The Mayor of Casterbridge (1978)

Overview

Michael Henchard, a struggling hay-trusser, makes a tragic mistake when he drunkenly sells his wife and child to a sailor for five guineas at a fair. Moved by guilt, he vows to abstain from alcohol for twenty-one years. Through determination and hard work, he transforms his life, achieving wealth and the position of mayor in Casterbridge. However, the reappearance of his estranged wife and daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, eighteen years later brings turmoil, leading to a downward spiral in his once-thriving fortunes. Henchard's story unravels as he confronts the consequences of his past.