Chapter+Breakdown

** Chapter 1: Main characters Michael and Susan arrive at the Weydon Fair where Michael gets horribly drunk and sells off Susan and his child to the sailor Newson. Chapter 2: The morning after the fair, Michael wakes up and realizes the mistake he has made and vows to never drink for another 21 years. Chapter 3: Susan and the grown-up Elizabeth-Jane return to the Weydon Fair looking for Michael after the news of Newson's death, and run into the old furmity woman who sends them in the direction of Casterbridge. Chapter 4: Susan and Elizabeth-Jane arrive in Casterbridge where they overhear talk of Henchard's name and learn of the bad corn the town is dealing with. Chapter 5: Susan and Elizabeth Jane come across a crowd of people gathered to watch a dinner meeting with the Mayor, Michael Henchard, which has been called to order over the problems with the bad wheat. Chapter 6: A Scotchman overhears the discussions of the dinner party and sends an intriguing note to Michael who decides to find the youngman by following him to the Three Mariner's where he is staying. Chapter 7: While staying at the Three Mariner's as well, Susan eavesdrops on Michael and Farfrae's conversation in the next room, and hears of Farfrae's plans to travel to America even though Michael is offering him a position as manager at his business. Chapter 8: At the Three Mariners Elizabeth-Jane and Farfrae cross paths a few times and she starts to grow intrigued by Farfrae's actions and her feelings for him start to begin. Chapter 9: Susan sends Elizabeth-Jane to give Michael a message, but when she arrives at his house she finds Farfrae and the reader learns that Michael has persuaded Farfrae to stay and work for him as manager. Chapter 10: When Elizabeth gives Michael the message that his relative Susan is in town he sends Elizabeth back with a note asking to met her later that night, which she decides to do alone. Chapter 11: When Susan and Michael meet she tells him of Newson's death and he tells her that he doesn't drink alcohol anymore, they also decide it's best to approach a new marriage slowly in order to keep Elizabeth unaware of what happened at the fair many years ago. Chapter 12: Michael confines in Farfrae his current situation with Susan and also of a woman in Jersey who he had proposed to marry only if his past wife was dead and like a good friend, Farfrae helps Michael break off the engagement. Chapter 13: Michael and Susan's courtship plans are followed through with and the town is busy with news of the wedding that follows. Chapter 14: Susan and Elizabeth enjoy the luxuries of their new life with Michael and Michael's business begins to thrive under Farfrae's management, but one day Elizabeth and Farfrae are given similar notes to meet at the granary together, but don't know who sent them.. Chapter 15: Henchard & Farfrae have a quarrel over the punishment of a worker who shows up late to work everyday, they make up, but Michael regrets having revealed his darkest secret to the man. Chapter 16: Michael and Farfrae plan celebrations on the same day, but when it rains and nobody shows up to Michael's party but instead Farfrae's, Michael again feels threatened of his superior position so his answer is to fire Farfrae. Chapter 17: Farfrae begins his own business in Casterbridge which begins to grow very well, Michael now sees Farfrae as the enemy so he orders Elizabeth to break off ties with Farfrae, which she obeys. Chapter 18: Susan falls ill, but before she dies she writes a note to Michael with orders that it not to be read until Elizabeth’s wedding day, she also tells Elizabeth that it was her that wrote her and Farfrae the notes to meet together. Chapter 19: After Susan's death Michael decides to tell Elizabeth that he is her true father, not the sailor, but when he reads Susan's letter to him, he finds out that Elizabeth is indeed the sailor's daughter, however, he does not tell Elizabeth for fear it will traumatize her. Chapter 20: Michael grows bitter to Elizabeth and often insults her, he decides to write Farfrae in hopes to reunite the two and get rid of Elizabeth's presence, but first Elizabeth meets lady who invites her to live with herself which Elizabeth accepts. Chapter 21: When Elizabeth asks Michael if she can leave he does not object, however, when it is time for her to pack her things Michael regrets his decision, the reader also learns that the lady goes by Miss Templeman. Chapter 22: The reader finds out that Miss Templeman is actually Lucetta, the girl from Jersey, and that she wants Michael to visit her, but when she rejects his first visit he does not visit again for several days. Chapter 23: When Farfrae comes to visit Elizabeth, he stays several hours with Lucetta waiting for her, as they wait they watch the marketplace and see an unfortunate man and Farfrae decides to go out and help him, the act touches Lucetta and when Michael finally comes to see Lucetta she blows him off again. Chapter 24: Elizabeth becomes suspicious of Lucetta's relations with Michael and