Feminist Reading of Hardy’s the Return of the Native Essay

Most of bald-faceds novels or better to narrate all of them ar considered to be mod. In fact, one can nonice so many features of modern novels in his allegory. By referring to Robert Schweiks article (1994) pertaining to the base that audacious has influenced so many modern novelists ofttimes(prenominal)(prenominal) as D.H. Lawrence, one of the key critics of bodacious novels, chiefly in the notion of feminine and treatment of women which is one of the distinguishing features in his fiction. One can regard this type of treatment of women in Jude the Obscure, the 6th and the last of his major fictions, in a delegacy that Sue, the heroine of the novel, is a liberated, wrong and broadminded feminine who rebels against the conventions of the Victorian bon ton.Although at the end Sue thrusts upon the neighborly laws and ideologies, she is in truth much a modern type of cleaning lady or as Elaine Showalter stated the patent in her division of the female literary custom into three forms . Here the second stage is vastly relevant that is the stage of protest against the standards and the values and, a call for autonomy (Literature of their own, 13) venturous naturalised in his fiction. Moreover, by making a female character analogous Tess, in Tess of the dUrbervilles, bodacious tries to criticize the Victorian society, the very unrelenting one with that particular Victorian code and respectability which is a traditionalisticistic type of dealing with women in the community in which the only way to protest is to commit suicide.While many critics have disagreed with the reckon that Hardy treats with his heroines in a kind and tender way, Rosemarie Morgan gives us evidence regarding this idea While he Hardy was writing the rejoinder of the Nativehe was indication the works of a woman he greatly admired, whom he regarded as one of the Immortals of the literature, and who has happened to be passing un accomplishedhe was training George gumpti on Mauprat and was taking notes.(Morgan, 1988 41)Hence, this statement tells us that Hardys favorite novelist was an openly and defiantly unconventional and liberated woman whose writings Hardy speak outs highly of. Morgan also goes on with this idea and bestows on us a becomingstatement from Sands novel which were Hardys notes workforce imagine that a woman has no individual existence, and that she ought always to be absorbed in them and yet they love no wo- man late unless she elevates herself, by her character above the weakness and inertia of her sex. (Morgan, 1988 41-42)Interestingly, the existence of such a female resulted in many heroines in novels of Hardy and those experience after him. The Return of the Native is perhaps the strongest example of Hardys demonstration of struggle of women to establish their identities. In fact, it is the document of their attempts and battles against natural and social laws. The purpose of this paper also is to have a feminist reading t hrough using the recurrent theme of individual as Eustacia versus society as patriarchal society with its own ideologies and conventions. By considering Wollstonecrafts pattern womens duty, the idea that is largely applicable to Victorian women and mostly the folk people of Hardys novels like what one sees in characters like Thomasin or Susan Nunsuch or Olly (what simply they call her besom-maker), his heroines like Eustacia atomic number 18 against this notion.In fact, in that respect is a redefinition of that very concept in his fiction The novel demonstrates a restless passionate woman searching for fulfillment in the monotonous surroundings of Egdon Heath, where the inhabitants atomic number 18 steeped in the older traditional ways of life. Eustacia considered being a discontented and passionate dreamer who dismisses the opinions of society. She is qabalistic by nature and has Pagan eyes, full of nocturnal mysteries..assuming that the souls of men and women are visible es sences, you could fancy the color of Eustacias soul to be flame-like (The Return of the Native 51) Certainly, Eustacia has a reputation on Egdon Heath of witchcraft, as a person whose only desire is to use her beauty as a means of attracting the men.One can observe how the folk women hate her, that how they bawl out behind her or also there is almost no parley betwixt Eustacia and the other female characters throughout the novel. As evidence, there is a scene in the church service, exactly the time of Wildeve and Thomasin marriage, Susan had pricked Miss. Vye with a long stocking harass (RN 149), as a means of her hatred. But, just in opposite, whatever is position by the folk people is not Hardys markive. He attempts tocriticize the narrow-mindedness of such people, their counterfeit superstitions particularly religious ones. utilise Althussers Ideology, here, it is very much pertinent to the social laws, the church and what the Fathers are establishing. By reading closely the chapter called Queen of Night, the mysteries regarding Eustacia is unfolded. The vulgar element in the chapter is the high spirited woman rebelling against the constructions of her prescribed womans lot and seeking a life of wider personal freedom than customarily granted to women she had the passions and instincts which make a model goddess, that is, those which make not instead a model woman. (RN 55)Through studying the relationship amid the men and the women in the novel, Eustacia and Wildeve and also Eustacia and Clym, any other mystery of such a woman provide be resolved. First of all, the relationship between Eustacia and Wildeve is discussed. What is found in the character of Wildeve is that he is only a philanderer. What he does in the novel, is playing with women and mostly with Thomasin through procrastinating their marriage and preserving his map with Eustacia. Oddly enough, only a letter being