# She Goes Out to Battle Against Depression explained — The Return of the Native

> Chapter companion for The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy.

## What happens

Eustacia, feeling trapped and depressed by Clym's blindness and their reduced circumstances, decides to attend a village dance at East Egdon despite Clym's reservations. At the dance, she encounters Wildeve, who persuades her to dance with him. Their dance rekindles old emotions, and on the walk home, Wildeve accompanies her. They are met by Clym and Diggory Venn, who suspects the encounter was not innocent.

## Themes in this chapter

### Isolation and Loneliness

Eustacia feels profoundly isolated in her marriage, lamenting 'two wasted lives' and seeking solace in the dance.

### Love and Marriage

The chapter explores the disillusionment in Eustacia and Clym's marriage, contrasted with the rekindled tension between Eustacia and Wildeve.

### Social Class and Ambition

Eustacia's shame at Clym's furze-cutting and her longing for the glamour of Paris highlight her thwarted social ambitions.

## Character check-ins

### Eustacia Vye

Feels trapped and depressed by her marriage to Clym, seeks escape at the village dance, and dances with Wildeve.

### Clym Yeobright

Now blind and working as a furze-cutter, he tries to cheer Eustacia but feels like a burden; he goes to meet her after the dance.

### Damon Wildeve

Appears at the dance, dances with Eustacia, and walks her home, leading to a tense meeting with Clym and Venn.

### Diggory Venn

Accompanies Clym to meet Eustacia; his keen eyes notice Wildeve's presence, raising suspicion.

## Key lines

> Two wasted lives—his and mine. And I am come to this! Will it drive me out of my mind?

Eustacia feels that both she and Clym have squandered their potential, and she fears her despair will overwhelm her sanity.

_Reflects Eustacia's deep depression and sense of hopelessness._

> I'll be bitterly merry, and ironically gay, and I'll laugh in derision.

She resolves to mask her pain with forced cheerfulness and sarcastic humor.

_Shows Eustacia's defiant but fragile coping mechanism._

> How near she was to Wildeve! it was terrible to think of.

Eustacia is acutely aware of the physical and emotional closeness to Wildeve during the dance, which disturbs her.

_Highlights the dangerous attraction and moral conflict._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_return_of_the_native_se/chapters/iii-she-goes-out-to-battle-against-depression
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_return_of_the_native_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_return_of_the_native_se/chapters