![]() ![]() He's wealthy now and has even been elected Mayor of the town. When they arrive in Casterbridge, they find that Henchard has worked his way up from a lowly hay harvester to a hay and grain merchant. Newson, since she thought that her marriage was actually legally transferred to Newson) has decided that it's only right to return to her first husband to see if he can do anything for Elizabeth-Jane. ![]() The sailor, whose name was Newson, has died, and Susan (who now calls herself Mrs. Susan and her daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, are traveling to Casterbridge to track down Michael Henchard. He settles down in the town of Casterbridge. After several months, he learns that the sailor has probably taken Susan and Elizabeth-Jane to North America, and he gives up hope of ever finding them. He swears a solemn oath not to drink any more alcohol for twenty years. When Henchard wakes up sober and sorry, he tries to trace his wife and daughter. Susan thinks it's a binding arrangement and that she now legally belongs to the sailor, so she takes the baby and leaves. He isn't entirely serious, but when a sailor offers five guineas (a lot of money to a poor man back then), Henchard takes it. He offers to sell his wife and daughter to the highest bidder. ![]() They stop for supper and Henchard gets totally drunk on rum. The novel opens with Michael Henchard and his wife, Susan, traveling through the country with their baby daughter, Elizabeth-Jane. ![]()
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