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?
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4 comments:
This post is being written before having actually read any of the book, with that said, I believe it is labeled in such a way to express that those 3 locations are (obviously) the 3 most important in the book.
While I have not read a lot of the book myself either, I would agree that these three locations are the most important and main locations where Jude will spend his life. However, I think the reasons for using these three locations as the title of sections have a deeper meaning. If Jude's life is supposed to mirror Tess's, or in effect be the opposite, than Hardy should focus on Jude's nature in the city or urban life. Jude most likely won't be as drawn to pagan nature because of his obsession with the greatness of urban life. Hardy would have been disgusted by someone choosing an urban existence over a rural one, claiming they might offer a more meaningful or fulfilling life. Since we can already guess Jude's life is one of the most miserable Hardy created, by stressing these locations, these centers of urban life, Hardy will try to further his case about the horrors and disappointments urban life holds. Jude will be at his worst in these vastly growing towns, as opposed to when Tess was at her best among nature.
I agree with Ethan in that he would choose cities as his titles to show urbanism. A phase seems to be more flowing, a smoother transition from one place to the next. Which is more pagan in that nature is smooth and tranisitioning. Now by saying that Jude is at...and then at...It's very concrete and defined. As is much of the modern urban world. There is a building, there are rules, there is humanity, and no less nature.
The phases are written in Tess to show the phases she is going through in the book.
in Jude the Obscure, the phases are written as the places he is in the story, those being key and influential components in his life.
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