How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Whenever a flash of reason darted like an electric light upon her lover – as it sometimes would – and showed his imperfections, she shivered thus. But it was over in a second, and she loved on. She knew that he trifled with her; but she loved on. (1.6.112)
It's really interesting that Eustacia's "reason" is described as a lightning bolt. Lightning is very fast and lights up things quickly before disappearing, and this implies that Eustacia's "reason" is very quick and fleeting. She spends the rest of her time in a sort of metaphorical "darkness" of denial and love.
Quote #8
"Do you love me now?"
"Who can say?"
"Tell me; I will know it!"
"I do, and I do not," said he mischievously. "That is, I have my times and my seasons." (1.6.41-4)
This is pretty much Eustacia and Damon in a nutshell – she's kind of demanding, and he's insensitive.
Quote #9
What a strange sort of love, to be entirely free form that quality of selfishness, which is frequently the chief constituent of the passion, and sometimes its only one! (2.7.51)
Hardy deliberately links passion to selfishness here, which is definitely something to keep in mind when considering the various lovers in this novel. But Diggory escapes this indictment, or judgment, and has his own love characterized as selfless, by Eustacia at least. What does the narrator think of Diggory's love for Thomasin? Is there some selfishness in his feelings for her?