Susan,+Lucetta+&+Newsome

__**Character Analysis** __- //Susan, Lucetta, and Newson// Home  Susan Henchard (Newson) **Foils** See Lucetta Templeman, "Foils" section. **Description** Susan is an honest, but simple-minded woman. She is also very loyal in everything that she does. For some reason she believes that the sale is legally binding and so she stays with Richard Newson until she thinks that he has been lost at sea. When she goes to look for Michael Henchard she is very prudent in her actions. She is worried that she might disrupt his life, so she is sure to be very careful when she asks to meet with him for the first time after the sale. She is not the most beautiful woman, for the most part her physical appearances matches her personality very well. At some angles, she seems to be attractive, but for the most part she has a very simple appearance. Even though she is very quiet most of the time, she does have her opinions and she is not afraid to share them when she feels that it is necessary. When Michael becomes very serious about selling her and Elizabeth-Jane, she makes it clear that she wants him to stop. When he doesn't, she seems like she is alright with the sale because she is so furious with her husband. She is very caring, especially towards her daughter. She realizes that if Elizabeth-Jane found out that Michael was not her real father, she would be in an incredible amount of pain. It is for that reason that she writes a note to her and tells her not to open it until her wedding day, assuming that by that time she will be able to handle the news better.

**Relationships** Susan is first married to Michael Henchard. They have a daughter together named Elizabeth-Jane. When Michael gets drunk he sells Susan and Elizabeth-Jane to a man named Richard Newson. Soon after Susan and Elizabeth-Jane go to live with Newson, Elizabeth-Jane dies. Susan and Newson have a daughter together and they decide to name her Elizabeth-Jane as well. Although the sale had no legal binding, Susan stays with Newson and moves to Canada with him until she believes that he has been lost at sea. She then goes with Elizabeth-Jane to Casterbridge where she finds Michael. She tells him that she is back and he chooses to start over with her and so they get married for the second time. Susan falls ill and dies soon after she is married to Michael. Susan remains very close with Elizabeth-Jane throughout the entire novel (while she is still alive). She cares about her and wants to make sure that she doesn't get hurt by the truth about her father and Susan and Michael's real relationship. She truly wants Elizabeth-Jane to be happy. Susan knows that Michael loves her because he feels that he has to and he feels so sorry for what he had done to her 18 years prior. Their relationship really isn't that strong, even the second time around. He doesn't mourn her for long because Lucetta comes to Casterbridge soon after Susan's death.

**Conflicts** Susan runs into some major conflicts throughout the novel. The first and most important conflict is the day at the fair when Michael gets drunk and tries to auction off his wife and his daughter. Susan thinks that her husband is joking, because he has pulled similar stunts before, but he soon becomes much more serious. She begs him to stop so that they can leave, but Michael refuses. He succeeds in selling his wife and child to Newson. Susan debates with herself and then decides to go with Newson who she lives with until she believes that he is dead. Then she runs into the conflict of finding Michael. She goes an finds the furmity lady who tells her that Michael is in Casterbridge. When she finds her way to Casterbridge she is forced to figure out how she can contact Michael without disrupting his entire life. She decides that writing him a note is best. They meet in a very discrete location and then discuss the best way to move forward. She then wrestles with how to handle Elizabeth-Jane. She decides not to tell Elizabeth-Jane about her relationship with Michael because she doesn't want to hurt her. When Susan falls ill, she writes Elizabeth-Jane the note that explains everything.

**Quotes** //"I wish that somebody would," she said firmly. "Her present owner is not at all to her liking!" Page 6//

Lucetta Templeman ** Foils ** Lucetta could be seen as a foil to Susan or even to Elizabeth-Jane. She is completely irrational in her pursuits of love. Susan and Elizabeth-Jane are both very prudent in their actions. When Lucetta and Michael were having the affair, Lucetta did a terrible job of keeping the scandal a secret. Susan, on the other hand, did a very good job of keeping the secrets of her past life with Michael when she first came to Casterbridge with Elizabeth-Jane. Lucetta and Susan both realize that their could be serious consequences for their actions, but only Susan takes them into consideration when making decisions. Lucetta continues to love whoever she wants to while Susan makes sure that nothing can go wrong if she takes things slow with Michael and manages to keep the truth from Elizabeth-Jane. Also, Lucetta seems very childish when she is compared to Susan. When she ignores Michael's requests to see her she does not seem proud, she seems petty. Susan, on the other hand, is seen as an adult. She takes the time to plan her actions and remains true and loyal. When Susan believed that the marriage between her and Newson was legitimate, she stayed with him. If Lucetta was put in the same situation, she would do whatever she felt like doing, because that's all that matters to her.

