Jude the Obscure

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Summary: First impressions are not the best
Review: It was hard to get past the first 100 pages. It just wasn't catchy. But then the book took an unexpected turn that leads the reader into the story. This is the genius of Hardy...

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Summary: Genius
Review: Thomas Hardy is one of the greatest writers of the 19th Century.
I have read and reread all his books several times. There is no one that can match his GENIUS!

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Summary: Be prepared to be stunned and taught by Hardy.
Review: I've read all of Thomas Hardy's novels, and Jude is my favorite, followed closely by The Mayor of CasterBridge. I love Hardy's details; he almost always uses symbolism in his character and place names. Did you know Jude is the smallest book in the Bible? Well it is, and accordingly, Jude is a diminuitive character from appearances. Hardy's complex views on marriage and relationships really stood out to me in this novel.

Above all, Jude values education's enlightenment, not just a degree. But the fool marries Arabella (for impatient, youthful lust), a worldly woman who could care less about Jude's unpractical philosophy. He, in turn, abhors her family's pig slaughtering business. Eventually, she runs away.

Over time, Jude comes to know and love Sue Bridehead. She is an intelligent teacher whose love is mutual, but she refuses to marry him. First of all, he never officially got divorced from Arabella, and secondly, she is superstitious. Both have a history of luckless marriages in their family histories (they are cousins). Eventually they come to the decision that since they are morally upright, they can be married without the formalities. They have three children. All goes ok for a time.

Then Arabella comes back with a child, Jude's child. She cannot keep him. This child is barely older than the other three and severely depressed. The child does not understand why people have children in such a cruel world. I won't tell you the ending, but be assured it ends in the worst possible way. I love the novel anyways; it has artistic integrity. The final collapse of Judes relationships is a moment of 'pathetic catharsis.' Catharsis is always associated with tragedy (Greek, ie - Oedipus), but I think Hardy actually pulls it off in this pathos story. Catharsis is a brief moment of intense grief that causes the reader to pause, to learn.

Morals in the story: Don't get married too quickly; use your head. Also, marriage requires formalities to protect us from the world's cruel darts. It doesn't matter how upright you are; environmental chaos will try to destroy you anyways. That's why Hardy saw the need to have marriage promises formalized. We should not think that we're so strong when we don't know the future's misfortune.

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Summary: Hardy's most "modern" novel
Review: One of the many things that amaze about Hardy is how widely his imagination roamed -- how much variety there is in his Wessex novels, though all are set in the same little geographic patch of territory, traversing the same cities and countrysides.

Though it addresses sex and marrriage with a directness that is almost startling, JUDE is not so sensuous or earthy as TESS OF THE D'URBERVILLES. It has a more male personality, suited to its protagonist; not poetic but leaner, more abstract and philosophical; not pastoral but urban, with churches, schools and colleges, the strongholds of civilization, as landmarks.

Still, readers who take JUDE as an extended tract against convention aren't paying attention. It's true there are moments that ask to be taken as parable and passages in which you can hear the unmistakable voice of an author making a case. But the story of Jude and Sue is too complex and full of reversals to support any mere argument. They don't fare very well in Wessex, but it's hard to imagine any social conditions in which they would. They are fascinating but unexceptional people whose restlessness, neuroses, desires and ambitions would be thwarted anywhere -- and they are us. They aren't as attractive as Tess, or as Gabrial and Bathsheba in FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD, but they are arguably truer and certainly newer in fiction. They are citizens of the 20th century. This was Hardy's last novel, supposedly because of the outcry against it upon publication, but I don't know where he could have gone from here. It's as if he had a glimpse of the disintegration of human personality along with the achievements and monuments of the race. Where could he have looked next?

I'm making the book sound grim, but it has many pleasures for the reader. Here Hardy seems to be holding himself to a higher standard as a novelist. The language is trim and swift, and the subsidiary characters are vivid and memorable, not just voices or stock figures. Arabella, Phillotson, the Widow Edlin are wonderful creations. And (as in TESS), the architecture of the story is dazzling and resonant, like a concert hall with perfect acoustics.

