From Hardy's Mouth

Hardy mentions in the personal critique of his work that Jude the Obscure was intended to be full of contrasts. He says, "Sue and her heathen gods set against Jude's reading Greek testement; Christminster academical, Christminster in the slums; Jude the saint, Jude the sinner...etc." The presentation of contrasting symbolic natures within Hardy's characters and various settings in antithesis results in an irony of counterpoint.

Review our definition for irony and post on the following question : In what way are these contrasts ironic?

Also, are there any more contrasts you can find in the text?

Pessimisim

Jude, as a character, has been called "the nadir of Hardy's pessimisim." What does that mean? And how does Jude present a pessimistic philosophy through his thoughts, relationships, and actions?

So You Say I Have a Chance?

A belief in determinism engenders a lack of chance in life. Things happen for a reason to determinists. There are no coincidences or random occurrences. We just finished reading Hardy’s poem, “Hap,” which personifies the idea of Chance. The character rails against god (line 1) and Fate (Casualty, line 11) who are making his life miserable. Find some examples of “chance” or happenstance that occur in Jude the Obscure. Post them here for all to see.

Section Theme

In Tess of the d'Urbervilles Hardy separates his novel in phases indicative of the changes that beset the main character over the course of her life. The moon as a early symbol connect the concepts of Mother Earth to seasonal discord which is a metaphor for Tess's existence.

Jude the Obscure is separated differently. Instead of phases, the sections are titled "At Marygreen," "At Melchester," "At Shaston." Knowing that Hardy intentionally created the phases to mirror Tess's pagan nature, what purpose does Hardy have for labling these sections by town or city?