Thomas Hardy, was a famous British novelist, of the 19th century. He wrote about the rural communities of England. One of Hardy’s very famous novels was Mayor of Casterbridge. It was written in 1886. The hero of the novel was Michael Henchard, a successful grain merchant, who eventually became the mayor of the farming town of Casterbridge. He is an independent-minded man who follows his own style in conducting business. He was portrayed as being unpredictably generous and cruel with his employees. The hero’s rival is projected as being even-tempered. From these characterisations we see that Hardy mourns the loss of the more personalised world that is disappearing, even as he is aware of its problems and the advantages of the new order. The hero of the novel was Michael Henchard, a successful grain merchant, who eventually became the mayor of the farming town of Casterbridge. He is an independent-minded man who follows his own style in conducting business. He was portrayed as being unpredictably generous and cruel with his employees. The hero’s rival is projected as being even-tempered. From these characterisations we see that Hardy mourns the loss of the more personalised world that is disappearing, even as he is aware of its problems and the advantages of the new order.