At what point does this character distinguish between spiritual and physical love?

12. Hardy briefly mentions Jude's "lowered ambition" to become a parish priest after realizing he cannot attend the university, but does not elaborate. Based on what you know about this character, is this a practical aspiration? Do you believe Jude could have found happiness in this role if he had chosen it over pursuing Sue? Why or why not?

Thomas Hardy's novels often employ rich and evocative settings that are integral to understanding the social and emotional intricacies of his characters. In "Jude the Obscure," the region of Wessex, a blend of reality and fiction, serves as the canvas for a profound exploration of societal norms and personal aspirations. Within this imagined landscape, various locations such as Marygreen, Christminster, Melchester, Shaston, and Aldbrickham provide a backdrop against which the lives of Jude and other characters unfold, each place contributing uniquely to the narrative's thematic depth.

Wessex: The Fictional Heartland

Wessex is a fictional region of England that Hardy frequently uses as the setting for his novels. Positioned between the Cornish coast and the River Thames, it echoes the real-world terrain of southwestern England with its rolling hills, babbling brooks, and quaint villages. In "Jude the Obscure," this landscape is not merely a backdrop but a living, breathing entity that embodies the rustic charm and societal complexities of Hardy's world. Through Wessex, Hardy presents a series of "local" novels, weaving both authentic and imagined elements into a tapestry that reflects the multifaceted character of the English countryside.

Marygreen: The Idyllic Origin

Marygreen, Jude's hometown, is where his journey begins, offering a stark juxtaposition between its picturesque surroundings and the rough nature of its working-class inhabitants. Jude's formative years occur here, amidst the tensions between aspiration and reality. The town embodies the simplicity of rural life but also the limitations it imposes, as seen when Jude marries Arabella, abandoning his educational dreams. Marygreen's inspiration derives from Great Fawley, Berkshire, a place closely tied to Hardy's own ancestry. Jude’s surname and upbringing in Marygreen symbolize both his roots and the initial constraints of his ambitions.

Christminster: The Harsh Beacon of Hope

Christminster, modeled on the prestigious city of Oxford, represents Jude's dream of intellectual and personal enrichment. It stands as a beacon of knowledge, yet its exclusivity highlights the societal barriers of the time. Upon moving there after his failed marriage, Jude encounters an unwelcoming academic world that dismisses both his and his cousin Sue's intellectual potential due to their class and gender. Christminster paradoxically embodies both the allure of enlightenment and the harsh realities of social division, capturing the conflict between Jude’s aspirations and the rigid class structures of Victorian England.

Melchester: The Constricting Embrace of Society

Following his disappointment in Christminster, Jude finds himself in Melchester, a village that symbolizes the restrictive societal norms governing relationships. It is in Melchester that Jude and Sue acknowledge their mutual love and its accompanying societal perils. The episode where Sue, after an innocent night with Jude, feels compelled to marry Phillotson to redeem herself, underscores the era's oppressive expectations upon women. Melchester, a recurring location in Hardy's works, is inspired by Salisbury, renowned for its religious and cultural heritage, and it captures the conflicting demands of personal versus societal morality.

Shaston: The Turbulent Reunion

In Shaston, a village reflecting Shaftesbury in Dorset, Jude and Sue's paths converge again as Sue wrestles with her marital obligations to Phillotson. This setting epitomizes the enduring struggle between personal fulfillment and social conformity. Here, the permanence of Gothic architecture juxtaposed with the transient lives of its inhabitants mirrors Jude and Sue’s tumultuous relationship. Shaston becomes a poignant symbol of their attempts to defy societal expectations and forge a path true to their hearts, only to find themselves constrained by enduring social norms.

Aldbrickham: The Place of Final Unraveling

Jude and Sue's move to Aldbrickham marks the beginning of their tragic decline. Seeking anonymity and acceptance while posing as a married couple, they are ultimately exposed and ostracized by their community. This city, modeled after Reading, Berkshire, represents the unyielding moral rigidity of Victorian society. Their façade of normalcy shatters, leading to a catastrophic unraveling of their family life. The derelict conditions of their surroundings echo their personal deterioration, culminating in a harrowing event that underscores the profound social and personal failures they experience.

Through these distinct yet interconnected settings, Hardy crafts a narrative that is rich in social commentary and emotional depth. Each location in "Jude the Obscure" not only advances the plot but also intricately mirrors the challenges and aspirations of its characters, leaving a lasting impression on readers long after the novel concludes.

