‘I’d sell my partner if anyone would purchase her’: spouse product sales in England
‘I’d sell my partner if anyone would purchase her’: spouse product sales in England ‘For my component we don’t realise why guys who ‘ve got wives and want that is don’t, should not be rid of ‘em since these gipsy fellows do their old horses…Why shouldn’t they put ‘em up and offer ‘em by auction to guys who will be looking for such articles? Hey? Why, begad, I’d sell mine this full moment if anybody would purchase her!’ Therefore claims the young farm labourer Michael Henchard, in just one of probably the most arresting passages in Thomas Hardy’s 1886 novel The Mayor of Casterbridge. Close to the start of written guide, Michael gets drunk on rum-laced furmity (frumenty), and has now an argument along with his spouse, Susan.