The Return of the Native · Chapter
A Desperate Attempt at Persuasion explained
Diggory Venn attempts to persuade Eustacia Vye to give up Damon Wildeve so that he will marry Thomasin Yeobright.
What happens
Diggory Venn attempts to persuade Eustacia Vye to give up Damon Wildeve so that he will marry Thomasin Yeobright. Eustacia initially feigns indifference but eventually reveals her possessive feelings for Wildeve and her hatred of Egdon Heath. Venn's efforts fail as Eustacia refuses to yield.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Marriage
The chapter explores the conflict between love and social obligation, as Eustacia clings to Wildeve despite his engagement to Thomasin.
Isolation and Loneliness
Eustacia's isolation on Egdon Heath is emphasized; she feels the heath is a 'jail' and her detachment from society fuels her defiance.
Social Class and Ambition
Eustacia's sense of superiority over Thomasin and the 'cottagers' reflects class tensions, and Venn's lowly status as a reddleman is contrasted with his moral agency.
Characters to notice
- Eustacia Vye
Eustacia is confronted by Diggory Venn and reveals her passionate attachment to Wildeve, her disdain for the heath, and her refusal to step aside for Thomasin.
- Diggory Venn
Venn attempts to persuade Eustacia to give up Wildeve for Thomasin's sake, using flattery and truth-telling, but ultimately fails.
- Damon Wildeve
Wildeve is the subject of Venn's plea; he is the man caught between Eustacia and Thomasin, though he does not appear in the chapter.
- Thomasin Yeobright
Thomasin is the woman Wildeve may refuse to marry, and Venn pleads on her behalf, though she is unaware of his intervention.
Key passages
“Often a drop of irony into an indifferent situation renders the whole piquant.”
A small touch of irony can make an otherwise dull situation interesting.
Reflects Eustacia's renewed desire for Wildeve after his attention wanes.
“She was as unconcerned at that contingency as a goddess at a lack of linen.”
Eustacia was as indifferent to the threat of gossip as a goddess would be to missing clothing.
Highlights Eustacia's detachment from social opinion due to her isolation.
“In her winter dress, as now, she was like the tiger-beetle, which, when observed in dull situations, seems to be of the quietest neutral colour, but under a full illumination blazes with dazzling splendour.”
In her winter clothes, Eustacia resembled a tiger beetle that looks dull in low light but shines brilliantly when illuminated.
Describes the hidden intensity of Eustacia's beauty, only fully revealed in certain conditions.