Jude the Obscure

Synopsis

Jude the Obscure is a novel written by Thomas Hardy, an English author remembered for his writings of a declining rural society through his writings such as Under the Greenwood Tree, A Pair of Blue Eyes, The Mayor of Casterbridge and Desperate Remedies.

The novel narrates how a conservative society victimizing a village stonemason and his children life on the account of living together without marriage. Jude Fawley yearns to be scholar, works in his aunt’s bakery while teaching himself Latin and Greek. He has been persuaded to marriage by Arabella Donn, a superficial girl who distances him after two years. After their breakup, she gives birth to a child, who has been named in the novel as “Little Father Time”. His birth is not known to Jude initially.

Jude moves to another city for pursuing his education and meets his cousin Sue Bridehead. He introduces her to his old school master Mr. Phillotson. As time passes Phillotson and Sue gets married in peculiar circumstances. However Sue still loves Jude and leaves Phillotson. Jude and Sue live together without marriage and over the years they have two children.

The society does not accept their living together lifestyle and Jude has been dismissed by his employer. The family goes through hard times. Meanwhile “Little Father Time” becomes a socially-troubled boy in frustration kills his half-siblings and hangs himself. In the preceding incidents Sue leaves Jude and remarries Phillotson duly supported by Arabella, who wishes Jude back to her. Cursed by Sue’s decision to leave him, he accepts the inevitable reunion with Arabella, but dies within a year of illness. His death does not cause any trouble to Arabella, she is on her way to the next suitor.

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