The Return of the Native

The Return of the Native Summary | Book 1 Summary

Book 1: Chapter 1 Summary

The Return of the Native takes place in Egdon Heath, a "vast tract of unenclosed wild." The stage is set in a gloomy, wind-battered area without many trees or other adornments of nature. The place is described as being "perfectly accordant with man's nature" it is neither extremely ugly nor common but entirely singular. Egdon Heath is elevated to a place of great importance in the narrative, and is therefore introduced almost as a character in itself.

Book 1: Chapter 2 Summary

An old man walks down the road (we later learn this to be Captain Vye) and a wagon approaches. Leading the van on foot is a reddleman (who is later introduces as Diggory Venn). His occupation is becoming obsolete but still used in these remote parts. He sells red dye for the sheep farmers. Because of working with the red dye, all his exposed skin and clothes have taken the same color. Both men are walking together in silence. Venn checks the inside of the wagon regularly. The captain enquires about it and Venn says that he is carrying a young lady that he picked up in Anglebury but does not reveal her identity. He stops to rest his horses and notices on the highest point of the heath a lone female figure, darting in and out of view like an "organic part of the entire motionless structure."

Book 1: Chapter 3 Summary

As the mysterious woman (whom we later learn is Eustacia Vye) disappears from sight, other local men and women appear in the same place she vacated. It is a day on which, according to local folklore, people build large bonfires in every village so that the night becomes illuminated with the light from these fires. The group includes a few characters that are named, and others that are not. Among the identified locals are Timothy Fairway, Grandfer Cantle and his son Christian Cantle, and Susan Nonsuch. The conversation goes on in the local dialect and centers on the wedding of Thomasin Yeobright and Damon Wildeve, which was to have taken place that day. The gossiping group mentions that the aunt and guardian of the bride, Mrs. Yeobright, were not in approval of the arrangement. They also mention that Mrs. Yeobright's son, and, therefore Thomasin's cousin is coming for a visit around Christmas - he lives in Paris and his name is Clym Yeobright. As the fires start to die down, only one nearby is still burning. It is in the direction of Mistover Knapp, where Eustacia Vye lives with her grandfather, Captain Vye. The group is singing folk tunes and dancing. They are startled by the appearance of the odd reddleman who seems to emerge from nowhere. He asks for directions to Blooms-End (where Thomasin lives with her aunt). After his exit, there is another arrival. This time it is Mrs. Yeobright (Thomasin's aunt). She is informed that the reddleman has inquired after her. She is on her way to Thomasin's new home where she is supposed to have returned after the wedding. Mrs. Yeobright asks one of the women, Olly Dowden, to walk with her. The locals tell her that they will be going to Thomasin's new home later as well, to offer a song to the newlyweds.

Book 1: Chapter 4 Summary

Along their walk, the two women have a conversation in which it becomes apparent that Mrs. Yeobright has changed her mind about her resistance to the marriage of her niece Thomasin to Damon Wildeve. She eventually gave the girl her consent. Olly goes a separate way; when they are near the destination, Mrs. Yeobright then comes across Diggory Venn, the reddleman, whom she recognizes since he grew up in the area. Diggory tells Mrs. Yeobright that Thomasin is asleep in the back of his wagon.

Book 1: Chapter 5 Summary

Thomasin informs her aunt that the marriage did not take place. She explains that while she and Damon Wildeve did go to Anglebury for this purpose, there was a difficulty with the marriage license, which had originally been issued for another location. On hearing this Thomasin had become very agitated and run away. She saw Diggory and asked him to give her a ride home. Mrs. Yeobright expressed her concern that this event will result in embarrassment for Thomasin and the whole family. She insists that they go see Wildeve right away. He runs the local inn, The Quiet Woman. He greets them and Mrs. Yeobright insists that they should get married, so he eventually agrees. He says it was a simple oversight on his part about the different location of the marriage license. Their exchange comes to a halt when the group of locals arrives to sing to the newlyweds. An awkward moment follows while the locals think that Thomasin and Wildeve are already married. Wildeve serves them free drinks and when they are done, they leave. Mrs. Yeobright and Thomasin leave through a back window. Damon, now alone, notices the fire that is still lit in the direction of Mistover Knapp, a little lower than Rainbarrow. He decides to go to "her" (we do not yet know that he means Eustacia).

