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?
I don't think Jude is exactly the nadir of Hardy's pessimism...he is probably really close, if the nadir equaled 10 he would probably be a 9.7...but not a 10. Tess is more pessimistic then Jude when you think about it.
I mean, yes, Jude even at the ripe age of 12 was wishing he was never born, and attempted to jump through ice as a means of suicide at the age of 19, and has a slightly dismal belief about life. not to mention his kids dieing and his whole love triangle between astranged wife Arabella and his cousin who is married to the one man who made him aspire to go to Chrisminster. Then there is Christminster, the place he aspired to go to since the age of 11, not accepting him.
However this may be, he still goes on...er...until he dies. After his relationship with Arabella ended did he become a drunkard at the Alfredson Inn where he went with her that one day? No. He took that as an opertunity to continue his studies and go to Christminster not three years later! Granted I can't think of any optamistic thoughts and actions he showed after the end of the first/beginning of the secon phase...but compare him to Tess.
After Tess was raped her thoughts were all basically "I wasn't worthy, I sinned, I am going to Hell, it's all my fault I was raped, I deserve my husband deserting me because I was raped years ago. etc."
So after putting Tess and Jude in juxtaposition with each other, I do not feel Jude can possibly be the nadir of Hardy's pessimism.
It's quite believeable that he is the pinnacle of Hardy's pessimism. For starters, he aspires to go to christminster to study at the university, however after a time, he gives up on that dream because he knows he cannot obtain it. He followed that up later in the novel by becoming a drunk because he, by this time, had lost all hope in his life. His relationship with Sue was spiraling, his 3 kids were dead. Where would that put a man? Any man worth his salt would be just as damned as Jude was. While pessismistic he was, uncalled for, it was not.
2 comments:
I don't think Jude is exactly the nadir of Hardy's pessimism...he is probably really close, if the nadir equaled 10 he would probably be a 9.7...but not a 10. Tess is more pessimistic then Jude when you think about it.
I mean, yes, Jude even at the ripe age of 12 was wishing he was never born, and attempted to jump through ice as a means of suicide at the age of 19, and has a slightly dismal belief about life. not to mention his kids dieing and his whole love triangle between astranged wife Arabella and his cousin who is married to the one man who made him aspire to go to Chrisminster. Then there is Christminster, the place he aspired to go to since the age of 11, not accepting him.
However this may be, he still goes on...er...until he dies. After his relationship with Arabella ended did he become a drunkard at the Alfredson Inn where he went with her that one day? No. He took that as an opertunity to continue his studies and go to Christminster not three years later! Granted I can't think of any optamistic thoughts and actions he showed after the end of the first/beginning of the secon phase...but compare him to Tess.
After Tess was raped her thoughts were all basically "I wasn't worthy, I sinned, I am going to Hell, it's all my fault I was raped, I deserve my husband deserting me because I was raped years ago. etc."
So after putting Tess and Jude in juxtaposition with each other, I do not feel Jude can possibly be the nadir of Hardy's pessimism.
It's quite believeable that he is the pinnacle of Hardy's pessimism. For starters, he aspires to go to christminster to study at the university, however after a time, he gives up on that dream because he knows he cannot obtain it. He followed that up later in the novel by becoming a drunk because he, by this time, had lost all hope in his life. His relationship with Sue was spiraling, his 3 kids were dead. Where would that put a man? Any man worth his salt would be just as damned as Jude was. While pessismistic he was, uncalled for, it was not.
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