This work, 'The Return of the Native' (1878) is based on the triangular relationship of one woman, Eustacia Vye, and two men, Damon Wildeve and Clym Yeobright.
It contains the same elements of Darwinian struggle for survival amidst fatalistic forces. This is brought out by Hardy's depiction of Egdon Heath, the beliefs of the peasantry, the ritual of Susan Nunsuch, and most important Eustacia's attempt to alter her destiny by paranormal means.
The main action proceeds in three stages: Eustacia's attempt to ensnare Wildeve; her rejection of him and her attempt to ensnare Clym Yeobright; and her eventual downfall.
The setting for the drama, Egdon Heath, is described from two aspects: it is a repository of ancient beliefs, superstitions, occult practices and prehistoric earthworks; it is also delineated as if it were a personality capable of exerting titanic power and influence over its residents. Thus, the inhabitants of Egdon because of this environment have a particular destiny foisted upon them and their world view is shaped by it. One survival from the past is a prehistoric tomb, Rainbarrow, which dominates the whole landscape and forces upon the peasantry a superstitious view of the world. Hardy further emphasises the power of the Heath to affect its inhabitants when he says: "The place became full of watchful intentness now; for when other things sank brooding to sleep the Heath appeared slowly to awake and listen." Furthermore, in summer did 'its mood touch the level of gaiety' but in winter it became ferocious when 'the storm was its lover and the wind its friend.' (page 35) and in March 'the heath showed its first faint signs of awakening from winter trance (Book Third III)
EGDON HEATH
This use of personification and mesmeric vocabulary reinforces Hardy's idea that Egdon Heath was a place where the paranormal is anticipated, for at such a time 'it became the home of strange phantoms.' (Book First I)
Three distinct groups practice paranormal rituals on Egdon Heath, the peasantry, Eustacia Vye, and Susan Nunsuch. The peasantry are extremely superstitious and conscious that supernatural beings roam the Heath and are capable of directly affecting their lives. Christian Cantle speaks of himself as a man no woman will marry because one 'never comes to anything that's born at new moon.' Cantle's despondency at being born at such an unlucky time is heightened when Fairway says, 'You'll have to lie all alone all your life and 'tis not to married couples but to single sleepers that a ghost shows himself when a' do come' (Book First III), He also has a superstitious fear that the Heath is populated by spectres after dark (Book Fifth II)
THE VILLAGERS LIGHT A BONFIRE
These notions lead the villagers to light a bonfire on the ancient buriul mound. The purpose is clearly stated: 'such blazes as this the heathmen were now enjoying are rather ... descendants from jumbled Druidical rites and Saxon ceremonies ... It indicates a spontaneous Promethean rebelliousness ... the fettered gods of earth say, Let there be light.' (Book First III). They are attempting to entreat these supernatural forces to change the destiny foisted upon them.
ANCIENT BURIUL MOUND, PREHISTORIC TOMB
Even a game of dice is seen by the heath dwellers as a paranormal ritual which can alter their fate, linked as it might be to communicating with the Devil. Cantle, carrying the money intended for Thomasin and Clym, plays with Wildeve and says, 'What curious creatures these dice be - powerful rulers of us all, and yet at my command.' He indicates to Wildeve his desire to use this new found power as a means of multiplying Thomasin's money. He further says, 'What magical machines these little things be, Mr Wildeve ... That these little things should carry such luck, and such charm, and such a spell, and such power in 'em'
But as the game steadily goes against him and he loses Thomasin's inheritance, Christian's old suspicions begin to surface: 'The devil will toss me into the flames on his three pronged fork for this night's work, I know! But perhaps I shall win yet, and then I'll get a wife to sit up with me o'nights, and I won't be afeard' (Book Third VII)
THE GAME OF DICE
Eustacia Vye and her use of the paranormal to improve her circumstances is implied rather than stated directly. She is described by the superstitios peasantry as one 'very strange in her ways' (Book First III) They see her as 'the lonesome dark-eyed creature .... that some say is a witch' who is frequently 'up to some odd conceit or other' (Book First V) Her father is viewed as 'a romantic wanderer - a sort of Greek Ulysses' (Book Third VI) In order to alter her destiny and improve her chances of marriage she tries to ensnare Damon Wildeve, who is betrothed to Thomasin Yeobright. Her method is described in paranormal terms. Eustacia lights a bonfire isolated from the main bonfire on Rainbarrow, but still within its vicinity.
Little Johnny Nunsuch tends it until the approach of Wildeve and Eustacia gives him a crooked sixpence for his trouble. Significantly amongst the peasantry a crooked sixpence was able to defend one against witchcraft. Because Eustacia lights a fire in this vicinity it gains a mystical significance, strengthening the attribution of witchlike powers to her. In fact Eustacia seems to suggest as much when she says to Wildeve:
I ... thought I would get a little excitement by calling you up and triumphing over you as the Witch of Endor called up Samuel. I determined you should come and you have come! I have shown my power. A mile and a half hither, and a mile and a half back again to your home - three miles in the dark for me. Have I not shown you my power? (Book First VI)
EUSTACIA SUMMONS UP WILDEVE
Eustacia by apparently using paranormal powers has altered the course of her own and of Wildeve's destiny: she is drawing him away from his betrothed. In this scene Eustacia is described at great length by Hardy in supernatural terms. 'Eustacia Vye was the raw material of divinity... She had the passions and instincts which make a model goddess' Her power of enchantment resides in her 'Pagan eyes, full of nocturnal mysteries.' Somehow, her personality connects with the devil for 'Egdon was her Hades, and since coming there had imbibed much of what was dark in its tone (Book First VII)
Whether or not Eustacia actually practised a paranormal ritual to obtain Wildeve is not crucial; the fact that Hardy describes her in such terms and that the peasantry viewed her as a witch is sufficient to establish the connection. Notice the remark of Wildeve. Finding himself torn between Thomasin and Eustacia he exclaims: "Mine is a curious fate. Who would have thought that all this could happen to me' (Book First IX)
We shall leave it here until the next post where we shall examine how Eustacia and the paranormal powers combine in the attempt to ensnare Clym Yeobright.
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