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The Return of the Native
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Return of the Native Hardy Week 1 - Buddy Read Book 1
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Michaela
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Nov 29, 2020 10:39AM
We´ll do a buddy read of The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy, starting next Saturday, December 5th, and reading one of the six books this novel consists of every week, so six weeks till January, 17th, 2021. Please join in whenever you want and enjoy! :)
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Thank you - I’m looking forward to this read.
Thank you for breaking it up Michaela, it’s so much easier to have a group discussion that way, especially for a longer one.I’m looking forward!
Thanks, Michaela. TROTN is my favorite Hardy novel! It'll be a treat.
I won't be reading this with you because I've read it twice. You are in for a treat!
I'm glad I stumbled on this thread; I'm in!
Glad you´ll join us Daniel! :)
I would like to join, but I can’t join so soon. So I will follow your discussion and perhaps read on my own schedule. Wish you merry reading!
Thanks Charlotte, and join whenever you like! The threads will be open to comment later on too.
Some information on the novel - feel free to add something:The Return of the Native is Thomas Hardy´s (1840-1928) sixth published novel. It first appeared in the London magazine "Belgravia", known for its sensationalism, where it was published in 12 installments from January to December 1878. Hardy had difficulties finding a publisher because of the novel´s controversial themes, but it got mostly positive reviews. In the 20th century it became one of Hardy´s most popular and highly regarded novels, also adapted into two films in 1994 and 2010, a radio play and several stage productions.
The novel was written in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, where Hardy and his wife had moved to from London, when due to the success of Far From the Madding Crowd he could give up his job as an architect and work as a writer for a living. It deals with destiny, social status, chance, but also sexual politics, desire and conflicting demands of society and nature, which makes it a rather modern novel.
Good intro, Michaela.
I would like to join. I always remember the image of the raven haired beauty Eustacia Vye with her spyglass and her hourglass waiting for a cladestine rendezvous with her lover on Guy Fawkes night.
All of my other Hardy novels are newish paperbacks, but my copy of The Return of the Native is an old Modern Library hardback edition - green, worn. Love it.I remember that when my son graduated from high school in 2005 I gave him 5 books. TROTN was one of them.
Lovely story Brian, and looking ahead to your thoughts then! It´s my first read, and I haven´t even started yet. ;) I got the audiobook, a kindle edition of all of his novels, but I also ordered a paperback. :)
The History of Literature Podcast does a wonderful segment on Hardy's life and work. This "serialization" not only helped the author's pecuniary needs but also kept his plotting and characterization lively. I call this a win-win situation.
The Mayor of Casterbridge is a provocative book. I hope this follows suit.
Daniel wrote: "The History of Literature Podcast does a wonderful segment on Hardy's life and work. ..."Thank you for the recommendation.
I can’t help reading Hardy’s career into the structure of the novel. Far From the Madding Crowd was before he became famous, then he became finacially independent, and now he writes the next novel. Will it be a struggle to keep up with the success of FFMC, are there any similarities or is it just a natural work of art for him. It seems as if the intro is excessively solemn and the text is full of exeptional words. Is it part of the process of his embarking on a new, professional career, or is that just his style - or is it just that I am not a native speaker and not used to the vocabulary...
Charlotte, I think it may just be his style? I’ve started today and enjoying so far. This is my second Hardy reading this year and I can sense a sameness in his writing. I can see how his style would not be for everyone, but I’m a fan. To me, Hardy feels like grabbing your best cozy blanket, favorite herbal tea and just “chill” for lack of a better word. His prose is beautiful, but if you’re looking for an action packed, dramatic story this is not the tree to bark up.
His style is descriptive and sedated, which I enjoy, especially before the holidays and with pandemic, I so appreciate and find comfort in Hardy’s simplicity.
I enjoy these small village, mundane almost, stories full of quirky characters.
With that, I may not comment a lot until the end to just absorb it all in the meantime.
Thanks Michaela for choosing this, I didn’t realize how much I needed it. It feels grounding.
Thanks Daniel for the link, and Charlotte and Brenda for your thoughts!I understand about Hardy´s style, though it´s similar in other Victorian novels, at least in the direction of not understanding it too easily - not a native English speaker either. ;) Nonetheless I always liked Hardy, esp. his descriptions of the landscape (of the fictitious Wessex) and other settings.
