Humans vs. Nature
The Return of the Native is part of the Naturalism literary movement, which generally elevated and revered the natural world but also portrayed it as fearsome and immensely powerful. As such, the book’s setting, Egdon Heath, acts as a character in and of itself. Many passages, including the entire opening chapter of the novel, feature vivid descriptions of the heath. It’s vast and beautiful, and it demands the respect of those who live on it…
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Modernity vs. Tradition
There is a conflict staged in The Return of the Native between Egdon Heath and the modern world. Egdon Heath is described in the beginning of the novel as a timeless place that modernity has yet to touch, making it a rather unusual location. It’s a place that’s still steeped in history, as many of its inhabitants believe in old folklore and perform traditional work that some might view as antiquated. Venn, for example…
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Class and Morality
One’s occupation and class are crucial factors when considering marriage proposals on Egdon Heath. Much of the drama of the first half of the novel revolves around Mrs. Yeobright’s feelings that her son, Clym, and her niece, Thomasin, are not marrying people who are of a high enough social standing. Mrs. Yeobright’s displeasure with Thomasin and Wildeve’s marriage leads Wildeve back to Eustacia. Meanwhile, her problem with Clym and…
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Deception
Deception is an important feature of The Return of the Native, which sees several of its characters suffer the negative consequences of lies and deceit. In particular, Wildeve and Eustacia build their relationship on a faulty foundation. Both play with each other’s emotions and withhold how they truly feel: Wildeve refuses to let Eustacia know how he feels about her compared to Thomasin, and, in return, Eustacia doesn’t tell Wildeve that she still…
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