An Ecological Reading Of The Return Of The Native

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) is one of the few writers who have achieved a highstatus in both novels and poetry. He was a well-known writer who began his writingcareer in the1860s and continued steadily into the20th century. He inheritedand developed the literature tradition of Victorian period, and he was honoredas the last greatest writer and poet of this period. Hardy gained his reputationfrom the Novels of “Character and Environment” which is the long-standingsubject to critics. The Return of the Native is the typical representation ofthis kind.This thesis elaborates Hardy’s ecological consciousness that embodied inhis view on Nature from the plot and the description of the landscape in TheReturn of the Native. This thesis is divided into five chapters:The Introduction part introduces Hardy’s life and his novels, The BriefLiterature Review of The Return of the Native. This part also introduces theemergency and definition of the theory of ecological criticism.Chapter one probes into hardy’s sense of natural ecology by analyzing hissense of Non-anthropocentrism in this novel. The author puts human and natureat the equal position. In Hardy’s novel, all creatures in nature have humanfeelings, even not excepting the heath. In his opinion, both human and naturebelong to one larger ecosystem of the earth. Man should respect and liveharmoniously with nature.Chapter two is about Hardy’s sense of spiritual ecology which reflectedby his objection to the Utilitarianism in this novel. By the fate of thecharacters in The Return of the Native, Hardy expresses his objection to theleading role of material desire and the advocacy of simple lifestyle. Thestandard of human’s living is greatly raised by industrialization, but it alsobrings many social contradictions. In Hardy’s opinion, the only way to solve resource only will make the relationship between nature and human become nervous.The conclusion part summarizes and concludes this thesis. Nowadays, the globalecological crisis become more and more serious，so it is especially in^jortant to analyzeHa*rdys works through the perspective of ecocriticism in literary research. The heart of theproblem is to maintain the balance of natural ecology, social ecology and spiritual ecology atthe same time, or else we cannot maintain the balance of the ecological system of our earth.Besides, it provides us with useful enlightenment on how to handle the relationship betweenman and nature, at the same time arouse the reader’s ecological consciousness.