In other ways, though, JUDE isn't characteristic of Hardy. A reader coming to him cold may as well start with JUDE as not, though it will give no real sense of his oeuvre as a novelist. If you're a Hardy reader, you might love the other novels and only admire this one, or vice-versa. Some consider it his greatest achievement (though for me, that would be TESS).

Certainly it stands alone. The Victorian novel could go no further.

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Summary: Fate
Review: It seems to me, after reading a couple of Thomas Hardy novels, that although Hardy's stories are rich in narrative, they're working on a more abtract level or meant to convey more universal themes. My impression is that the point of the novel is made in the very title of the book. One doesn't have to consider this story in the context of the 19th century. The same set of circumstances could have occurred in any century. Jude was living his life according to his own values; outside forces played upon his choices, and the results were unfortunately, unhappy for Jude. I guess in today's competitive world where people believe they control every turn of their destiny, it may seem the outcomes in this novel should have been different. But, look again. You'll simply find a man living his life the best way he knows how to.

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Summary: Despair within and without
Review: Prior to reading Jude the Obscure, I had a smattering of knowledge about the religious uproar it caused upon publication, which led Hardy to abandon novels and focus merely on poetry. His work being denounced and burned by the churches, Hardy felt that if that was to be the treatment of his work, he would no longer produce the work.

Now that I have read the novel, and having attempted to place myself in the mindset of the later 19th century morals and ideals, I can begin to understand why such an uproar was raised.

First, the story...Jude Fawley, of poor and meager birth, aspires to academic greatness. When it is recommended to him that he stay on the 'blue collar' course he has begun, and not wish for more, he decides to educate himself, one day hoping that it will position him for greater things.

Jude enters into a hasty marriage, which by later standards would be described as a 'shotgun' wedding, which he eventually comes to regret, and ends. Enter his cousin Sue, who becomes the love of his life. Sue also ends an unsatisfactory first marriage, freeing herself to be with Jude, whom she loves as well.

What follows is a descent into tragedy and despair, with numerous twists and turns along the way. Not wanting to spoil them, I will not divulge.

However, the remainder of the novel touches upon many, many themes that amounted to raising of the ire of the church in response. Divorce; childbirth out of wedlock; loss of faith in God; questioning religious ideals and teachings; all these and more are present in the latter half of the novel, and so much more.

Upon finishing the book, I was left to question were these really Hardy's own feelings illustrated in his work, or simply a realization of a course of events for the characters, and not a reflection on the author's beliefs. That, however, bears further reading on the life of Thomas Hardy.

Where I find fault with the novel is in the characters, and it is merely a distaste with their actions. Sue, the heroine, spends far too much time vacillating about her love for Jude and her desire to marry him. When Jude tries to do the right thing by Sue, and respect her wishes, she claims he has 'given up too easily, and doesn't seem at all disappointed'. Jude's first wife, Arabella, displays an utterly selfish, self-absorbed personality, and was, for me, unlikeble, and unsympathetic. Jude, a character capable of learning Latin and Greek and engaging in other scholarly pursuits, seems completely naive in the ways of the world, and further seems blinded by a sense of duty over a sense of the rights and wrongs of others. His actions make him appear to have no regard for himself, until the very end.

Perhaps this is exactly as Hardy meant the characters to be seen, perhaps not. I did enjoy the book more than I expected to, and apparently more than others who have said to me "What on earth are you reading THAT for???". Hardy is not a comedy writer, and one should not expect a glamorous, cheerful, tidy ending, it does not exist here.

While not the greatest of classic novels I have read, I can certainly see why this one has been discussed for over 100 years. While Dickens peppered his stories with levity to break up the gloom, Hardy continues on a downward spiral, leaving his characters in despair within and without. I recommend it to readers who enjoy a good characterization of later 19th century life in England. But if you are looking for something to put a smile on your face, Hardy might not be for you.

