Thomas Hardy 
The Return of the Native [EPUB ebook] 

‘The Return of the Native’ is a novel by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1878. Set in the fictional Egdon Heath in the southwest of England, the novel explores themes of love, fate, and the conflict between individual desire and societal expectations.
The story follows the lives of several characters, including:
Eustacia Vye: A beautiful and passionate woman who yearns for a life beyond the confines of Egdon Heath. She becomes romantically entangled with Damon Wildeve and later with Clym Yeobright.
Damon Wildeve: A former engineer turned innkeeper, Damon is Eustacia’s primary love interest at the beginning of the novel. However, his indecision and lack of commitment lead to complications in their relationship.
Clym Yeobright: A native of Egdon Heath who returns home from Paris with the intention of becoming a schoolteacher. Clym falls in love with Eustacia and marries her, but their marriage faces challenges due to their differing desires and ambitions.
Thomasin Yeobright: Clym’s cousin and Damon Wildeve’s former fiancée. Thomasin’s romantic entanglements with Damon and her subsequent marriage to Clym contribute to the novel’s plot.
Diggory Venn: A reddleman (someone who sells redding, a substance used to mark sheep) who harbors unrequited love for Thomasin. Venn is a central figure in the novel’s events, often serving as a mediator or catalyst for the actions of other characters.
Through the interactions and conflicts among these characters, Hardy explores themes of love, jealousy, social class, and the impact of the natural environment on human lives. The rugged landscape of Egdon Heath serves as both a backdrop and a metaphor for the novel’s themes, emphasizing the characters’ sense of isolation and the forces beyond their control.
‘The Return of the Native’ is widely regarded as one of Hardy’s masterpieces, known for its richly drawn characters, evocative descriptions of the natural world, and complex exploration of human relationships and desires.