A Man Out of Time
'Jude the Obscure' is the story of an aspirational Wessex stonemason who dreams of becoming a university man in Christminster. An orphan brought up by his Aunt Drusilla in the tiny village of Marygreen, his sensitivity and tendency to over-think put him at odds with those around him. After his beloved schoolmaster, Mr Phillotson, leaves, he embraces self-study, doggedly devouring books and fantasising about a future in academia or the Church. But, despite Aunt Drusilla's warnings against matrimony, in his late teens, he falls for and weds Arabella, the earthy and practical daughter of a local pig farmer. When the relationship fails, the couple separate. Jude returns to his study and makes his home in Christminster, where he encounters Sue, his beautiful and like-minded cousin. In love but haunted by Drusilla's warnings and the stigma of divorce, they try to ignore their true feelings. Can the couple remain friends only? And if not, can they find contentment and acceptance, despite breaking social and moral convention of the time?
The Shock of the Old
There are a number of things about 'Jude the Obscure' that I found distressing. Don't get me wrong, I'm familiar with Hardy's (deserved) reputation for writing miserable stories that often aim to force readers to look beyond quaint images of pastoral life and recognise the hardships faced in rural areas. His stories frequently put innocent characters through Hell before ending unhappily. But this book takes cruelty to a whole new level. There are stomach churning child deaths that must be as shocking today as they were 130 years ago. This alone stops me from recommending the novel.
Mind, Body, Soul
As with Hardy's other works, 'Jude the Obscure' tackles social hypocrisies and reframes the idea of rural life as one of hardship and graft rather than idyll and leisure. The angst over marriage, sex and religion is a bit harder to relate to in modern Britain - not helped by Jude and Sue's interminable, dull and angst-ridden debating - but the theme of education still feels worryingly relevant. In an age where universities can charge more than £9500 per year for a degree, Higher Education can feel financially, physically and culturally out of reach for many young people in rural areas and elsewhere. Fortunately, there are other options, such as Degree Apprenticeships and HE in FE (degrees taught in colleges), but it's heart-breaking to think that there might still be bright, young Judes out there today, clipping their own wings because of the costs involved, and never fulfilling their potentials.
Supporting Cast
Although Jude and Sue are the book's main characters, I found I preferred spending time with Arabella and Phillotson. While scenes with Jude and Sue felt like they went on forever, those with Arabella and Phillotson felt like they whizzed by. I've not worked out why. Could they just be more likeable? Or more believable, with their more realistic take on life and opportunity?
Overall
I don't think I've ever felt so relieved to finish a book. Perhaps Hardy felt the same, since 'Jude the Obscure' was his last novel. Afterwards, he stuck to poetry (the work he preferred anyway), supposedly because of the violent revulsion of critics and the reading public to 'Jude the Obscure'. Apparently a bishop even burned his copy. As Hardy wrote "probably in his despair at not being able to burn me", which is easily the funniest line in the Penguin Classics edition that I read. Admittedly, there's not much competition, but it was a relief to know that Hardy remained mentally balanced even after writing such an unrelenting and depressing tome.
Although I wouldn't encourage you to read 'Jude the Obscure', I do think it's ripe for a modern adaptation. We have many more educational opportunities than our ancestors, but inequality remains, and (as 'Adolescence' and 'Mr Bates vs the Post Office' have shown) there's nothing quite like a well crafted drama to explore where society is going wrong, show us what needs to change, and ultimately encourage action.
Now, what next...?
'Jude the Obscure' by Thomas Hardy was first published in 1895. I read the 1998 Penguin Classics paperback edition. This book includes child murder, animal slaughter and excessive angst.