I´m only a few chapters in, but I like the talk of the people of Egdon Heath over the bonfires of Guy Fawkes Night.
Brenda wrote: "Charlotte, I think it may just be his style? I’ve started today and enjoying so far. This is my second Hardy reading this year and I can sense a sameness in his writing. I can see how his style w..."
Thank you for your thoughts and encouragement. I will bundle up with a blanket and a dictionary at my side and patiently read through the pages, expanding my vocabulary, while the world outside closes down.
Chapter 1 is this fascinating description of the timelessness abd austere beauty of Edgon Heath. Hardy makes an interesting comment about people in the future will visit such places, for example the Alps, for their austere natural beauty and he was right. I watched a documentary about night and how people viewed it before man tamed it with electricity. The documentary focused on Dartmoor national park close to Hardy country. Dartmoor has the claim to be the darkest place in the UK.
Chapter 2 we meet some of the characters. I noticed Hardy describes to the reader what a reddlemen is. When Hardy wrote this novel England was the most urbanized country in the world. Many of the people who read the novel probably had say parents or grandparents who would know what a reddlemen were but that was lost as people moved into the cities. Hardy makes the comment it is a dying profession. As was the world Hardy is describing as continued urbanization and foodstuffs coming from the Americas spelt doom for old rural England.
Also in chapter 2 the reddlemen sees a woman on top of the ancient burial mound her silhouette against the darkening sky. We will know more about this mysterious woman soon but it is an incredibly romantic introduction.
Enjoying the comments. I haven't disappeared, and I am reading. However, with Christmas preparations, I can tell I won't be able to keep up with the schedule until after Christmas Day. Best wishes for healthy happy holidays to all until then!
Happy holidays to you Brian and everyone else too, and thanks for the comments! The threads are open for whenever anyone wants to add their thoughts.I finished the first book, and liked the descriptions in the beginning, typical for Hardy.
The relationships are set with Damon Wildeve not wanting to marry Thomasin, because he is infatuated with Eustacia Vye, who I am not sure is really interested in him. The reddleman Diggory Venn, in love with Thomasin, fails to move Eustacia to release Wildeve as well as in his marriage proposal to Thomasin, who is in love with Wildeve.
After a long introduction to the alternative, significant character in the book, Edgon Heath, things pick up speed and the complex romantic relationships are explained. These relations are unusual and striking. Hardy is clever! I like the way the characters are described, juxtaposed onto the heath.
Chapter 3: We are introduced to a bunch of locals. Did a middle class reader in Victorian London have as much trouble as I do in deciphering the dialogue? The locals have lite a bonfire for Guy Fawkes night but Hardy links this event to the pagan past once again reinforcing the timelessness of the place. We meet Mrs. Yeobright. Being a parson's daughter she has education and higher social standing. Hardy writes her dialogue cleanly. But Hardy does mention life has been a disappointment for her. The chapter ends with people noticing while all the bonfires have died out on one hilltop one is still blazing....
MichaelK19thCFan wrote: "Chapter 3: Did a middle class reader in Victorian London have as much trouble as I do in deciphering the dialogue? Faw..."I often wonder the same. It seems like several Victorian authors have sequences with a dialogue in dialect. Is it perhaps meant to be witty?
As a Realist, Hardy would have wanted authenticity in his characters' speech.
It´s good he uses this language, as is sometimes also done in other Victorian novels, but I wondered if those who could read would understand the dialect of the poorer people.
This book and A Tale of Two Cities get the award for having the most boring, dense openers in all of literature ( i.e., political discourse, and the qualities of a heath). However, they both make up for it by adopting the most intriguing premise: to come upon something mysterious on the road. Although both introductions were brief, I did read them over compulsively, hoping not to miss anything crucial. Nevertheless, I am happy for the change of start. I'll likely read the first four pages again anyway, being that I enjoy the personification of geographical bleakness :)
Chapter 5: This is what I have been anticipating from the first word. We finally get to meet Eustacia Vye. Oh my what an introduction. When I read this chapter for the first time it burned a permanent mark on my soul. Is there any other introduction that even comes close to the romance of this? Miss Vye on the barrow, the wind rustling her skirts, and the embers on the bonfire. My heart skips a beat when she pulls out her telescope and tracks time with her hourglass. Hardy portrays her as this junoesque goddess of a woman. On top of it when she finally meets her intended target she throws off her shawl using Wildeve as a magic mirror. I always find myself comparing her to Estella Havisham. They both use men as playthings although Eustacia burns with passion as Estella has a heart of ice. You know deep inside both women are nothing but trouble but you cannot help yourself but be drawn to them. I think this is the male side of women being attracted to "bad boys".