Lucetta is a very reckless and childish individual. She acts on her emotions and even though she understands many of the potential consequences for her actions, she doesn't give them a second thought when she is making her decisions. Her money and beauty get her very far in life. She is youthful and dramatic, and sassy, which attracts many of then men around her, like Michael Henchard and Donald Farfrae. Some many argue that she is a very intelligent and manipulative individul, while others may say that her success was a direct result of circumstance. If Susan and Elizabeth-Jane had never come into Michael's life, then she would have never come to Casterbridge. If Farfrae had never sent that note to Michael, she would never have met Farfrae and couldn't have fallen in love with him. And if she never came to Casterbridge and never fell in love with Farfrae the townspeople might not have made her the subject of the "skimmity-ride" that caused the seizure which caused her death.
 * Description **

Lucetta has an affair with Michael Henchard while she lives in Jersey. Soon after Michael ends the affair, Lucetta moves to High-Place Hall in Casterbridge to become closer to get away from all of the rumors and talk of her affair and to be closer to Henchard. She becomes ver close with Elizabeth-Jane because she asks her to live with her only a little while after meeting her. Their relationship seems a little odd because Elizabeth-Jane's "father" as well as the man that Elizabeth-Jane is especially fond of, Donald Farfrae, are both interested in Lucetta. Somehow they manage to avoid any confrontations about those matters. Her love and desire to be with Henchard fades very quickly after she meets Donald Farfrae. She starts to ignore Michael's requests to see her and accepts those of Farfrae. Their relationship comes to an end when the residents of Casterbridge find out about Lucetta's affair with Michael. She becomes the subject of a "skimmity-ride" and when she realizes this she is so shocked that she has an epileptic seizure and dies.
 * Relationships **

**Conflicts** Lucetta runs into a couple of conflicts throughout the novel. When she has the affair with Michael, she does a very terrible job at keeping it a secret from the rest of Jersey. Needless to say, everyone finds out about the scandal and Lucetta is heavily ridiculed. When Susan and Elizabeth-Jane come back into Michael's life, Michael chooses to end the affair with Lucetta. She decides to move out to Casterbridge to be closer to Michael, but then comes into contact and falls in love with Farfrae. Their relationship causes problems between Michael and Farfrae. When the furmity-woman has a revelation about Michael, and the entire town of Casterbridge finds out about his past and his affair with Lucetta, she is ridiculed yet again. She becomes the subject of a "skimmity-ride" and is so shocked and dismayed by what she sees that she has a seizure that causes her death.

**Quotes** // "As soon as I knew she was no more, it was brought home to me very forcibly by my conscience that I out to endeavor to disperse the shade which my étourderie flung over my name, by asking you to carry out your promise to me. I hope you are in the same mind." Page 106

"No, no. Let it all be." Page 144

"How can you be sorry when you deliberately cause it?" Page 181 //

Richard Newson **Foils** In many ways Newson foils Michael Henchard. Although Newson does not appear much in the novel, when he does, there is a lot be said about his character. Compared to Michael, Newson is much more aware of and thoughtful towards other people's feelings. When he sees how unhappy Susan is when she finds out that the sale was not legally binding, he pretends that he gets lost at sea so that she can go and live a happy life. When Newson hears that Susan has died, he comes looking for Elizabeth-Jane. He wants to take care of her and be a part of her life again. His deep sincerity and kindness is foiled by Michael's greediness and selfishness when he lies and says that Elizabeth-Jane is dead.

**Description** : Newson is the sailor who buys Susan and Elizabeth-Jane from Henchard. He is absent for the majority of the novel but there were a few descriptions of him throughout. When he first purchases Susan and Elizabeth-Jane he enters in a very mysterious way, but he is very cheerful when he is speaking to Susan. He tells her that she can bring Elizabeth-Jane, 'The more the merrier.' When he realizes that she is unhappy because she knows that their marriage is not legally binding, he does what he thinks will make Susan happy and will be best for his daughter. He returns to the country and when he finds out that Susan has passed away he wishes to see Elizabeth-Jane and get back into her life in any way that he can. He is very kind and believes Michael when he says that Elizabeth-Jane is dead, but quickly returns when he finds out that is not true. He gets into contact with her and she finds out the truth about her entire life. They are both very happy to be reunited.

**Relationships** Newson is not legally bound to Susan at all by the sale, even though Susan does change her last name from Henchard to Newson. He acted as the father to the first Elizabeth-Jane when she was alive. He is the biological father of the second Elizabeth-Jane. He cares very much for both of the women. He tried to give them the best life that he could when they lived together in Canada. The second that he saw how sad Susan was, he thought of ways to make her happy again that would provide a safe and stable home for Elizabeth-Jane at the same time. And ultimately, he was selfless and made a very sweet decision. He returns to see them when he feels the time is right and is very respectful to Michael when he comes to his home, even though he most certainly does not have to be.

**Conflicts** The main conflict that Newson runs into is what to do when he sees how unhappy Susan is when she finds out that the sale was not legally binding and she did not have to stay with him for as long as she did. He resolves this conflict after talking to a friend and deciding to pretend that he was drowned at sea so Susan could reunite with Michael. He runs in to another conflict when he returns from his journey abroad. He knows that Susan is dead and for a little while believes that Elizabeth-Jane is dead as well. He soon discovers that is not true and he sets out to find her once again. He tells her everything that she needs to know so that they can start over as father and daughter and lead happy lives.

**Quotes** //"Come along!" he said kindly. "The little one too - the more the merrier!" Page 8

"...I thought to myself; 'twill be most kindness to her, now she's taken against me, to let her believe me lost; for', I thought, 'while she supposes us both alive she'll be miserable; but if she thinks me dead she'll go back to him, and the child will have a home.' Page 212//