"Jude the Obscure" by Thomas Hardy

The first novel of Thomas Hardy that I read was "The Mayor of Casterbridge," an intense psychological drama that requires a much higher level of literary ability than what I had acquired at the time. Still I found the novel very much fascinating, and Hardy's plotting skill quite impressive. Years later, not so long ago, I read "Far From the Madding Crowd," which became one of my most favorite novels of all time. My impression of Hardy is that he is one of the best novelists in all the worlds. His story is so well structured, and the pacing impeccable. He has the ability to write really good plots, keeping your eyes on the page, while sacrificing nothing when it comes to character development. This is also apparent in "Jude the Obscure."

In "Jude the Obscure," what Shakespeare does in his tragedies, Hardy does in the novel form. It is neatly structured, and the development of Jude from the hero to a tragic hero well orchestrated. Jude starts off as a young boy, orphaned and poor. As the schoolmaster Mr. Phillotson is about to leave the town to continue his schooling, he inspires Jude to believe in books and education. The dream that one day he would go to Christminster to get a college education never leaves Jude; it continues to haunt him and remind him of his failure.

The novel criticizes the politics of the time period regarding education--that it is reserved for the rich and not the intelligence. The main obstacle that stands between Jude and his dream is the lack of money; while he knows the classical texts better than the college students, he is disallowed and discouraged from pursuing his education by those around him. The people in his class also mock him for aspiring to what is beyond his means, as they consider it stupid for a man of his class to want to study books.

Another obstacle is Arabela, a girl who catches Jude's affection as a young man, causing him to neglect his studies. She subsequently tricks him into entering a disastrous and short-lived marriage. After she leaves him, Jude falls in love with his cousin Sue, a young woman who is equally well-read and aspires to be a schoolteacher. As Sue is a woman ahead of her time, she changes Jude's traditional beliefs about religion and marriage. In a time where new ideas had yet to achieve any level of tolerance, their love is tested by discrimination and a series of tragic events.


The novel stirred much controversy at the time of its publication. The magazine that first published it insisted on altering the plot. When the book edition first came out, it was publicly burned. The main source of controversy is probably Sue's overt resistance to religion and unorthodox view of marriage. Despite the troubles that they have to endure, the novel still seems to endorse her idiosyncrasies.

I find the novel very depressing yet so well written it is hard to put down. Jude appears from the beginning a sympathetic character. What is so tragic about the novel is that there appear many hints of possibility for Jude's life to turn around for the better, all of which turn out false. The novel is so carefully planned that it kept me entertained throughout. When it comes to plot and characters, a lot of modern writers are noticeably stronger at one or another. Hardy, who is very skilled at both, has a lot to offer them.

I'm planning to write another extensive entry that explores further the characters; they are complex and intriguing, and offer many topics of discussion. It will contain a lot of spoilers, so don't read it until you have read the novel. Do I recommend this novel? Have a really strong heart, or a firm indifference, is all I can say.