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Book 4, Chapter 7
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
Eustacia worries about what will come out in the conversation between Clym and Mrs. Yeobright. While Eustacia is at home alone, Captain Vye shows up and tells her that Wildeve recently came into a large fortune. He also takes notice of her current living situation and tells her that she should’ve married Wildeve instead. Additionally, Captain Vye offers Eustacia money, though she refuses to take anything from him. Eustacia knows that Wildeve is still in love with her and wonders what will become of that love now that he has his fortune. She goes outside to walk and think over her present circumstances.
Wildeve’s new fortune is important because it is yet another way that Eustacia can get out of Egdon Heath. She thinks that her relationship with Clym is coming to an end, and she knows she needs a backup plan. However, she also does not want to become the heartless adulterer that Mrs. Yeobright thinks she is.
Themes
On her walk, Eustacia encounters Wildeve, although their meeting doesn’t seem like much of a coincidence on Wildeve’s part. Wildeve tells Eustacia about his fortune, which he didn’t reveal earlier because he didn’t want to seem as though he was bragging. Wildeve tells Eustacia that he plans to travel all around the world, including Paris, whether Thomasin accompanies him or not. While walking together, Wildeve and Eustacia spot a light coming from nearby. They go to investigate and find that a number of people, including a doctor, are standing, and crying over the body of Mrs. Yeobright who has just died. However, they remain out of sight to avoid arousing suspicion. Eustacia overhears Johnny tell Clym that his mother described herself as “a broken-hearted woman” who was “cast off by her son.”
Clearly, Wildeve does not care for Thomasin as much as he cares for Eustacia. Though he does not ask Eustacia to join him on his travels, he implies that it is a possibility, and he knowingly mentions Paris to entice her. However, before Eustacia can even begin thinking about such a possibility, she is met with the consequences of her earlier actions: Mrs. Yeobright’s death.
Themes
