The Return of the Native, by Thomas Hardy, begins with the personification of a majestic moor, the setting of this novel: "The face of the moor from his the simple color added half an hour to the evening; it could... delay the dawn, sadden the midday, anticipate the frown of the storms... and intensify the opacity of a moonless midnight causing tremor and terror." Yet these emotionally intense descriptions are extremely misleading, because in reality the moor is an inanimate object that possesses no feelings, opinions or prejudices. It is an immortal place and continues to exist while its inhabitants live out their lives and die. In contrast to the moor is man himself: mortal and vulnerable, selfish and always seeking to improve his place in the world. This novel shows the dominion of nature over man, emphasizing the impermanence of man against the infinity of nature. This belief, also known as fatalism, is emphasized throughout the novel. This view is shared by the character of Clym Yeobright, who survives to the end of the story, but is opposed by Eustacia Vye, who rebels against these ideas, leading to her own downfall. The points of view of these characters are emphasized through their own actions, their interactions with other characters in the book, allusions to biblical references, and the use of motifs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Fatalistic views can best be illustrated through the character of Clym Yeobright and relationships with the other characters in the novel. Alone, Clym believes that everyone's life is predetermined and that fate will direct what happens to a person. Because of this, Clym is able to constantly revise his lifestyle to fit what his life offers him. He takes all his successes and failures in stride, because he knows that in his life there is an underlying reason and plan for what is happening. His first major life change occurs when he decides that life in Paris is not for him and that he must return to his homeland and live his life on the moors. This is almost like a birthright, because although he is an extraordinary person, as can be seen from his description, at heart he is a man of the moors. Clym is once again forced to change his lifestyle when he is blinded. This is a major obstacle to Clym's plans to create a school to educate the people of the moor. But, instead of being devastated, as Eustacia is, Clym decides to continue his life as best he can despite this new obstacle. Although an exceptional person, Clym is not ashamed of becoming a gorse cutter, the typical job of a moorland man. He even enjoys the work, as “the monotony of his occupation soothed him, and was a pleasure in itself…[his] effort afforded simple courses.” Clym's appreciation for his new work shows that he is at peace with physiology and sings songs of joy as he works. This flexibility that Clym displays in his lifestyle exemplifies his notion of fatalism and shows how he survives life on the moor. Throughout the novel there is an allusion to Oedipus, "[Clym's] mouth had passed into the phase made more or less imaginative in Oedipus studies". This allusion is actually the mention of Clym's partial parallel, as he is very similar to Oedipus in many ways. In the story of Oedipus, he gouges out his eyes when he discovers that he has married his mother; Clym's equivalent is that he is blind. When Oedipus first returned to his hometown, the people praised him as a hero and gave him the gift of the queen; later, however, when it was discovered that thequeen was actually Oedipus' mother, this caused a lot of damage and bad events. Likewise, everyone in the moor is very happy with Clym's return from Paris, but after a while his return causes unrest in the moor and indirectly leads to the deaths of Mrs. Yeobright, Eustacia and Wildeve. Furthermore, it is suspected that Clym has an Oedipus complex and that the name derives from Oedipus' marriage to his mother. This demonstrates fatalism because the entire story of Oedipus is based on a series of omens (telling of his fate) and misunderstandings. Since Oedipus is a partial parallel to Clym, Clym's return to the moor can be seen as predetermined, since Oedipus' life was also based on fate. Fatalism also manifests itself through the people of the moor. The people who live there are innocent and simple and try to deal with daily difficulties as best they can. Their dialect, simple and with a soft accent, illustrates their naturalness: "'It should be if 'it was, I suppose'". These people lead humble lives; however, they accept and are content with whatever comes their way. This is part of what makes them so innocent. It is this fatalistic approach that allows them to survive in a place like the moor, to be happy and in harmony with nature. One way they try to cope with this harsh, rustic