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Book 1, Chapter 5
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Return of the Native, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Humans vs. Nature
Modernity vs. Tradition
Class and Morality
Deception
Summary
Analysis
After the revelers depart to see the newlyweds, a woman walks up to what remains of their bonfire. It is the same woman whom Venn saw earlier. She is tall and “lady-like in her movements.” Unlike most women, she is not afraid to walk alone around the heath at night. As the wind blows around her, making a sound which almost sounds like music, the woman sighs. She is looking at the light coming from Wildeve’s, which is the cause of her frustration.
This scene mirrors the end of the previous chapter when Wildeve looks at the bonfire. Though it’s still unclear who this woman is, it’s obvious that her bonfire is indeed meant to summon Wildeve. It also seems clear that this woman often walks alone on the heath at night—something that nobody else who lives on the heath seems to do. There are rules to living on the heath if one wants to survive, and this woman—either out of arrogance or out of ignorance about these rules does not follow them.
Themes
Literary Devices
The woman turns away from the light to face the nearby bonfire. She uses the little light still left to find the hourglass she’s placed nearby. The hourglass has run its course; no sand remains in the top. When the woman sees that no sand remains in the top, she makes her way to the bonfire at the Vye property. Although it is a lengthy trip, the woman eventually arrives at her destination to find the fire still burning. Near the fire is a child named Johnny who is upset that she has left him to tend the fire alone in the dark. He refers to the woman as “Miss Eustacia.”
In this scene, the hourglass (an important symbol that also functions as a memento mori, or a reminder of death) points to the Eustacia’s relationship to time—she seems highly attuned to the passage of time. Also note: Eustacia has not lit her own fire, which implies that she considers herself to be above manual labor.
Themes
Shortly after Eustacia arrives at the bonfire, Captain Vye comes out and asks why she is still out and about. Eustacia tells him it is because Johnny is enjoying the fire and doesn’t want it to stop. After Captain Vye leaves, Eustacia gets Johnny to agree to tend to the fire just a little longer. Then, Johnny mentions that he’s heard the sound of a frog jumping into a pond. This animates Eustacia, who then gives Johnny money and tells him he can leave.
Eustacia’s explanation to Captain Vye, her grandfather, is clearly a lie. Johnny is annoyed that he is up so late and wants to go home. Eustacia’s reaction to Johnny’s mention of a frog jumping into a pond suggests that the noise is actually another signal, one that Wildeve has sent.
Themes
After Johnny’s departure, Eustacia meets up with Wildeve nearby. Though Eustacia is glad to see Wildeve, she is also angry with him. Wildeve used to pursue Eustacia in secret; the two of them were apparently in love. However, Eustacia is upset about Wildeve’s recent engagement to Thomasin and pretends that she is no longer interested in him. In response, Wildeve implies that he may give up Thomasin for Eustacia. Then Wildeve departs, leaving Eustacia alone with her thoughts. She still loves Wildeve, but she feels as though he is playing with her emotions.
Wildeve’s continued courting of Eustacia is one reason to suspect that his claims about the marriage license in earlier chapters may not be true. Additionally, his claim that he may give up Thomasin for Eustacia may not be true either. Both Wildeve and Eustacia are prone to sudden and significant mood shifts, making their conversations with each other volatile and full of deception. Additionally, Wildeve’s actions would’ve been considered highly scandalous and immoral to the novel’s repressed, Victorian audience.
Themes
Literary Devices
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