The Mayor of Casterbridge

by

Thomas Hardy

Joshua Jopp Character Analysis

a man Henchard promised to hire as his manager, before offering the position to Farfrae instead. Jopp continues to live in Casterbridge, struggling and poor. Henchard hires Jopp after Farfrae leaves his employment. Despite Henchard’s past wrong, Jopp welcomes the man into his home when Henchard loses everything to his creditors. Jopp dislikes Lucetta, as she slighted him when he asked a favor of her. Therefore, when Henchard asks him to deliver Lucetta’s love letters back into her possession, Jopp willingly reveals their contents, prompting the skimmington that shames and sickens Lucetta before her eventual death, but saves Henchard’s life after he sees his own effigy.
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Joshua Jopp Character Timeline in The Mayor of Casterbridge

The timeline below shows where the character Joshua Jopp appears in The Mayor of Casterbridge. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 7
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Character Theme Icon
...sent the note at the Golden Crown. Henchard thinks the young man must be Joshua Jopp, a man who he planned to meet the next day and interview for the position... (full context)
Chapter 10
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
Loyalty to Duty and Commitments Theme Icon
Character Theme Icon
...Elizabeth-Jane, a newcomer enters and steps forward before Elizabeth-Jane. This newcomer introduces himself as Joshua Jopp, the man Henchard was supposed to interview that day for the position of his business... (full context)
Chapter 26
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Character Theme Icon
...he had originally considered for the position of his business manager before meeting Farfrae, Joshua Jopp. Jopp has remained in Casterbridge living in poor circumstances, and readily accepts the job. Jopp... (full context)
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
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Henchard tells Jopp that they must drive Farfrae out of business by fair competition. Jopp dislikes Farfrae for... (full context)
Humans and Nature Theme Icon
...bad weather seems to indicate a poor wheat crop that year, which favors Henchard and Jopp’s plan for driving Farfrae out of business. The farmers and the villagers of Casterbridge and... (full context)
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
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...has to go to the Casterbridge bank later that day. Leaving the bank, he sees Jopp who he shoves up against the wall, blaming the manager for bad advice and for... (full context)
Chapter 31
Familial and Romantic Love Theme Icon
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Character Theme Icon
...is sold as part of the process of paying his creditors and Henchard moves into Jopp’s small cottage by the Priory Mill, despite Jopp being the man whom Henchard had mistreated,... (full context)
Chapter 32
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
...backgrounds, who do not mind being seen by passersby in the middle of their misfortunes. Jopp often stood on this bridge after losing the position as Henchard’s manager. The second bridge... (full context)
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Henchard walks to the second bridge and is gazing into the water when Jopp arrives and greets him. Jopp tells Henchard that Lucetta and Farfrae have moved into their... (full context)
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Character Theme Icon
After Jopp leaves and Henchard remains at the bridge, a gig passes and Farfrae jumps out. He... (full context)
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
Familial and Romantic Love Theme Icon
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Character Theme Icon
Elizabeth-Jane hears that Henchard has fallen ill and she arrives at Jopp’s cottage. Despite Henchard’s initial protests that he does not want to see her, Elizabeth-Jane stays... (full context)
Chapter 36
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
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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... (full context)
Humans and Nature Theme Icon
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
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Jopp returns to his cottage where Henchard asks him to do him a favor by delivering... (full context)
Humans and Nature Theme Icon
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Jopp leaves on foot to deliver the parcel and meets Mother Cuxsom and Nance Mockridge, who... (full context)
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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... (full context)
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
The skimmington-ride having been planned, Jopp leaves, but does not deliver the letters that night, at the late hour. Jopp delivers... (full context)
Chapter 37
The Past and Forgiveness Theme Icon
Character Theme Icon
...to learn of the imminent nature of the plan for a skimmington-ride. At Peter’s Finger, Jopp says to the company that the event will occur that very night, so as to... (full context)
Chapter 38
Self-Destruction Theme Icon
Familial and Romantic Love Theme Icon
Character Theme Icon
...Lucetta deny to Mrs. Blowbody that he had ever helped Farfrae. Returning home, he meets Jopp. Jopp says that he too has been snubbed by Lucetta, and recounts his story of... (full context)
Chapter 39
Loyalty to Duty and Commitments Theme Icon
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...have disbanded and the perpetrators cannot be found. Mr. Grower speaks to Charl, Joe, and Jopp, but they claim they haven’t seen anything. (full context)
Chapter 40
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Henchard returns home to Jopp’s cottage. Jopp’s face is anxious as he mentions the bad news of Lucetta’s illness, but... (full context)