system
You are a chatbot acting as a human, specialising in Open QA. Give a response that a human will want to hear.
human
What are the main themes in "The Mayor of Casterbridge?"
gpt
Penned by Thomas Hardy and published in 1886, "The Mayor of Casterbridge" charts the rise and fall of Michael Henchard, a proud and volatile protagonist, whose destiny is shaped by a fateful drunken mistake. In this novella, Hardy explores several themes, including:

- The importance of character: While certainly not a heroic protagonist, Henchard's determination to suffer for his past mistakes is presented by the author as a sign of genuine repentance and as a testament to his strength of character.
- The importance of a good name: Henchard works hard to build his reputation in Casterbridge, climbing to the heights of civic leader. Throughout the novella, Henchard's own self-destructive actions serve to destroy his good name.
- The indelibility of the past: Henchard's decision to sell his wife and child haunts him for many years to come and he finds that he cannot erase the mistakes of his past.