Chapter 5: I did notice what I believe Hardy referring to Abraham Lincoln.
The deuce....Chapter 5 should be Chapter 6. On of my absent professor moments.
Chapter 7: Hardy spends this whole chapter describing Eystacia Vye. He invokes history and Greek mythology. He is quite specific in describing her as a voluptuous raven haired beauty. This is in comparison to Dickens who leaves out such information about Estella Havisham. If you have read enough Victorian novels you notice the trope of the woman with French or Meditteranean blood being sensuous and driven for passionate experiences. In this case, Eustacia is half Greek. One sees parallels between Eustacia and Madame Bovary. Both want escape from their providential lives. They both want the exciting lives they have conjured up in their imaginations or read about. We learn Eustacia is eagerly willing to dump Wildeve is some other man who can more fulfill her desires shows up.
Chapter 9: Edgon Heath must be really short of eligible bachelors suitable for middle class women. I think of the analogy of the biggest fish in a little pond. This Wildeve netted himself probably the two finest women in the area although they are complete opposites. Some guys have all the luck; shrug shoulders.
Chapter 10: On a lighter note, would Eustacia make for an interesting contestant on The Bachelor? Hardy make a reference to Franklin in relation to a mallard coming from the Arctic. This Franklin refers to the ill-fated Arctic expedition of 1845. Determining the fate of the expedition was an obsession of the Victorians.
Chapter 10: At the point it appears whatever feelings Eustacia has for Wildeve, her key motivation is to beat Thomasin.
MichaelK19thCFan wrote: "Chapter 5: This is what I have been anticipating from the first word. We finally get to meet Eustacia Vye. Oh my what an introduction. When I read this chapter for the first time it burned a perman..."Thanks for sharing all your thoughts. Interesting that there is a equal to the “bad boy” with regards to women in literature.
After I wrote all that I remembered the term Femme Fatale....
Thanks for your thoughts Michael! What do others think of Eustacia at this point?
I’ve had to put it aside as I could not concentrate enough leading up to the holidays. I’ll pick it up after the first and catch up before mid Jan however.
I understand Brenda, and hope you and others will be able to catch up later on! :)
Michaela wrote: "I understand Brenda, and hope you and others will be able to catch up later on! :)"Meanwhile I am glad to buddy-read this with you, Michaela! I wasn’t aware that this book was being discussed in December and glad that I stumbled upon it.
Glad to talk with you Charlotte, and that you like the book!
I'm alive! Starting to catch up. What struck me most in Book One, beyond Hardy's wonderful evocation of the heath, is his portrayal of Eustacia Vye. First of all, what a name. "Eustacia", compared to the earthy inhabitants of the heath, is clearly "not of this realm". And Hardy does compare her mien and character to that of some kind of goddess. And "Vye". It was a common practice for Victorian writers to select names that gave clues to characters' identities. We can see immediately that she is all about vieing for whatever she might want. I am going to be watching closely to see whether Hardy intensifies or downplays the suspicion that she is a witch. He planted that idea, but will he continue to play off that, or just let events take us where they will, and allow readers to make their own decisions? Up to a point, he made us feel deeply sorry for the plight of Thomasin, but then he turned the tables a bit and let Eustacia have a fair chance to get us rooting for her. I can hear the Wicked Witch of the West: "These things must be done delicately."
Interesting thoughts Brian! Thanks for joining in!Eustacia seems to me to exist outside the community, perhaps also a sign that she´s not like the others.
My apologies to the group, but due to unforeseen life events, I won't be able to finish the book with the group.
Brenda wrote: "My apologies to the group, but due to unforeseen life events, I won't be able to finish the book with the group."Sorry to hear Brenda, and hugs! If you decide to read it another time, I´m sure the threads will stay open.
Victorians!
Books mentioned in this topic
The Return of the Native (other topics)Far From the Madding Crowd (other topics)
The Return of the Native (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Thomas Hardy (other topics)Thomas Hardy (other topics)
