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The Return of the Native · Chapter
Epigraph explained
The epigraph introduces the theme of sorrow as a constant, almost affectionate companion, setting a melancholic tone for the novel.
What happens
The epigraph introduces the theme of sorrow as a constant, almost affectionate companion, setting a melancholic tone for the novel.
Themes in this chapter
Suffering and Sacrifice
Sorrow is personified as a constant, loving companion, suggesting that suffering is an inescapable part of life.
Key passages
“To sorrow I bade good morrow, And thought to leave her far away behind; But cheerly, cheerly, She loves me dearly; She is so constant to me, and so kind. I would deceive her, And so leave her, But ah! she is so constant and so kind.”
I greeted sorrow in the morning, hoping to leave it behind, but it clings to me lovingly and persistently. I wish to escape it, yet it remains ever faithful.
The epigraph personifies sorrow as a devoted lover, emphasizing the inescapable nature of grief.