return of the native: nature
The Return of the Native opens with a chapter describing sundown on Egdon Heath, the stage upon which the drama of the novel unfolds. The heath is a "vast tract of unenclosed wild," a somber, windswept stretch of brown hills and valleys, virtually treeless, covered in briars and thorn-bushes: "the storm was its lover, and the wind was its friend." It is characterized by a "chastened sublimity"--impressive but not showy grandeur--rather than any obvious aesthetic appeal. The heath is described as "a place perfectly accordant with man's nature... like man, slighted and enduring... It had a lonely face, suggesting tragical possibilities." It is an ancient space shaped by nature, seemingly impervious to the efforts of man. Throughout the novel, Egdon Heath serves a major role in plot, narrative and characterization. It is the driving force behind many characters motives and fears. It's capricious whims are deadly at times and beautifully serene at others. This volitile nature causes the deaths of several characters while at times aiding others. It could be argued that the Heath, essentially a big field in the middle of nowhere, is the dominant force in the character's lives.It even helps to define the characters as people,
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Approximate Word count = 1158
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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