The Return of the Native

The Return of the Native

by

Thomas Hardy

Diggory Venn (The Reddleman) Character Analysis

Diggory Venn is a reddleman (a peddler of red dye for sheep) who is in love with Thomasin Yeobright. Previously a dairy farmer, Venn became a reddleman after Thomasin rejected his marriage proposal sometime before the events of the novel take place. The novel opens with Venn transporting Thomasin home after her failed attempt to wed Wildeve. Venn still loves Thomasin and always wants what’s best for her. This motivates him to try to break up Wildeve and Eustacia so that Wildeve will still marry Thomasin. Later in the novel, after Thomasin and Wildeve are married, Venn keeps an eye on Wildeve to make sure he remains faithful to Thomasin. He also wins back Thomasin and Clym’s inheritance from Wildeve after Wildeve wins it off of Christian Cantle in a game of dice. Thomasin encounters Venn during a violent storm that takes place the night that Wildeve and Eustacia go missing, presumably to run away with one another. Venn leads Thomasin to safety and helps pull Clym, along with the bodies of Eustacia and Wildeve, out of the pond. After Wildeve’s death, Venn returns to dairy farming. He courts Thomasin and eventually marries her.

Diggory Venn (The Reddleman) Quotes in The Return of the Native

The The Return of the Native quotes below are all either spoken by Diggory Venn (The Reddleman) or refer to Diggory Venn (The Reddleman). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Humans vs. Nature Theme Icon
).
Book 1, Chapter 2 Quotes

The only intelligible meaning in this sky-backed pantomime of silhouettes was that the woman had no relation to the forms who had taken her place, was sedulously avoiding these, and had come thither for another object than theirs. The imagination of the observer clung by preference to that vanished, solitary figure, as to something more interesting, more important, more likely to have a history worth knowing than these newcomers, and unconsciously regarded them as intruders. But they remained, and established themselves; and the lonely person who hitherto had been queen of the solitude did not at present seem likely to return.

Related Characters: Eustacia Vye, Damon Wildeve, Diggory Venn (The Reddleman)
Page Number: 18
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 5, Chapter 2 Quotes

“Diggory, if we, who remain alive, were only allowed to hold conversation with the dead—just once, a bare minute, even through a screen of iron bars, as with persons in prison—what we might learn! How many who now ride smiling would hide their heads! And this mystery—I should then be at the bottom of it at once. But the grave has forever shut her in; and how shall it be found out now?”

Related Characters: Clym Yeobright (speaker), Eustacia Vye, Mrs. Yeobright, Damon Wildeve, Diggory Venn (The Reddleman)
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 313
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 6, Chapter 4 Quotes

He left alone creeds and systems of philosophy, finding enough and more than enough to occupy his tongue in the opinions and actions common to all good men. Some believed him, and some believed not; some said that his words were commonplace, others complained of his want of theological doctrine; while others again remarked that it was well enough for a man to take to preaching who could not see to do anything else. But everywhere he was kindly received, for the story of his life had become generally known.

Related Characters: Clym Yeobright, Diggory Venn (The Reddleman)
Related Symbols: Paris
Page Number: 396
Explanation and Analysis:
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Diggory Venn (The Reddleman) Quotes in The Return of the Native

The The Return of the Native quotes below are all either spoken by Diggory Venn (The Reddleman) or refer to Diggory Venn (The Reddleman). For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Humans vs. Nature Theme Icon
).
Book 1, Chapter 2 Quotes

The only intelligible meaning in this sky-backed pantomime of silhouettes was that the woman had no relation to the forms who had taken her place, was sedulously avoiding these, and had come thither for another object than theirs. The imagination of the observer clung by preference to that vanished, solitary figure, as to something more interesting, more important, more likely to have a history worth knowing than these newcomers, and unconsciously regarded them as intruders. But they remained, and established themselves; and the lonely person who hitherto had been queen of the solitude did not at present seem likely to return.

Related Characters: Eustacia Vye, Damon Wildeve, Diggory Venn (The Reddleman)
Page Number: 18
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 5, Chapter 2 Quotes

“Diggory, if we, who remain alive, were only allowed to hold conversation with the dead—just once, a bare minute, even through a screen of iron bars, as with persons in prison—what we might learn! How many who now ride smiling would hide their heads! And this mystery—I should then be at the bottom of it at once. But the grave has forever shut her in; and how shall it be found out now?”

Related Characters: Clym Yeobright (speaker), Eustacia Vye, Mrs. Yeobright, Damon Wildeve, Diggory Venn (The Reddleman)
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 313
Explanation and Analysis:
Book 6, Chapter 4 Quotes

He left alone creeds and systems of philosophy, finding enough and more than enough to occupy his tongue in the opinions and actions common to all good men. Some believed him, and some believed not; some said that his words were commonplace, others complained of his want of theological doctrine; while others again remarked that it was well enough for a man to take to preaching who could not see to do anything else. But everywhere he was kindly received, for the story of his life had become generally known.

Related Characters: Clym Yeobright, Diggory Venn (The Reddleman)
Related Symbols: Paris
Page Number: 396
Explanation and Analysis: