“The Mayor Of Caster Bridge” Compare with “Beowulf”

Elements Found in Thomas Hardy’s Novel The Mayor Of Caster Bridge Compared to Elements Found in The Epic Poem Beowulf

There are several basics that can be found in a literature book when it is being analyzed. This is comprehensive of the setting of the book, which can either be geographical or historical setting, the character traits of the characters, the themes or the subject matter and the stylistic devices. The novel Mayor of Caster Bridge and the Epic poem Beowulf have got similarities and differences basing on the fundamental elements stated above.

Generally, the epic poem talks about the exceptional powers of the character Beowulf who possesses both ordinary human character traits as well as extraordinary powers. Grendel who is also the main character in the story was not approachable by all men in the story because he was attributed to eating human beings and he always attacked them when they were asleep. Many men had made an attempt to kill Grendel with no success not until Beowulf emerged as a winner whereby he was able to use unique tactics to kill Grendel. This made him famous because he was able to conquer the most feared creature which was not easy to many men (An analysis of the Epic Poem, Beowulf-The Superhuman powers of Beowulf).

Conversely, the novel of The Mayor of Caster Bridge is set in an imaginary town of Caster bridge and it entails the consequences of alcohol where Thomas Hardy under the influence of alcohol decides to public sale his wife and his daughter to a sailor. When he comes back to his sober state, he realized the mistake he had done but it was too late to get the family back and his actions make him promise himself never to take alcohol again (Hardy, pg.41).

The epic poet presents his characters the way they are without disguising them. The characters are in a position to indulge themselves in acts of courage for example when they try to kill Grandel a man feared by all like Beowulf who manages to kill monsters and dragons. Characters in the poem don’t talk to each other on a one on one basis but rather they deliver their speeches. The epic poet also uses flashbacks to communicate certain information. The epic poet is concerned with the moral choices that human beings make which is manifested in the way in which characters are able to perform courageous acts (Tolkien, 1936).

The Mayor of Casterbridge puts more emphasis on a person’s character (Draper, 1991). He says that the life people live later are influenced by a person’s character, for example, Henchard makes his situation worse when he lets jealousy and anger get control of him and he decides to sell his wife and his daughter and even to lie to Jane. Despite all this, he was able to realize his mistakes and decided to make it up to his family and to everybody whom he had wronged through his anger and jealousy. He even confessed that when he dies no one should mourn so that he can be subjected to the pain that he had caused to others (Story of a man of character). Therefore, the elements used in linguistic materials, all depend on the reason which might have motivated the author to write the material itself. The elements used in the linguistic materials will always differ from one material to another provided they communicate the information they intend to.

Work cited
Draper, Ronald P., ed. Hardy: the tragic novels: The return of the native; The mayor of Casterbridge; Tess of the dUrbervilles, Jude the Obscure: a casebook. MacMillan Publishing Company, 1991. Print.
Hardy, Thomas. The mayor of Casterbridge. Oxford University Press, 2004.Print.
Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel. Beowulf: the monsters and the critics. Vol. 18. London, 1936. Print.