Product Description

"The Mayor of Casterbridge" is conventionally understood as being indebted to the forms of tragedy. Following the intertwined fates of its various protagonists, Thomas Hardy's narrative weaves its various strands together as these lead inexorably to the ultimate downfall of Michael Henchard. The essays in this casebook showcase balanced evaluations of Hardy, from a variety of theoretically informed positions such as Marxism, feminism, phenomenology and psychoanalysis, as well as providing reassessments of the novel's structures and concerns. The introduction situates the novel in relation to the history of critical reception, of both Hardy's work in general and the novel in particular. In addition, it addresses the ways in which critical work on Hardy since the 1970s has sought to reassess the novelist, while complicating the reader's understanding and appreciation of Hardy.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2637997 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-19
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

Review
"Wonderful, comprehensive edition at reasonable cost to students. The chronology, maps, notes on text, and introduction by the talented Dale Kramer make this edition a great value for the money."--Bonnie W. Epstein, Plymouth State College

About the Author
JULIAN WOLFREYS is Associate Professor in the department of English at the University of Florida. He is series editor of the Transitions series.