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Book 4, Chapter 4
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
On a sweltering day in August, Mrs. Yeobright decides that she will pay Clym a visit. The walk to Clym and Eustacia’s place is long and hot, which is difficult for an older woman like Mrs. Yeobright. On her way to Clym’s house, she spots Clym out in the field, although she does not recognize him at first. She is shocked to learn that he has become a furze-cutter. This new revelation, along with the heat, makes Mrs. Yeobright stop and sit down. She looks at her son’s new house and thinks about how she will approach Clym and Eustacia after not seeing them for so long.
Egdon Heath can be a dangerous place (particularly for an older woman), even in the daytime. In this case, the sweltering heat exhausts Mrs. Yeobright, and it is a testament to how much she wants to see her son that she pushes through her exhaustion. Like Eustacia, Mrs. Yeobright cannot stomach the thought of her son being a furze-cutter, but she does not want to ruin their relationship completely by telling him so.
Themes
Literary Devices
