FREE ESSAY ON RETURN OF THE NATIVE

RETURN OF THE NATIVE

The entire opening chapter of The Return of the Native is devoted to a lengthy description
of Egdon Heath, the setting of the novel. The heath must be significant in terms of the
themes and the continue progress of the novel. The author of the novel, Thomas Hardy,
made the heath so significant to the point that it can be look upon as a character like
any other in the novel. The heath's constant correlation with the plot and its
"personality" even transformed it into the major antagonist of the story. 
In the opening chapter the heath is introduced just as how a major character of most
novels would be introduced with detail. In fact, the way Hardy devoted the entire first
chapter just to describe it gives it the level of importance that is over any other
characters in the book. This seems to suggest that the heath is like the "ruler" of the
story, it is the King, and it is more powerful than any person is. The heath demonstrates
the idea that fate is more powerful than the desires of individuals. This theme can be
seems throughout the novel. The biggest effect of this theme is on Eustacia. The fact
that Clym delayed sending his letter to Eustacia, coupled with the fact that Captain Vye
unwittingly kept the letter from Eustacia until it was too late, suggests that perhaps
destiny is against her. It is under the downpour of the rain, on the rugged heath where
Eustacia laments her fate. Eustacia's own remark, "how destiny is against me!" (354) and
"I have been injured and blighted and crushed by things beyond my control!" (354) affirm
the existence of such a force, the power of fate. 
On Egdon Heath, night and darkness comes before its "astronomical hour" (11). This
presents the idea of Egdon Heath's unchangeable place in time. This early arrival of
darkness gives Egdon Heath a sense of gloom. Dominance of darkness is clearly ominous and
Hardy also says of the heath that it could "retard the dawn, sadden noon...and intensify
the opacity of a moonless midnight to a cause of shaking and dread" (11-12). It is also
inferred that the Heath itself creates the darkness "the heath exhaling darkness as
rapidly as the heavens precipitated it" (12). This description of the Heath gives it not
only a human like, but in fact, a monster-like quality. We see an image of a giant
creature of darkness breathing out darkness. The atmosphere or tone created here is
verging on evilness.
The Heath is as hostile as it is gloomy. The place is "full of a watchful
intentness...for when other things sank brooding to sleep the heath appeared slowly to
awake and listen" (12). The Heath is personified as some sort of nocturnal predator and
in the later progress of the novel, we see that the Heath is indeed hostile, perhaps
"indifferent" would be the appropriate adjective, to the characters. Mrs.Yeobright's
journey across the Heath after being turned away by Eustacia comes to mind. The
conditions of the Heath under which Mrs.Yeobright makes her journey is described as "a
torrid attack" (260) and "the sun had branded the whole heath with its mark" (260).
"Brand" suggests pain and possibly torture and we find this is not far from the truth
when Mrs.Yeobright makes her ill-fated return journey. 
However, the Heath is at its most hostile and cruel in darkness. It is in the middle of
the night that the climax of the tragedy is reached, as Eustacia commits suicide amid the
ferocity of the storm. In the opening chapter there is a forewarning of this, as we learn
of the Heath that "the storm was its lover and the wind its friend" (13). 
As mentioned before, it is appropriate to describe the Heath as 'indifferent'. There is a
feeling of helplessness that runs through the novel, as the characters fall prey to
chance or fate. The tone is ironic, because we are watching the actions of the characters
with superior knowledge. For instance, Clym's blaming himself for his mother's death is
ironical: he does not know the conditions responsible for it and he is unaware that his
mother did indeed call on him. It is possible to read this helplessness and irony as a
result of the Heath's indifference to the characters. It is also an intended theme: man
lives his life in a universe that is at least indifferent to him and may be hostile. The
opening chapter is without doubt the most significant in terms of showing this. 
The sub-title of the opening chapter, "A Face On Which Time Makes But Little Impression",
establishes the unchangeable nature of Egdon Heath directly. The Heath is said to be
eternally waiting and "unmoved" (12) in its "ancient permanence"(12). It is suggested
that the Heath's existence dates back even into times of legend-"its Titanic form"
(12)--and will last until the "final overthrow" (12), or Armageddon. Egdon Heath is as
indifferent to man as it is to time. It may even be hostile, as "Civilization was its
enemy" (12). In its "antique brown dress" (14) may be seen a "satire on human vanity in
clothes" (14). Even in its indifference the Heath is mocking towards humans. The Heath is
"inviolate" (15) and "even the trifling irregularities were not caused by pickaxe,
plough, or spade" (15). Man cannot change Egdon Heath for it is indifferent to man. Hardy
uses Egdon Heath as a portrayal of the larger scale of things, that is, the universe's
indifference to man.
Egdon Heath is treated as a character in the novel. It involves in everyday lives of its
inhabitant. It also has relationships with each character: some likes it, like Clym, some
wants to escape from it, like Eustacia. The relationship of Egdon Heath to the characters
greatly influenced out the plot of the story. It is because Hardy chose to use Egdon
Heath to carry out his themes. Overall, Egdon is portrayed as a member of the novel, not
just a setting. Its participation as the role of antagonist greatly carried out The
Return of the Native.