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Summary: Victimization Nonsense
Review: I have read four of Hardy's novels and loved them but I didn't like this one and didn't even finish it. For one it is not an engaging novel. Usually I can't put Hardy's novels down but I was reluctant to pick this one up. Second Hardy seems to blame "society" for everything that goes wrong in Jude's life. This is a huge departure for Hardy who normally writes about flawed characters that create their own misery and troubles. Blaming social pressure not Jude's personal acts is a departure from his other books such as The Mayor of Casterbridge.

I personally had no sympathy for Jude or the other characters in the book. I also found the anti-marriage theme troubling. Jude chose to enter a relationship with Arabella who was completely wrong for him. People who knowingly enter relationships and then marriages with inappropriate people are completely responsible for the misery that results. Saying that social conformity is a bad thing because it asks men to take responsibility for the offspring they produce is troubling. Yes Arabella tricked him into marriage with a false pregnancy but he chose to become intimate with someone knowing pregnancy was a possibility. Hardy's theme of victimization is so annoying I don't plan to read anymore of his books.

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Summary: A Tragic, Thought-Provoking Novel
Review: Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy is a compelling and intriguing novel. Instead of most conventional novels that rely on plot, it places its emphasis on getting certain points and ideas across to the reader. It is a book meant to make the reader think, not as a leisurely Sunday afternoon story. The story takes us through a series of tragic events, starting first, in contrast, with Jude as a young child full of hopes and dreams, the primary dream being to go to Christminster to become a learned fellow. We follow his life as he marries Arabella, a woman who fakes a pregnancy to get Jude to marry her. Because their marriage does not have the foundation of love, it quickly crumbles and Arabella leaves Jude to go to Australia.
Jude then decides to follow his old dreams and travels to Christminster, only to find it was little like what he had imagined. There he falls in love with his cousin Sue, who in order to spite Jude, marries the schoolmaster Phillotson. She despises their marriage, and soon asks her new husband to let her leave. After much contemplation, he consents, and Sue runs off with Jude. The two start a life together with Jude worshiping Sue and Sue constantly pushing Jude away. They will not commit to marriage, and live a life together looked down upon by all of society. After a while, they get a surprise from Arabella, saying she has a son that belongs to Jude, and that he will be coming to live with them. Father Time, as he was nicknamed, comes to live with them. He is a very depressed young soul, burdened by things way beyond his years. Sue and Jude have two more children out of wedlock, and constantly move from town to town to get away from the jeers of society.
Just as things are starting to look up, as Sue seems to finally love Jude, Father Time decides to take things into his own hands and hangs himself as well as the other two children. Sue, being unable to cope with the situation, leaves Jude and goes back to Phillotson, saying it is her duty. Jude, left alone, is then visited by the vivacious Arabella, who gets him drunk so he will consent to re-marry her. Their marriage, however, is simply one huge lie, and Jude, from depression and a loss of hope, becomes sick and finally dies in his misery.
The main topics looked at by Hardy seem to be about goals and marriage. Hardy clearly defines Jude's many goals, for instance his pursuit of knowledge and his pursuit to win the love of Sue, but just as St. Jude, the saint of hopeless causes, Jude is never able to achieve them. The idea seems to conclude that no matter what your goals are, you will never be able to attain them. This is a depressing thought, and though it may be true for some people, I believe it does not clearly express the true things that happen in people's lives. Most people, if they have a goal in sight, do achieve their goals, bringing themselves happiness.
Marriage is clearly looked down upon in this book. Hardy shows marriage between both Sue and Phillotson as well as Jude and Arabella as a trap of unhappiness. He then contrasts that unhappiness with the life of "true" happiness that Jude and Sue had together, out of wedlock. This idea, in my opinion, is absolutely false. Marriage is meant to be the union of two people who love each other so much that they are willing to commit their entire lives to each other. It is meant as a means for happiness and love to blossom. Hardy's demented idea of marriage is clearly false.
Even though some of the philosophies in this book tend to be skewed, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It made me think on an entirely different level. I could sympathize Jude's pain, and though it may not be a leisurely novel, it is a classic that I recommend any educated person should study.

