Religion and The Mayor of Casterbridge: How a Lack of Religious Understanding Influences the Life of Michael Henchard Marianne Nahayo College

Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Casterbridge explores the existence of a man, Michael Henchard, who is constantly seeking the validation of others and failing to forgive himself for past mistakes. The text urges readers to think about Henchard’s experiences in relation to religion. Would he have had a more fulfilling life if he had adopted religion? Although there exist many religious organizations, it is important to acknowledge the common values that these religions preach such as love and forgiveness as being necessary for human beings to thrive. It is also important to remember that none of the characters in the novel is particularly religious. However, and specifically for Michael Henchard, \the overwhelming sense of hopelessness and unfulfillment he experiences in his life can be attributed to a lack of religion and the lack of religious values.

First, Michael Henchard leads an unfulfilling life because he is constantly seeking validation from outside and never from within. He is incapable of forgiving himself for his mistakes and yet craves the forgiveness of everyone else. For example, after Henchard sells his daughter and wife (14), he makes an oath in a church to quit drinking alcohol (18) because he realizes that being...