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The Return of the Native
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Plot Summary of The Return of the Native
"The tragic story of a handful of men and women who live on an isolated Heath in Victorian England. Love triangles ensue between the frustrated Eustacia Vye, discontent Damon Wildeve, naive Thomasin Yeobright, intelligent Clym Yeobright, possessive Mrs. Yeobright, and the shrewd Diggory Venn. Beautiful descriptions of the heathland (which is itself a central "character") by Hardy who carries this novel to a poetic and somewhat depressing close. "
Margaret, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Return of the Native
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book? - thoughtful
Time/era of story - 19th century
Romance/Romance Problems Yes
Kind of romance: - love triangle/polygon
Inside culture (main char) - British
Other aspects: - story of the poor
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Outside culture (society) - British
If story of urban/rural... - Small town life
Ethnic/regional/gender life Yes
Woman's story? Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - wealthy
Age: - 20's-30's
Eccentric/Mental Yes
Eccentric: - emotionally unstable
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - Female
Age: - 60's-90's
Profession/status: - homemaker
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - throughout most of the book.
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Average intelligence
Physique - physically sick

Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings? - 10 ()
Europe Yes
European country: - England/UK
Forest? Yes

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
Weird Victorian/Shakespearean English? Yes
Unusual Style: - No single main character?
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
Most similar books to The Return of the Native
The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
Dombey and Son by Charles Dickens
The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens


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Thomas Hardy Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Emily Pearce  

SCHOLARS:
JoJo  Salil  Jennifer Martin-Romme  Jennifer Wood  Angela Allan  Margaret  


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