Jude the ObscureUpon its first appearance in 1895, Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure shocked Victorian critics and readers with a frank depiction of sexuality and an unbridled indictment of the institutions of marriage, education, and religion, reportedly causing one Angli-can bishop to order the book publicly burned. The experience so exhausted Hardy that he never wrote a work of fiction again. Rich in symbolism, Jude the Obscure is the story of Jude Fawley and his struggle to rise from his station as a poor Wessex stonemason to that of a scholar at Christminster. It is also the story of Jude’s ill-fated relationship with his cousin Sue Bridehead, and the ultimate tragedy that causes Jude’s undoing and Sue’s transformation. Jude the Obscure explores man’s essential loneliness and remains one of Hardy’s most widely read novels. |
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afternoon Aldbrickham Alfredston Arabella asked aunt Beersheba began better Bridehead Brown House called Cartlett Charles Dickens child Christminster church course cousin cried D. H. Lawrence dark dear door Drusilla Edlin entered eyes face father Fawley feel felt Fyodor Dostoevsky Gillingham girl gone hand heard Hermann Hesse hour husband Jane Austen Jude the Obscure Jude's kiss knew late laughed light living lodging London looked lover marriage married Marygreen Melchester mind morning murmured never night passed perhaps Phillotson poor reached replied round schoolmaster seemed Shaston silent soon sort spot stay stood street Sue's suppose talk tell There's thing Thomas Hardy thought tion told took town turned voice waited walked Wessex wife window wish woman women words young