lifestyle is through rituals. Their annual bonfire on November 5 introduces the moorland people to history. This bonfire is their way of trying to illuminate the darkness of the coming winter, which could be symbolic of the sad life they lead. They like to dance in circles around the bonfire, and even after the fire has gone out, they continue with their dance, demonstrating their unspeakable peace with nature. Dancing seems to be a common practice at most other special events: "'You have to dance at Christmas because it's the time of the year; you have to dance at weddings because it's the time of life. At baptisms people will even smuggle a reel or two...'" These dances help to put hope and good times into the lives of the people of the moors and to stay together as a community. Thomasin could also be considered a moorland person, as she is simple and natural and respects the laws of nature. Thomasin is first described as possessing: "A fair, sweet, honest country face... resting in a nest of wavy brown hair... Grief had... taken nothing from the blossoming... . The scarlet of her lips had not had time to subside..." These numerous references, (countryside, nest, chestnut, flower, scarlet (like berries)), illustrate how Thomasin was very in tune with nature. Thomasin reveals her fatalistic views when addressing her relationship with Wildeve. Although she knows it is not truly in his best interests after their failed marriage, Thomasin agrees to marry Wildeve again. He realizes that if he does not marry Wildeve the people of the moors will gossip about her and Clym will be ashamed. This self-awareness helps her stay on track with her destiny. She accepts Wildeve's second marriage proposal with the following point of view: "'I accepted... [because] I am now a practical woman. I don't believe in hearts at all. I would marry him under any circumstances...'" Throughout novel, Thomasin follows her destiny and is rewarded with happiness through her second marriage at the end of the story. However, not all men of the moors are as in tune with nature as Thomasin. Christian Cantle's character displays views opposite to fatalism. This is a very superstitious man who is afraid of almost everything. Basically his fears take him out of line with destiny, but his fears also put him back on track. This is illustrated throughout thebonfire on November 5th. When darkness comes, Christian is the only person who suggests that all the people of the moor go home at once and that "the 5th of November [should] not be kept awake at night except in the towns. It should be in the early daylight , bad." -accountants places like this!" This suggestion is rejected by the universal human fear of darkness and the unknown. However, what he is suggesting would break rituals, which are how the people of the moors can cope with their fatalistic society However, the other sufferers tell him that it is a foolish idea. Christian's low self-esteem gives him fear of speaking out against them, and he returns to his predestined course. Another time, Christian's extremely superstitious nature also leads to rebellion When he wins a lottery on his way to deliver guineas to Clym and Thomasin, Christian thinks this is a sign of luck. Even though he has no wife or girlfriend, the prize of an evening gown excites him Wildeve in which he lost all the guineas that were supposed to be delivered directly to Thomasin and Clym His superstitious nature allowed him to get involved in something so risky, but, despite his flaws and mistakes, Christian is fundamentally at peace with. nature and feels really at home on the moor. In contrast to Clym's ability to adapt to his life Surviving the moor, his mother, Mrs. Yeobright, cannot perform her ananke, as she goes against her destiny and, as a result, dies. This occurs when Mrs. Yeobright's fatal flaw is revealed; he has a bad habit of meddling in his children's affairs. When this combines with his ananke, who has to bear the weight of Thomasin and Clym, it leads to disaster. She, like most other people on the moors, disapproves of Eustacia Vye and when she finds out that Clym is interested in her, she is unhappy. One day, while she and Clym are walking on the moor, they become separated; Clym heads to Mistover Knap to see Eustacia, while Mrs. Yeobright's destination is for the Quiet Woman Inn. Mistover Knap is representative as a place for strangers, and Mrs Yeobright is burdened because she knows that Clym is on the wrong path. This separation into different locations on the moor is also symbolic of the beginning of a spiritual separation between Mrs. Yeobright and Clym that will never be fully resolved. After this, Mrs. Yeobright's meddling becomes a problem when she interferes between Thomasin and Wildeve's marriage by plotting to give money to