Exploring Deviation and Conformity in Thomas Hardy’s The Return of the Native

Abstract

The study examines the concept of deviation and conformity in Thomas Hardy’s The Return of the Native where the novel accounts about the lives of many characters as they struggle with their aspirations and society’s expectations against the stunning backdrop of Egdon Heath. The study also explores how the characters namely Clim Yeobright and the enigmatic Eustacia Vie negotiate reciprocal conflict between personal desires and social norms through careful textual analysis and contextual inquiry. Additionally, supporting figures like Digory Vane and Thomasine Yeobright offer opposing viewpoints on the effects of conformity and deviation. This study shows the timeless conflict between individual aspiration and communal conformity as it portrays in Hardy’s masterwork by examining the impact of Egdon Heath on the protagonists’ decisions.