Jude the Obscure Group

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mustapha11
mustapha11
Student
Community / Jr. College

What is the significance of little Father Time in "Jude the Obscure"?

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Posted by mustapha11 on Monday January 26, 2009 at 9:19 AM and tagged with fatalism, father time, jude the obscure, thomas hardy.

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  1. morrol
    morrol Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Little Father Time is an important character in "Jude the Obscure" because he represents Hardy's views on fatalism. Thomas Hardy believed that human actions and destinies are fixed. What happens in your life is destined to happen. We are all fated to a certain end. Father Time is merely a boy, but has the melancholy of a much older man. Father Time is representative of the nature versus nurture argument. He is not old enough to have learned sadness. His sadness is a direct result of fate. Nothing could be done to prevent the disaster he creates.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/jude-obscure/list-characters
    http://www.enotes.com/jude-obscure/summary
    http://www.enotes.com/jude-obscure/summary-analysis

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    Posted by morrol on Tuesday January 27, 2009 at 1:40 PM