the reason to devote this woman and go for the marriage, however, later Wildeve returns to her all over again. Furthermore, the name he has chosen for his bar is also debatable which is Quiet Woman inn. It symbolically presents the nature of a Victorian woman. As a matter of fact, not to go too far, Thomasin may be the main focusing in this notion. She is quiet lady-like brusque body (RN 19) as Susan calls her, also an obedient, devoted, peaceful one that later in the essay will be discussed more.The object of study of their relationship here is the matter of strength of Eustacia. Her nature proves that she is stronger than Wildeve, for she captivates and declines him in accordance with her tendency. She even threatens him to quit the legacy of passion she has presented upon him, I had wedded you up, and resolved not to think of you anymore. (RN 52) thus, the belief that women are the weaker sex is erode by Eustacia. In regard with the power and strength, also other elicit statement of Eustacia is bearable I determined you should come, and you have come I have shown my power. A mile and half hither, and a mile and ski binding again to your homethree miles in the dark for me. Have I not shown my power?(RN 54) Moreover, in another cardinal relationship in the novel between Eustacia and Clym, everything changes forEustacia. Clym has come from Paris, a city of ambitions for Eustacia, in fact, what she was in truth waiting for. But in an opposite way, an idealist and intellectual Clym is not very much interested in what her beloved thinks of.His core objective to return is just to improve his hometown, to educate them. He has forgotten that his hometown deals only with furze-cutting. Mrs. Yeobright tells him that after all the trouble that has been taken to give a start, and when there is nothing to do but to keep straight on towards affluence, you say you will be a poor mans schoolmaster. Your fancies will be your ruin (RN 147), however, Clym is too idealistic to recognize that the rustics need clobber comfort befor e achieving spiritual contentment. It is intriguing that Clym is trying to uplift mankind rather than to recognize what has really happened to his own life or to Eustacia. It is obvious that he has only attracted to her physical beauty and just has thought of her as a helpmate for his idealistic job. Stave asserts that Clym assumes marriage will conciliate him of the distress of passion and will provide him a helpmate in his mission to educate the Egdon folk (Stave, 1995 60).Or also in another scene he tells his mother that she is excellently educated, and would make a proper matron in a boarding-school. (RN 161-162). One can also say Clym defied and denied Eustacias desires in order to attain his personal ambitions. Oddly enough, the more she fights to repress the hostility of the heath, the further it dominates her. She marries Clym to save her body and soul from hostile surround around her by leaving heath for Paris but, as it seems, she is quite unaware of the fact that in t he patriarchal Victorian society, once a girl is married, she becomes the mans estate, and is made to satisfy his desires. Actually, Eustacias hopes are shattered by her husbands selfishness. Additionally, the main character bedevil in the novel is Thomasin, as Hardy calls her a good heroine. She is intriguingly defines herself a practical woman, I dont believe in patrol wagon at all (RN 130). She symbolizes the ideal partner, an agreeable and devoted woman which is immensely in contrast to Eustacia.Thomasin, in the first eleven chapters of the book one, reveals her admittedly purpose for marrying it is not for love but for the family reputation she says But I dont care personally if it never takes place, she added with a little dignity no, I can live without you. It is aunt I think of.She is so proud, and thinks so much of her family respecta- bility, that she will be cut bring with mortification if this story should get abroad before it is done.(RN 37) Hence, as it is utter, she is a very idol of a Victorian woman who makes the men, like Wildeve, to ill-treat the path of abusing the women as their own possession and property.In concluding what is said work now and by taking into account the most important female of the novel, one can say that from her first appearance till her tragic end, Eustacia is agonized because she does not consent to mans desires and principles. Hardy desires her to commit suicide rather than be debased to living in a cottage with an indecisive idealist, and a blind man as Duffin observes yields little allegiance to emotions (Duffin, 1991 201). Her tragic end is an indication of refusal to be an obedient, conventional and passive man. In fact, Hardys greater heroines are not static at all but are very much dynamic and just attempting to advance through the interaction of anything out the domesticated world.Works CitedDeen, L.W.1960. Heroism and Pathos in The Return of the Native. Nineteenth carbon Fiction,Vol.15,No.3,p.211.Du ffin, H.1991. Thomas HardyA study of the Wessex Novels, The Poems, And The Dynasts, Anmol Publication, New Delhi.Hardy, T. 1995. The Return of the Native, Wordsworth Editions Limited, Hertfordshire.- . 1995. Jude the Obscure, Wordsworth Editions Limited, HertfordshireHarvey, G. 2003. The fatten up critical guide to Thomas Hardy, Routledge,, LondonMillgate, M. 1971. Thomas Hardy His move as a Novelist, The Bodley Head, London and Sydney.Morgan,R.1988. Women and Sexuality in the Novels of Thomas Hardy,Routledge,London.-, 1992. off words rediscovering Thomas Hardy, Routledge. London.Showalter, E. 1977. A literature of Their Own, University Press, Princeton.Schweik, R, 1994. Modernity in Hardys Jude the Obscure in Blooms Modern vituperative Views Thomas Hardy. Ed. Harold Bloom 2010. Infobase Publishing.Wolstonecraft, M Vindication of the Rights of Women, Everyman Library, London.