Book 1: Chapter 6 Summary

After the locals leave, the woman returns to the almost extinct fire in Rainbarrow (the highest and therefore most visible point in the heath). It is very windy but the woman does not mind. She is looking through a telescope in the direction of the inn, and she sees there is still a light at the window. She then goes back down to her own fire. There she has a boy helping to keep the blaze going, Johnny Nonsuch. Eustacia Vye seems to be waiting for something or someone. She asks the boy to tell her should he hear a frog drop in the pond. We later learn hat this is a lover's signal - throwing a pebble in the pond to announce their arrival. When Johnny hears the sound, Eustacia asks the boy to leave. A few moments after, Wildeve arrives. Through their dialogue, we learn that they used to be lovers, but Wildeve has preferred Thomasin to Eustacia. However, Eustacia now learns that the marriage did not take place and believes that the reason is that Wildeve is still in love with her. They have a lover's argument because Eustacia wants Wildeve to confess that he still loves her more than his fiancée but Wildeve does not quite say it.

Book 1: Chapter 7 Summary

This chapter centers on the description of Eustacia Vye, the "raw material of a divinity." The author describes her striking physical beauty in detail; full figured, soft skin, thick long hair. Eustacia does not like the heath; in her brain, she had "juxtaposed ideas." She is a passionate woman but is not faithful just for fidelity's sake. Her parents died when she was a little girl and she was left in the care of her grandfather, a retired mariner, captain Vye. Ever since, she has lived in Egdon Heath hoping to find a way to escape from it.

Book 1: Chapter 8 Summary

After he leaves from Eustacia, little Johnny lingers unnoticed and is able to overhear the conversation between Eustacia and Wildeve. On his way back home, he comes across the reddleman, Diggory Vern. He is very scared by the appearance of Venn, and thinks him to be an apparition. When Diggory talks to the boy, Johnny tells him what he has overheard. In this way, Diggory becomes privy to the secret of the two lovers and understands the real reason of the failed marriage arrangements between Thomasin and Wildeve.

Book 1: Chapter 9 Summary

Diggory Venn resolves to confirm the information that Johnny delivered and find out for himself, so he hides to listen on another meeting between Eustacia Vye and Wildeve. The secret lover is playing it cool, reminding Eustacia that he still has the choice to marry Thomasin. However, in the end he asks her to come away with him. Diggory Venn listens to all this and remembers how he once asked Thomasin to marry him, and how she declined in a kind letter, trying not to hurt his feelings. Venn is still in love with Thomasin and vows to protect her reputation by making Wildeve fulfill his promise and marry her.

Book 1: Chapter 10 Summary

Diggory goes to Eustacia and tells her that he overheard the secret plans to run away with Damon Wildeve. He urges Eustacia to do the right thing and encourage Wildeve to follow through in his marriage promise to Thomasin. She rejects this idea, saying that she will do as she pleases. She does admit, however, that her love does not run deep and she would soon forget Wildeve was there a better man available. For the moment, however, she is determined not to give Wildeve up.

Book 1: Chapter 11 Summary

Mrs. Yeobright and Diggory Venn have a revealing conversation in which he tells her what he has learned and affirms that his offer of marriage to Thomasin is still standing. Mrs. Yeobright then goes to Wildeve and uses this information (without revealing who the suitor is) to impress upon Wildeve that there is a competitor for Thomasin's hand. With this, she intends to force Wildeve to go through with the wedding. Damon meets with Eustacia again, feeling jealous that there is another man vying for the love of Thomasin. When Eustacia learns that he may be discarded, she temporarily loses interest in him, viewing him as someone other person's second best. Later her grandfather informs Eustacia that Clym Yeobright is expected to arrive the following week.