Genre

The Return of the Native

by Thomas Hardy

The Return of the Native: Genre 1 key example

Genre
Explanation and Analysis:

The Return of the Native belongs to several literary genres, as do most works by Thomas Hardy. Firstly, the novel is a canonical example of psychological realism. In this type of novel, an author delves into the inner thoughts, feelings, and motivations of their characters. They also pay close attention to the events of everyday life and the structures of interpersonal interactions. Hardy’s novels are famously full of local color, idioms, and the use of West Country English. These details bring the reader closer to the experiences people living at the time would have had.