Back to Blog
![]() ![]() ![]() Those who are able to tune to its rhythms and pace remain. The heath is a place for lasting sentiment, not fiery passion or intellectual ideals. Only Thomasin and Diggory, who are truly at ease with their surroundings, endure. Clym becomes a preacher, extolling the virtues of a world beyond the heath. Wildeve and Eustacia both drown as they plan to flee the heath forever. Yeobright, exhausted by her long toil to Clym’s house, collapses in the darkness on her return, and is bitten by a snake. The heath can also be viewed as an antagonist in the story, working against the key characters to bring about their tragic fates. What defines it most of all is its timelessness - it is much bigger than any human drama, and hence might its natural forces swallow those humans. Hardy devotes the novel's entire first chapter to describing the timeless landscape of Egdon heath. The heath is more than just a dramatic backdrop to the action it is an integral part of the plot and character development, and a constant thematic symbol. ![]()
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |