The Return of the Native, set in the stark, enthralling landscape of Egdon Heath, focuses on the lives and destinies intertwined within this rural setting. The narrative, rich in symbolism and the clash between pagan and Christian values, begins on a Guy Fawkes Night, introducing a diverse cast of characters, from the idealistic Clym Yeobright to the passionate Eustacia Vye, and the steadfast Diggory Venn. Their stories, marked by love, ambition, and betrayal, unfold over a year and a day, reflecting Hardy's critique of Victorian society and its constraints.

The Return of the Native stirred Victorian society with its candid portrayal of flawed characters and sexual relationships. Hardy's integration of modern themes like sexual politics and the individual's clash with societal norms, framed within a classical tragedy structure and set against the primal backdrop of Egdon Heath, marked a departure towards modernism. The novel's exploration of community's role in shaping individual destinies, particularly through its treatment of the unconventional Eustacia Vye, highlights the timeless struggle between personal desires and communal expectations.