The Mayor of Casterbridge: Chapter 36 Summary & Analysis

As Lucetta arrives at home after her secret meeting with Henchard, Jopp stops her outside. He asks her to put in a good word for him with her husband, as Jopp hopes to be offered a position as Farfrae’s working partner. Lucetta says she knows nothing about the issue, and refuses to offer her help. Jopp points out that she knows he is trustworthy, as they knew each other slightly in Jersey. Lucetta still refuses his request.

Jopp returns to his cottage where Henchard asks him to do him a favor by delivering a package to Mrs. Farfrae. He says that he would take it himself, but does not wish to be seen at their house. Jopp agrees and Henchard retires to his own portion of the house. Jopp sits up and as he looks at the parcel he is supposed to deliver, he wonders about the connection between Henchard and Lucetta. He was aware in Jersey that there was some sort of connection between them. Inspired by Lucetta’s haughtiness to him, Jopp peeks in the end of the parcel and sees that it is full of letters.

Jopp leaves on foot to deliver the parcel and meets Mother Cuxsom and Nance Mockridge, who invite him for a drink in Mixen Lane. Mixen Lane constitutes the poorest part of Casterbridge, full of disease, decay, recklessness, and the lowest class of residents of the town. Mixen Lane is separated from the countryside by a brook, which resident poor folk cross by way of wooden plank bridges lowered by others from the town side. The inn and pub of Mixen Lane is the centrally located Peter’s Finger. The front door is always closed and patrons enter through a hidden side door in an alleyway.

Among the mixed company at Peter’s Finger, where Jopp and his companions arrive, is the furmity-woman, lately settled in that area. Charl tells an animated story about his fight with another man, Joe. The furmity-woman inquires about the parcel, which Jopp holds. Jopp replies that the parcel contains the love letters of a great woman in town, whom he would like to shame. Mother Cuxsom exclaims that they should read the love letters, and Jopp opens the parcel.

As the letters are read, the identities of the main players are revealed. The furmity-woman feels she has saved Lucetta from a bad marriage. Nance Mockridge says the letters are a good foundation for a skimmity-ride, a custom in Casterbridge for exposing scandals and shaming those involved.

A whistle is heard and Joe and Charl go to lower the bridge across the brook for a man who is arriving. In the process, they are hailed by a stranger, who asks whether this is the way to Casterbridge. Joe and Charl lower the bridge for this man as well. Seeing the inn, the stranger invites Joe and Charl back in for a bite to eat at his expense, as a thank you for their assistance.

In the light of the inn, the stranger is revealed to be more finely dressed than expected. Upon seeing the company at Peter’s Finger, the stranger seems uninterested in taking a room there for the night. He overhears the discussion of the skimmington-ride and asks what it is. He offers some money toward the proceedings, saying that he’ll be in Casterbridge for a while and that the skimmington-ride sounds like great entertainment. Having inquired the way into town, the stranger takes his leave.

The skimmington-ride having been planned, Jopp leaves, but does not deliver the letters that night, at the late hour. Jopp delivers the letters the next morning and Lucetta promptly burns them, grateful than no evidence of her unlucky situation with Henchard remains.