters to notice
- Michael Henchard
Receives letters from Lucetta, feels emotional void after learning Elizabeth-Jane is not his daughter, becomes interested in renewing their relationship, attempts to visit but is refused.
- Lucetta Templeman
Has moved to Casterbridge under the name Templeman after inheriting her aunt's fortune, writes to Henchard to renew their relationship, sends Elizabeth-Jane on errands to clear the way for Henchard's visit.
- Elizabeth-Jane Newson
Living with Lucetta, sent on errands to get her out of the house, saddened by Henchard's apparent dislike.
Key passages
“The self-repression, the resignation of her previous communication had vanished from her mood; she wrote with some of the natural lightness which had marked her in their early acquaintance.”
Her earlier letter had been restrained and resigned, but now she wrote with the easy, natural tone of their early days.
Describes the change in Lucetta's tone from resignation to lightness.
“His bitter disappointment at finding Elizabeth-Jane to be none of his, and himself a childless man, had left an emotional void in Henchard that he unconsciously craved to fill.”
Henchard's deep disappointment at discovering Elizabeth-Jane was not his daughter, and that he had no child, created an emotional emptiness he unconsciously wanted to fill.
Explains Henchard's emotional state and motivation for seeking connection with Lucetta.
“The excitement which these announcements produced in Henchard's gloomy soul was to him most pleasurable.”
The news brought a welcome excitement to Henchard's otherwise gloomy spirit.
Highlights Henchard's positive reaction to Lucetta's letters.