also learns that Lucetta likes Farfrae after Lucetta tells her of a "friend" who is seeking advice on a man. Chapter 25: Farfrae begins to call on Lucetta more often, and when Michael proposes to Lucetta she refuses by claiming that it is a charity proposal, not of true love. Chapter 26: Michael becomes suspicious of Farfrae and Lucetta's relationship; Michael also enlists a weather predictor to help his business, but when the prediction turn out to be false, Michael's business suffers and Farfrae's flourishes. Chapter 27: Michael’s business continues to suffer while Farfrae's strives, and one night Michael surprises Lucetta at her home and threatens to tell everyone of their past relationship unless she marries him, which she obliges to. Chapter 28: The furmity woman is put on trial for her behavior in Casterbridge when she confesses Michael's secret about selling his wife, and when the whole town gets wind of the news so does Lucetta who feels terrible for being promised to such a man, so she flees town for a bit. Chapter 29: Lucetta confesses to Michael that during the time she was away from town, that she and Farfrae were secretly married. Chapter 30: Lucetta breaks the news to Elizabeth of her marriage to Farfrae and even though she's allowed to stay, she begins to pack her belongings to move out. Chapter 31: Ever since the furmity woman told his secret, Michael's life continued to go down hill, he went bankrupt, auctioned everything that belonged to him and moved into a small cottage; meanwhile Farfrae bought Michael's business. Chapter 32: Michael's life continues on a roller coaster: he learns that Farfrae and Lucetta are moving into his house, but Farfrae offers him a room, he falls ill, but Elizabeth nurses him back to health when he gains a new outlook on life, but when he learns that Farfrae is a candidate for mayor he returns to his old moody ways and begins drinking again. Chapter 33: Michael falls into his old drinking habits and when working in the hay-yard Farfrae and Lucetta walk in where Michael talks to Lucetta with bitter sarcasm distancing him from her even more. Chapter 34: Farfrae remains unaware of the hatred Michael possesses to himself and remains kind to the man and also obtains the position as mayor, meanwhile Lucetta demands that Michael return the letters she sent him, but the letters are kept in the safe at his old house so when Michael stops by to claim them he's tempted to reveal Lucetta's secret but can't bring himself to ruin their marriage. Chapter 35: Lucetta is scared that her secret in the letters will be released to Farfrae so she asks Michael to send the letters to her, which he agrees to. Chapter 36: Michael has his friend Joshua Jopp deliver the letters to Lucetta, but when he stops by a local pub on his way to her house he reveals the love affair Lucetta and Michael used to share the people propose these events call for a skimmity-ride which they begin to plan. Chapter 37: Michael humiliates himself in front of the town by mocking a royal guest during he's welcome ceremony, where he is dragged away by Farfrae himself. Chapter 38: Michael decides to meet Farfrae and has a fight to the finish, but when Michael has the upper hand he cannot kill his old friend when memories of their earlier time together come rushing back. Chapter 39: The skimmity-ride is put under-way while Farfrae is out of town, but when Lucetta sees the spectacle is supposed to portray her and Henchard she suffers a seizure and they try to call on Farfrae. Chapter 40: After hearing of Lucetta's condition Michael decides to find Farfrae himself who does not believe the new, but when he does finally returns he stays up all night with her until the morning when she eventually passes away.
 * Chapter Breakdown

Chapter 41: Michael is startled by the arrival of Newson, but Michael turns him away by informing him that both Susan and Elizabeth Jane have died; Michael later feels the need to end his life by jumping into the river, but before he does, he sees the dummy from the skimmity-ride along the edge of the river which stops him from jumping. Chapter 42: Michael and Elizabeth are living happily owning a seed and root business, but when Michael spies on Farfrae and Elizabeth he realizes their intimacy when he sees them share a kiss. Chapter 43: Michael finds out of Newson's second return so he decides to unexpectedly depart from Casterbridge; later that day Elizabeth is reunited with her assumed dead father, but begins to despise Michael again for his deception. Chapter 44: Michael establishes himself in a town well away from Casterbridge but learns of Elizabeth's wedding date from travelers so he decides to visit her during the celebrations but is coldly received and decides to never return again. Chapter 45: When Elizabeth finds Michael’s wedding gift, a small bird which is now dead, she wishes to reconcile with him, but when she finds his residence he has already died and had left a will commanding that nobody morn his death.

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