Thomasin without Wildeve's knowledge. This use of money, which is an unnatural substance, goes against physis and causes sinister events to occur. The money causes a series of misunderstandings and coincidences that lead Mrs. Yeobright to the trip to Clym's house. The "closed door incident" is too much of a burden for Mrs. Yeobright, who is on the verge of no longer being able to continue satisfying her ananke. His last words are: "I have a burden that is more than I can bear." This leads to the creation of Clym's ananke, who must bear the brunt of his mother's death. This is quite ironic because his mother's ananke had to bear the burden of him; in a certain sense, they reversed the roles. Although Mrs. Yeobright could not realize her ananke due to her fatal meddling flaw, because Clym has fatalistic views and can easily adapt to new obstacles in life, she is able to continue to thrive on the moor. Contrary to Clym, Eustacia Vye believed she rebelled against fatalistic views. His dream is to leave the land, where he feels he does not belong. Ironically, his ananke is to stay in the wasteland. This discrepancy between fate and Eustacia's rebellion orthe wrong notions about his fate are shown immediately with his introduction. When she is first incorporated into the story, she is located on top of a high hill. Hardy decides to present Eustacia as a being superior to nature, almost superhuman, a goddess. It is observed to be so high in the air that "nothing can be mapped anywhere else on the celestial globe." Being twilight, the way the sun reflects off the hill, Eustacia's observer cannot distinguish where the hill ends and Eustacia begins. Hardy says that Eustacia gave the hills a "perfect, delicate and necessary finish". Eustacia is truly meant to be part of nature. But, incredible as it may seem as a part of nature, she moves, and the effect on the hill is palpable: "...the cessation of stillness in every direction suggested confusion... The figure perceptibly... moved a step or two... [resulting in] displacement..." Eustacia's movements were awkward, and disturbed the beauty of the nature she was supposed to beautify. His embarrassment in this scene is the symbol of his rebellion against nature and his destiny. It also shows the irony of how this superhuman character, who is supposed to be the goddess of nature, decides to rebel against her subjects. This introductory scene summarizes Eustacia's fatal flaw and foreshadows her conflict with the moor. In addition to being a nature goddess, there is an allusion to the "Queen of Love", symbolic of Eustacia. There is something about Eustacia that makes men fall in love with her. While she rebels against being the goddess of nature, she also abuses her privileges of being the Queen of Love. The combination of her rebellion and abuse leads Eustacia to everything she wants, illustrated through Wildeve, Clym, and Charley. It was fate that Wildeve married Thomasin. However, Eustacia could not accept this, because she wanted to prove that she could be with Wildeve if she wanted. On the night of her wedding, Eustacia lights a bonfire as a signal to meet her. Being the Queen of Love, Wildeve naturally cannot refuse this summoning. In addition to interfering with fate (that of Thomasin and Wildeve), he uses the bonfire, a symbol of the innocence of the people of the moor, and transforms it into a sign of corruption. Even after Wildeve and Thomasin's marriage, she remains in contact with Wildeve, and when she becomes depressed that Clym will not, or cannot, leave the moor, Eustacia turns to Wildeve to get her out. Eustacia should never have come into contact with Wildeve after his proposal to Thomasin, because he and Thomasin are destined to be together. This refusal to accept fate leads to sneaking around, Mrs. Yeobright's death, Thomasin's suspicions, Clym's anger, and finally, Eustacia's death. Just as Wildeve can't resist helping Eustacia when she needs a favor, Charley, a young man from the moors, has the same problem. He is infatuated with Eustacia and will do anything for her. Although Charley only plays a small part in the book, his entire role is to help Eustacia. When Eustacia wants to dress up as a mummy to attend Yeobright's Christmas party to see Clym, Charley is more than willing to help her for the price of fifteen minutes spent holding Eustacia's hand. When his fifteen minutes are up, Charley regrets using up the entire fifteen minutes and can barely let go of Eustacia's hand. While Eustacia could care less about Charley, this admiration adds to her presumption that she can have any man she wants, including Clym. Later in the book, Charley sees Eustacia looking at the weapons in her grandfather's house, contemplating suicide. At this point Eustacia has hit rock bottom and, as a sign of protection,.