The Return of the Native

"The Return of the Native" by Thomas Hardy is a novel set against the moody and untamed Egdon Heath, where the land itself greatly influences the lives of the characters. We meet Thomasin Yeobright, caught in a web of love, and Diggory Venn, the enigmatic reddleman who secretly loves her while navigating a difficult life. The story begins on a November evening as a possible ex-navy man meets the reddleman, notable for his red clothes and trade of carrying redding for sheep, who hints at a young woman in his van. Later, a group of locals, including Thomasin’s cousin Clym, are preparing for Guy Fawkes night. The story quickly reveals that Thomasin eloped but faces issues because of a mistake with the marriage, setting the stage to explore fate, social expectations, and personal desires in a rural world.