The Victorian era, a time of significant transformation, is vividly captured in the works of Thomas Hardy. Hardy's novels not only reflect the societal shifts of his time but also engage with the pressing issues that accompanied these changes. "Jude the Obscure," in particular, stands out as a narrative deeply embedded in the social context of late 19th-century England and highlights Hardy's critical engagement with themes such as religious doubt, the role of women, and the institution of marriage.

The Victorian Context

Thomas Hardy's life and work coincided with the late Victorian era, a time marked by rapid industrialization, social reform, and moral questioning. The Victorian age, named after Queen Victoria, was characterized by a combination of economic growth and social upheaval, elements that Hardy observed keenly in his native Dorset. The conservative morals, particularly in rural England, created a backdrop against which literary works like "Jude the Obscure" were both shocking and revelatory.

Religious conservatism dominated much of Victorian life, yet this was also a time when intellectuals began to distance themselves from traditional beliefs, influenced by scientific advancements such as Darwin's theory of evolution. This period of religious doubt is encapsulated in Hardy's depiction of the "ache of modernism," a phrase that reflects the existential uncertainty that many faced as traditional religious explanations no longer sufficed.

Industrialization and Social Change

The economic landscape of England in the 19th century was transformed by industrialization, as the nation's gross national product saw a remarkable increase. This economic boom brought wealth, but also significant social dislocation. As industrialization progressed, the traditional agrarian lifestyle was increasingly replaced by urban industrialism, causing a demographic shift that saw more people living in urban areas than rural ones for the first time in history.

This shift from rural to urban life led to a loss of traditional social structures, with the rural labor class particularly affected. Hardy, drawing from his personal and historical knowledge, was acutely aware of the societal costs of this economic progress. Despite the apparent prosperity, many were left without a place in this new society, forced to trade their agricultural heritage for degrading factory work.

Women's Rights and the "New Woman"

The Victorian era was a pivotal time for women's rights, though progress was slow. Pioneers like Mary Wollstonecraft and John Stuart Mill laid the groundwork for the ongoing fight for suffrage and gender equality. Yet, for many women of Hardy's time, traditional roles persisted, and the struggle for educational and professional opportunities continued.

In "Jude the Obscure," Hardy explores the societal expectations placed upon women and questions the limitations imposed by these roles. Sue Bridehead, a central character in the novel, embodies the figure of the "New Woman," challenging traditional conventions and questioning the necessity of marriage, a stance that was both progressive and controversial for the time.

The Marriage Question

The "Marriage Question" was a significant issue in 19th-century England, focusing on whether marriages could or should be dissolved legally. The debate was not only a societal concern but also a personal one for Hardy, whose own experiences and observations are reflected in his narratives. The Married Women's Property Acts were a step towards women's economic independence, yet the question of true marital equality remained unresolved.

Hardy used "Jude the Obscure" to criticize the institution of marriage, portraying it as a trap for many individuals. The novel's depiction of marriage as a source of misery and constraint was radical, challenging the notion of marriage as a sacred and inviolable institution. Hardy's portrayal of loveless and oppressive marriages forced readers to confront the inadequacies of the existing marital framework.

Criticism and Controversy

The publication of "Jude the Obscure" was met with a storm of criticism, reflecting the contentious nature of its themes. Despite Hardy's intention for the novel to be a reflection on individual lives, it was perceived as an attack on social order, particularly the sacrosanct institution of marriage. Critics accused Hardy of promoting immoral ideas and stirring societal unrest, culminating in a public backlash that included book burnings and scathing reviews.

Such was the controversy that Hardy eventually turned away from novel writing altogether, opting instead to focus on poetry and drama. The intensity of the response to "Jude the Obscure" underscores the novel's impact and the provocative nature of its themes, which resonated deeply with contemporary societal anxieties.

The Role of Education

In "Jude the Obscure," Hardy also critiques the idealized view of education as a path to liberation. Jude Fawley, the protagonist, is a character inspired by a love of learning, yet his aspirations are thwarted by economic and social barriers. Hardy's own experiences inform this narrative thread, as he himself faced similar obstacles in his pursuit of education and professional success.

Through Jude's struggles, Hardy highlights the limitations of the educational system, which was often inaccessible to those outside the privileged classes. This critique of educational elitism exposes the gap between the ideal of education as an equalizer and the reality of its role in reinforcing social hierarchies.

