The Return of the Native was Thomas Hardy’s sixth novel.  It was serialized in Belgravia magazine in 1878 before publication in book form. It was initially structured in the format of classical tragedy into five books, but a sixth book with a happy ending was added to accommodate the demands of the market.  The story commences on Guy Fawkes Day and takes place over the course of a year and a day in which the characters carry on a series of illicit relationships that undergo changes of heart and unexpected twists of fate. The setting of the ancient, pagan Egdon Heath and the Greek chorus of the townspeople reinforce the sense of inescapable destiny and the message that those who try to escape will only hasten their self-destruction.  Some comfort is taken in the end as the patient, meek and kind find peace and prosperity. The Return of the Native has become one of Hardy’s most popular novels, not surprisingly, as its storyline and issues it raises could be right at home in contemporary media.