The Return of the Native (Magill Book Reviews)
At a glance:
- Author: Thomas Hardy
- First Published: 1878
- Type of Work: Novel
- Genres: Long fiction, Domestic realism
- Subjects: Love or romance, Nature, Nineteenth century, Rural or country life, England or English people, Human behavior, Fate or fatalism
- Locales: Wessex, England, Egdon Heath, England
Thomas Hardy’s works reflect the impact of 19th century evolutionary thought and naturalistic doctrines. He saw man as an alien in an impersonal universe, at the mercy of environment, heredity, and blind chance. Most of his fiction poignantly presents tragic human situations, and thus Hardy earned a reputation for pessimism.
The theme of this novel reflects Hardy’s concept that human fate is shaped by accidents and natural forces over which there is no control. The heroine, Eustacia Vye, is a smoldering, unfulfilled girl who is motivated by a desperate desire to escape from...
[The entire page is 609 words long]
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