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Summary: The failings of Uncomformity
Review: Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure, is rather compelling, but not a book you can't put down. Where its grip on the reader lacks, its attacks on a repressive social structure dedicated to conforming to religion make the story applicable to any time and place.
Jude, the main character, begins his life as a lower class boy with aspirations to become a great scholar in the illustrious universities of Christminster. Jude puts his heart and soul into a dream he believes attainable, but society and his vices derail him. Hardy shows even an honorable high hoping young man cannot reach the heights of society unless he conforms to its traditions and obligations.
Marriage is the example that demonstrates the main characters obligations to society. Jude can't pursue an academic career because of his requirement to please society by marrying Arabella. Jude and Sue are unable to pursue their truest desires because society thwarts them due to their unconventional relationship. The story seems to attack marriage, as none who impart in it are happy, but Hardy is really trying to say that it is society's regard and adherence to tradition that only allows for a mainstream view of life. Society would rather have a man and woman living miserably under marriage vows than living happily but unconventionally in a stable but unmarried family. It is society's harsh judgment that ruins people; not marriage.
The book starts off with some sensual action and then moves a bit more slowly as it delves into the interplay between characters that exemplifies the books theme. The pace finally picks up again as the events at the end of the book become more feverish and intense.
Overall, the book compresses the reader as he feels the graveness of society's judgment upon unconventionality. It is also intriguing to see the characters fight for what they believe is right despite society's heavy hand upon them.

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Summary: Jude the DEPRESSING
Review: Thomas Hardy's novel, Jude the Obscure, was a very insightful book, but I found its depressing content reminiscent of The Jungle. This is definitely not a novel that I would want to read sitting out in my garden on a sunny day,but rather for educational purposes only. It's examination and criticism of society makes the reader think, which is an essential element in any good novel.
As in The Jungle, Jude the Obscure seems to make the characters' lives worse and worse and worse. The novel begins with high hopes for it's main character, but soon turns into a never-ending landslide of tragedy. The story follows Jude Fawley, who in the beginning of the book is full of dreams of going beyond his lower class station and on to college in Christminster. To do this he studies from books given to him by his old schoolmaster, Phillotson. Jude is a very compassionate and kind-hearted soul who wouldn't hurt a fly and when he is 19, he develops a crush on a local girl named Arabella. She seduces him and then pretends to be pregnant, so that Jude's sense of duty forces him to marry her. The marriage eventually falls apart and Arabella takes off to Australia with her family. Jude then goes to Christminster to pursue his aspirations, but is blatantly rejected. There he meets his cousin, Sue, and falls in love with her. Sue, realizing that Jude loves her, plays with his emotions, and marries Phillotson, the old schoolmaster. Hating the relationship, she asks to be freed from the marriage. Eventually, she likes Jude, but they never officially marry. They end up going from town to town because of the bad reputation surrounding their relationship. During this time they have two children, who are eventually murdered by Arabella and Jude's child, Father Time, who commits suicide after the murders. This drives Sue mad. She then returns to Phillotson, although she can't keep from cringing at his touch, as a form of penance for leaving him in the first place. This leaves Jude alone until Arabella comes back and gets him drunk, so that he will remarry her. Jude, completely broken, dies not too long after the second marriage.
Bad experience after bad experience, nothing remotely uplifting happens! It is just depressing and painful. Not to say you can't learn a lot from books that aren't pleasant. This book examines society in a very pessimistic, but accurate light. Hardy's ideas about the negatives of society and the harsh realities of the human condition are apparent throughout the novel. I liked the book only in that it made me think. Beyond that it was just too hard to read because you feel for Jude and want him to find happiness at some point in his life, but he never does. I also found it very dull when it wasn't making me cry. It is a book I would recommend reading once, but definitely not for amusement and only if you can handle 400 pages of gloom.