Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Return of the Native, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Humans vs. Nature
Modernity vs. Tradition
Class and Morality
Deception
Summary
Analysis
Mrs. Yeobright does not attend Clym’s wedding. Instead, she spends the day at home, sad and alone. Before long, Wildeve stops by because he heard there is something for Thomasin that needs to be picked up. Immediately, Mrs. Yeobright is skeptical of Wildeve. She thinks Wildeve may know about Thomasin’s money and means to claim it for himself. As such, she tells Wildeve that she will give it to Thomasin later. Wildeve finds this strange but does not put too much stock into it.
Again, Mrs. Yeobright fails to place any faith in Wildeve. Although this is not overly concerning to Wildeve in the moment, it will have repercussions later in the novel.
Themes
After Wildeve’s departure, Mrs. Yeobright contemplates the best way to send Thomasin the money without Wildeve’s knowledge. She decides that it would make the most sense to have Christian deliver it. Additionally, she decides to give Clym his part of the inheritance as a wedding gift. She gives the money to Christian and tells him her plan. Christian agrees to deliver the money and sets off to do so. On his way to Thomasin, he comes across some of the locals, including Fairway, who convince him to come to Wildeve’s inn with them.
Mrs. Yeobright’s decision to trust Christian over Wildeve immediately backfires as it seems that Christian and Wildeve are bound to run into each other. Evidently, Mrs. Yeobright’s decision to distrust Wildeve is not merely class-based—after all, Christian is not well off—it is character-based, as well.
Themes
Christian arrives at the Quiet Woman Inn with the others, and they convince him to gamble. He manages to win some money and insists on keeping the dice that led him to victory. After, Christian briefly speaks to Wildeve and implies that he has money to give to Thomasin. Wildeve realizes that the money is what Mrs. Yeobright refused to give him. He is annoyed that she doesn’t trust him enough to give him Thomasin’s inheritance and starts to plot his revenge.
Christian’s involvement in gambling cannot go anywhere good, seeing as he possesses a large sum of money that is not his. Meanwhile, although Wildeve is far from the most sympathetic character in the novel, his anger at Mrs. Yeobright is not unwarranted. As far as he’s concerned, he’s done nothing to make Mrs. Yeobright think that he would withhold money from Thomasin.
Themes
Wildeve follows Christian from the inn and talks him into gambling some more. He tells Christian that the money he is gambling with belongs to Wildeve anyway, so it won’t be a big deal if he loses. Christian accepts the offer and slowly loses all of Thomasin’s money. He becomes addicted to the game and starts using Clym’s money, as well. Wildeve is unaware that some of the money belongs to Clym and continues with the game. Eventually, Christian loses all of the money that Mrs. Yeobright gave to him and then flees in shame. However, just as Christian departs, Venn shows up.
Wildeve’s scheme is clear; he wants to take the money in Christian’s possession to teach Mrs. Yeobright a lesson. Indeed, he succeeds in getting the money, but Venn’s sudden appearance suggests that he may not keep it for long.
Themes
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