Legacy and Influence

Thomas Hardy's "Jude the Obscure" remains a significant work in the canon of English literature, renowned for its critical examination of the social issues of its time. The novel's themes of religious doubt, the role of women, and the institution of marriage are as relevant today as they were in Hardy's era, reflecting the ongoing nature of these societal debates.

By daring to address the controversial topics of his day, Hardy's work paved the way for future generations of writers and thinkers. His portrayal of the complexities of human relationships and societal structures continues to resonate, offering a poignant reflection on the enduring struggles for social justice and equality.

Like many of Hardy's novels, this one was initially written for serialization. However, the final text was more effectively revised to reduce the sense of anticlimax often associated with serialized works, a contrast to The Return of the Native or The Mayor of Casterbridge. While a few melodramatic episodes remain, such as the scene where Sue flees her teacher training school, swims a river, and arrives at Jude's bachelor quarters, the novel as a whole demonstrates Hardy's improved skill in revising away compromises he felt were imposed by serial publication. This improvement is evident as he neared the end of his career as a novelist. Conversely, the difficulties Hardy faced with the serialization of Jude may have strengthened his resolve to avoid such compromises in the first place, possibly influencing his decision to retire from novel-writing altogether. This progression also reflects a moderation in Hardy's inclination toward sensational and melodramatic scenes to conclude serial sections.

Despite its final seamless narrative form, Hardy's last novel remains a triumph of the conservative narrative strategies favored by Victorian authors and their readers. Like most of Hardy's works, it is defiantly omniscient. Hardy places his narrator in a panoramic position, granting the freedom to reveal the most private thoughts and feelings of any character, and the latitude to pass editorial judgment on their actions and motivations.

Jude is also a brilliant example of Hardy's unique take on the foundational novel technique, the picaresque, which is a comic narrative following the sequential adventures of a central character. Similar to the masters of eighteenth and nineteenth-century British fiction, such as Henry Fielding, Laurence Sterne, and Charles Dickens, Hardy structures his fiction around the "cradle-to-grave" narrative of his main character. Unlike Fielding and Sterne, whose Tom Jones (1749) and Tristram Shandy (1759-1767) invite a comic identification with the protagonist, blending compassion and humor, Hardy follows the picaresque tradition of Dickens. Works like Dickens' Oliver Twist (1838) and David Copperfield (1850) are viewed from a generally empathetic perspective. Hardy takes this further by minimizing humor, demanding a fully compassionate and essentially tragic identification with his hero's plight. There are few laughs in any Hardy novel, and virtually none in Jude. Consequently, the traditional mirth of the picaresque is replaced by a sorrowful empathy.

In one respect, Jude stands out among Hardy's mature works. Each group of chapters, roughly aligning with a serial installment, is named after a location. For example, "Part First, At Marygreen," which includes ten chapters, focuses on Jude's childhood and his ill-fated marriage. "Part Second, At Christminster," comprises seven chapters detailing Jude's attempts to enroll at the University and his realization that he is unwelcome there.

What is noteworthy is that, aside from very general connections, the setting has minimal influence on the events within each cluster, less so than the relationship between location and events in Tess of the D'Urbervilles. Many significant scenes, except for moments like the young Jude gazing at Christminster across the night sky or the fair where Arabella encounters the ailing Jude, Sue, and their children, occur indoors. One of Hardy's notable strengths as a novelist—his vivid depiction of landscapes and their connection to his characters' destinies—is less prominent here compared to his earlier works.

Conversely, the architect in Hardy is ever-present in the narration of Jude. Small, confining spaces—rooms, buildings, walls, partitions—are described with meticulous detail, hinting at how these stifling environments mirror the oppressive institutions that constrain his characters' aspirations and dreams.

Despite its mood and theme being ill-suited for pop culture formats and its absence of a "positive message" clashing with many trends in popular media, two notable adaptations have emerged nearly a century after the novel's publication. Although neither achieved significant commercial success, one provides valuable interpretations that can enhance, but not replace, a reading of Hardy's narrative.

