Chapter 20 of The Return of the Native is here in full — 216 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.
Chapter XX
Chapter 20 of The Return of the Native is here in full — 216 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
“No, it is my general way of looking. I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.” “You don’t feel it now?” “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always. Nothing can ensure the continuance of love.
Chapter 20 of The Return of the Native is here in full — 216 sentences across 44 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.
Reading 1/43 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5
These definitions explain words found in the current reading and keep every example grounded in its original sentence.
Oxford-style entry order: headword, part of speech, US IPA, concise definition, contextual example, and audio.
extremely painful
From this reading “I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.””
third-person singular of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading “I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.””
brought into existence
From this reading “I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.””
the act of continuing an activity without interruption
From this reading “Nothing can ensure the continuance of love.”
make certain of
From this reading “Nothing can ensure the continuance of love.”
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading “I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.””
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading “I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.””
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading “I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.””
Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.
Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.
extremely painful
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
third-person singular of “arise” — come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
brought into existence
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading Nothing can ensure the continuance of love.
the act of continuing an activity without interruption
From this reading Nothing can ensure the continuance of love.
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You don’t feel it now?”
make certain of
From this reading Nothing can ensure the continuance of love.
at any time
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
undergo an emotional sensation or be in a particular state of mind
From this reading “You don’t feel it now?”
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading “No, it is my general way of looking.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “No, it is my general way of looking.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “No, it is my general way of looking.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading “No, it is my general way of looking.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “No, it is my general way of looking.
used when the speaker is also the object of the action
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
not any; not one
From this reading “No, it is my general way of looking.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nothing can ensure the continuance of love.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “You don’t feel it now?”
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “No, it is my general way of looking.
a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the misfortunes of others
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
used with I and we for the future, or to offer and suggest
From this reading “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Nothing can ensure the continuance of love.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always.
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I think it arises from my feeling sometimes an agonizing pity for myself that I ever was born.”
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading “No, it is my general way of looking.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always.
but in spite of that
From this reading “No. Yet I know that we shall not love like this always.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You don’t feel it now?”
Chapter 20 of The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy holds 216 sentences, grouped into 44 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.
Chapter 20 holds 216 sentences of The Return of the Native, unabridged, divided into 44 reading sections.
This page carries chapter 20 of The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 216 sentences, grouped into 44 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.
Work through the 44 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.
Each of the 44 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.
Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 20 can be played aloud in United States English.
Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.
Common questions about reading The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy on this page, its source edition and its audio.
Yes. All 8619 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #122 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.
Project Gutenberg eBook #122, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.
About 600 minutes of reading across 1724 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.
How to work through The Return of the Native section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.
Choose one of the 40 chapters of The Return of the Native to begin.
Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.
Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.
Words and structures a reader meets early in The Return of the Native, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.
