Burden of Culture in Thomas Hardy's Novel The Return of the Native

Abstract

The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy explores the domination of female characters in the Victorian male dominated culture. Culture has presented as an ever ending vicious circle of burden for female characters. Whatever efforts they showed to emancipate themselves it becomes impossible for them. Cultural burden on the form of patriarchal norms and values have pushed them to the depth of exploitation. Nature is woman, culture as man. So culture is beyond the freedom and gender equality. Eustacia cannot escape from the vicious circle of culture constructed by Victorian male consciousness. Throughout the novel, there is search for economic, social, and cultural emancipation of women. The then Victorian male dominated society has been obstacle for them. But they can make free from such domination if there is female bonding and share their problems in the cordial manner. The prejudices and biasness come not from the males but from the females. Here, too, they should be able to penetrate such bias and create condusive environment to settle the problems. The assimilation with the situation and blending hand in hand in difficulties is the way for them to stand up on their own feet.