The Return of the Native

‘She was at that modulating point between indifference and love, at the stage called having a fancy for. It occurs once in the history of the most gigantic passions, and it is a period when they are in the hands of the weakest will.‘ One of Thomas Hardy‘s most controversial yet highly regarded novels, The Return of the Native is a classic tragedy that uncompromisingly explores sexual politics, repressed desire and the hypocrisies of society. When the beautiful and restless Eustacia Vye dreams of escaping the rural village of Edgon Heath, the return of Clym Yeobright, a successful diamond merchant previously working in Paris, sparks hope. But with the opportunity of a new life comes reckless desire and ruin, as Eustacia and Clym find themselves bound by love, yet driven by ambition, grappling with the suffocating expectations thrust upon them by society. As jealousies flare and choices grow more impulsive, their small town becomes a hotbed of betrayal, misunderstanding and tragedy. As haunting as it is daring, The Return of the Native reveals how pride, superficiality and stubborn hearts can spiral into devastating loss. Thomas Hardy (1840 – 1928) was an English poet and novelist. Heavily influenced by the Romantic and Victorian Realist movements, his writing is characterised by evocative language, rich imagery and innovative narrative structures. Hardy was socially conscious and highly critical of Victorian society, often using his writing to depict the lives of people living in deprived rural areas of England.