The Return of The Native: Book 3, Chapter 6 - Summary & Analysis

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CHAPTER VI: Yeobright Goes and the Breach is Complete

Summary

Mrs. Yeobright's Despair

      The next morning Clym left for East Egdon village in search of a house for him and Eustacia to live in after marriage. He wanted to take the house and stay there alone until Eustacia joined him after their marriage. While leaving, he informed his mother about his marriage day which had been fixed on the twenty-fifth of that month and then left by kissing her cheek. As soon as he left Mrs. Yeobright she turned pale and blank. Then, to express herself she wept a bit and felt more relieved. The rest of the day she just walked up and down the garden path absentmindedly. The next day, she was much comforted by the unexpected and sudden arrival of Thomasin to her place.

Thomasin needed some Money

      Thomasin had come to ask for some money from her aunt which she could not get from her husband. Mrs. Yeobright said that she had one hundred guineas which she wanted to divide equally between Thomasin and Clym. She wanted to hand over the money at that time only when Thomasin asked for her share soon as she was in great need of money.

Mrs. Yeobright's Complaints

      Mrs. Yeobright then complained to Thomasin about Clym's hasty and wrong decision which disturbed her a lot. She lamented the change in Clym, that is, from a good and tender boy in his childhood to a careless boy in his youth. She also talked of her best love for her son which he despised. Then Thomasin tried to soothe her aunt by promising to meet her everyday. For a week Thomasin visited her aunt everyday and brought her the news of the preparations of Clym's marriage.

Wildeve's Reaction to Eustacia's Marriage

      When Wildeve heard about Eustacia's marriage his mind again turned towards her. Wildeve had a nature of always of disliking the near ones and yearning for the difficult. He was really a man of sentiments.

Critical Analysis

      In this chapter, we are really sympathetic towards Mrs. Yeobright as she is filled with sorrow at the forth coming marriage of Clym and Eustacia whom she hated. She is to some extent true in her criticism of Eustacia as she knew the girl. Her motherly feeling for her son's doomed future is but natural. Hardy, in this chapter tells us that, because of his, sentimental nature or "fevered feeling", Wildeve could have been called the Rousseau of Egdon.

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