A 1971 British Broadcasting production, adapted by Harry Green and directed by Hugh David, took considerable creative liberties with Hardy's novel. Green's adaptation omitted several minor characters, such as Phillotson's confidant Gillingham and Mr. Cartlett, while significantly amplifying the roles of others, like the Marygreen parish priest. Despite these changes, the adaptation remains true to the essence of Hardy's work. David's direction skillfully employs nearly simultaneous cuts between scenes involving the main characters. The settings, depicting rural England and evoking the 1890s Wessex, are filmed in a softened green hue that reflects the vagueness of the book's place descriptions.

Under David's guidance, Robert Powell delivers a convincing portrayal of the angst-ridden Jude, but it is Alex Marshall's performance as Arabella that truly stands out. Marshall's portrayal is sassy, sensuous, and manipulative, emphasizing the contrast between Arabella and Sue. While Arabella is coarse, sensual, and voluptuous, Sue is ethereal, frigid, and thin. Despite these differences, both characters similarly manipulate Jude. Green and David effectively highlight Hardy's critique of Victorian culture's lack of privacy. The film consistently illustrates how employers, landladies, and other busybodies intrude on individuals' private spaces to scrutinize their morality. One modest example is Miss Fontover sneaking into Sue's room to spy on the statues she has bought. Green expands on Hardy's hint that Miss Fontover broke Sue's pagan statues, uncovering them only after thorough snooping under Sue's bed. Similar scenes throughout the film underscore the difficulty Jude and Sue face in maintaining a private life in Hardy's world.

The other adaptation is Jude, a feature film released by Polygram Films in 1996. Directed by Michael Winterbottom, the film's standout feature is its cinematography, showcasing stunning views of Wessex landscapes, contrasted with the austere, stone- and brick-faced imagery of Christminster. Additionally, the film delivers compelling visuals of the harsh, laborious agricultural life that Jude yearns to leave behind for intellectual pursuits. However, Hossein Amini's adaptation, while initially faithful to Hardy's narrative, ultimately fails to capture the essence of Hardy's work, likely due to compromises made for commercial appeal. Several significant omissions reduce the narrative's subtlety, such as ignoring Jude's secondary ambition to become a humble cleric and the re-establishment of Arabella's and Sue's marriages to Jude and Phillotson, respectively. The film also skips over Jude's illness and death, likely because these themes are generally unappealing to movie audiences. Furthermore, the character of Father Time (called Juey in the film) is not adequately developed, which heightens the shock but undermines the believability of the murder-suicide.

The least successful aspect of Jude (1996) is Kate Winslet's portrayal of Sue. While she amplifies Hardy's depiction of a feminist ahead of her time—having Sue smoke in public, visit pubs, and make suggestive comments—Winslet fails to convey the complexity and reality of Sue's fear of sex, whether due to frigidity or her belief that her sexuality cannot be commodified. This lack of depth is further exacerbated when Sue suddenly becomes sexually active with Jude to dissuade him from going to Arabella in Aldbrickham. In Hardy's novel, although Sue negotiates to keep Jude from Arabella, she remains his Platonic, or as Phillotson describes her, "Shelleyean" lover for some time afterward. Christopher Eccleston's portrayal of Jude is passionate, but his enthusiasm for Christ and knowledge is depicted with less conviction than his desires for Arabella and later Sue. In contrast, Liam Cunningham's portrayal of Phillotson is so compelling that it makes the viewer lament the significant reduction of Richard's role in Amini's adaptation of Jude the Obscure.

Abrams, M. H., et al., eds. The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. II. New York: W. W. Norton, 1979.

Baker, Ernest A. The History of the English Novel, Vol. 9. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1936.

Bloom, Harold, ed. Thomas Hardy’s Jude the Obscure. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.

Boumehla, Penny. Thomas Hardy and Women: Sexual Ideology and Narrative Form. Sussex: Harvester Press, 1982.

Carpenter, Richard. Thomas Hardy. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1964.

Drabble, Margaret and Stringer, Jenny. The Concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. New York: Oxford University Press, 1990.

Hardy, Thomas. The Collected Letters of Thomas Hardy, Vol. 2: 1893–1901. R. L. Purdy and M. Millgate, eds. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980.

Hardy, Thomas. Jude the Obscure. New York: Penguin, 1978.

Howe, Irving. Thomas Hardy. New York: Macmillan, 1985.

Morgan, Rosemarie. Women and Sexuality in the Novels of Thomas Hardy. New York: Routledge, 1988.

Watts, Cedric. Jude the Obscure. New York: Penguin, 1992.