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Jude the Obscure

Thomas Hardy

Why we're reading this: Jude Fawley is a character you will never ever forget. He makes bad choices and bad things happen to him.…more
[close] Jude Fawley is a character you will never ever forget. He makes bad choices and bad things happen to him. Warning: Don't read this if you are even remotely depressed because you might never be happy again.

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Apr 27, 2010 Laura rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: literary-fiction, classics

“The deeper the sadness, the deeper the beauty”—Ani DiFranco.

I thought about this quote by the little folksinger through much of this book — it just fit. This is a sad book and so beautifully done — I admire Thomas Hardy a great deal because of the intense emotional quality of his work and the beautiful description that gives a sense of place and time, such densely packed description is out of fashion these days, and not too many contemporary readers appreciate books slowed down by such attenti “The deeper the sadness, the deeper the beauty”—Ani DiFranco.

I thought about this quote by the little folksinger through much of this book — it just fit. This is a sad book and so beautifully done — I admire Thomas Hardy a great deal because of the intense emotional quality of his work and the beautiful description that gives a sense of place and time, such densely packed description is out of fashion these days, and not too many contemporary readers appreciate books slowed down by such attention to detail, but it is these details that makes Hardy so seductive. One other thing I appreciate about Hardy is his criticism of society. Jude the Obscure is a grim study of the restrictive social codes of the time concerning marriage — just the indication that Jude and Sue were still behaving in a loving manner indicated that they were not married, and in a later chapter another couple were squabbling so much that of course they had to be married, which erased all doubts in the landlord’s mind, which I found quite funny. There’s still people like that around, just uncomfortable with the private lives of others, they force their personal discomfort out there because they just can’t let it be and feel they must meddle. There was a whole lot of “none of your damn business” on my mind — ah, well, such is life. So many of us have had sorrow imposed upon us because of the nonsense of assumptions, pettiness, ignorance, bigotry, sexist attitudes — the list goes on — it’s human nature, we humans gravitate to our comfort zone, gravitate toward people who are like us, and we shun who is not like us; the ones who fall outside of the set parameters of proper society. During the time of its release, Jude the Obscure was dubbed Jude the Obscene — oh, myyyyyyy. This book was sold with a brown paper bag on it and it was apparently burned by the Bishop of Wakefield who was offended by the content. After all the fuss, Thomas Hardy never wrote another novel, but instead, concentrated on his first love, poetry. In this day n’ age, Jude the Obscure is pretty tame, it’s a bit of a tease with all the emotive back and forth between Jude and Sue, which can be maddening at best (doesn’t everyone know at least one or two people like this, they’re so frustrating that you want to take them aside and slap the shit out of them?) but if that wretched back n’ forth did not happen, there wouldn’t be a story. I love it for what it is...
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Mar 24, 2009 Anita rated it it was amazing

Shelves: i-love-you-fiction, 2008

One of the most perfect books ever. If you can't fall for Jude Fawley you have a heart of stone.

I just can't seem to stop thinking about this guy, and find him all the time in other characters in other places.

I keep wondering how his life cold have been saved from all the tragedy he endured. Then I wonder if his life had been happier would I remember him as much? ...more

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