# XXVII explained — The Mayor of Casterbridge

> Chapter companion for The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy.

## What happens

Henchard pressures Lucetta into agreeing to marry him, while Elizabeth-Jane witnesses the coercion. A wagon accident involving Henchard's and Farfrae's men leads to a public altercation, and Lucetta and Elizabeth-Jane side with Farfrae's man. Henchard observes Lucetta secretly meeting Farfrae at night. Meanwhile, Farfrae's successful grain trading contrasts with Henchard's losses, and Henchard grows superstitious and paranoid.

## Themes in this chapter

### Pride and Fall

Henchard's pride leads him to force a marriage promise from Lucetta and to blame others for his misfortunes, while Farfrae's rise contrasts with Henchard's decline.

### Deception and Truth

Lucetta hides her true feelings and secret meeting with Farfrae; Henchard's superstitious suspicions reflect his self-deception about his own failures.

### Social Class and Reputation

The wagon accident reveals public siding with Farfrae over Henchard, and Henchard's loss of status is underscored by his man's crude remarks about Farfrae's appeal.

## Character check-ins

### Michael Henchard

Forces Lucetta to promise marriage; intervenes in a wagon fight; spies on Lucetta and Farfrae; broods over his financial losses and suspects supernatural interference.

### Lucetta Templeman

Agrees to marry Henchard under duress; witnesses the wagon accident and defends Farfrae's man; secretly meets Farfrae at night.

### Elizabeth-Jane Newson

Comforts Lucetta after Henchard's demand; also witnesses the wagon accident and sides with Farfrae's man; observes Lucetta's secret meeting.

### Donald Farfrae

Prospering in business while Henchard declines; his man is involved in the wagon collision; meets Lucetta secretly at night.

### Stubberd

The old constable who reports a case to Henchard and is told to guard the overturned hay wagon.

## Key lines

> I have, I have,” groaned Lucetta, her limbs hanging like fluid, from very misery and faintness. “Michael, please don’t argue it any more!”

Lucetta, in a state of utter misery and weakness, agrees to Henchard's demand and begs him to stop arguing.

_Lucetta's reluctant consent to marry Henchard under duress._

> I wonder if it can be that somebody has been roasting a waxen image of me, or stirring an unholy brew to confound me!

Henchard wonders if someone is using witchcraft against him to cause his misfortunes.

_Henchard's superstitious turn of mind in his depression._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_mayor_of_casterbridge_se/chapters/xxvii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_mayor_of_casterbridge_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_mayor_of_casterbridge_se/chapters