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Pictorial art in The return of the native by Thomas Hardy
Fantová, Jitka ; Beran, Zdeněk (advisor) ; Nováková, Soňa (referee)
The Return of the Native has proven to be a great example of the use of pictorial art in literature. Having been created in the middle of the second half of the 19th century, it became a mirror of the contemporary development of art. Not only does it use some principles from Academism, drawing heavily on the powerful impressions elicited by the sublime and the picturesque, but also it is inspired by Impressionism and a completely new point of view on the subject portrayed. Hardy is also influenced by the baroque play of light and shade, as well as by the symbolism of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. Reading the novel is like going through a gallery where the subjects of all paintings of different styles are related to one plot. Hardy has shown us several ways of incorporating a clear visual image carrying a meaning into a text. Firstly, it can be a direct reference to a picture or a painter, which helps Hardy to create a more detailed image of a scene in the reader's head, in case he or she knows the picture or the painter. Secondly, he uses methods of artistic styles in portrayal of characters and scenes to enhance particular qualities. Most striking is his obsession with lighting, which binds the structure of the novel together. It allows for a very original style of writing that leaves a long-lasting...
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