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3.7 AVERAGE
3.7 AVERAGE
Confession: after the first 70 pages I skim read the rest of the book.
I couldn't force myself to read the book carefully. It's a well known book which I've wanted to read for ages, but after 50 pages I couldn't figure out how it had attained it's classic status. I plugged on for a bit longer, and eventually gave up. What got to me was the disconnect between the way the narrative seems to want the reader to think about the main character, and how he actually is. The introduction suggests Jude is meant to be a tragic figure, to whom terrible things happen for reasons beyond his control, and the narration itself does seem to agree with that. But none of of events of the plot do. His trouble starts when he sleeps with a woman; she tempts him, and he agrees, and the description around their flirtation suggests he should have been fully aware of the risk of pregnancy. At no point are we told why he sleeps with her, or what his thoughts are about it (Is he so thoughtless and reckless that he doesn't consider the consequences? Does he not believe there's a real risk?). She then lies, claims to be pregnant when she isn't, and he marries her. Again, there's no explanation of his thought process here. And it's the same, more or less, throughout the book. Jude acts in ways that are risky or obviously detrimental to his wellbeing, we're never told why he makes the decisions he does, and yet we're supposed to feel that none of this is his fault. It's all societies fault, somehow. That might be true; the influence of the society he lives in might be why he acts as he does, but that's never made explicit; there's no acknowledgement of Jude as an agent in his own life, or on societies influence on the mind.
I couldn't commit long hours to reading about a protagonist whose actions are never examined, and whose relationship with the forces around them is never examined. Perhaps I'm missing something here, because greater minds than mine have found a lot to like and respect in this book. I just can't see what.
EDIT: My edition does have some nice woodcut illustrations though.
I couldn't force myself to read the book carefully. It's a well known book which I've wanted to read for ages, but after 50 pages I couldn't figure out how it had attained it's classic status. I plugged on for a bit longer, and eventually gave up. What got to me was the disconnect between the way the narrative seems to want the reader to think about the main character, and how he actually is. The introduction suggests Jude is meant to be a tragic figure, to whom terrible things happen for reasons beyond his control, and the narration itself does seem to agree with that. But none of of events of the plot do. His trouble starts when he sleeps with a woman; she tempts him, and he agrees, and the description around their flirtation suggests he should have been fully aware of the risk of pregnancy. At no point are we told why he sleeps with her, or what his thoughts are about it (Is he so thoughtless and reckless that he doesn't consider the consequences? Does he not believe there's a real risk?). She then lies, claims to be pregnant when she isn't, and he marries her. Again, there's no explanation of his thought process here. And it's the same, more or less, throughout the book. Jude acts in ways that are risky or obviously detrimental to his wellbeing, we're never told why he makes the decisions he does, and yet we're supposed to feel that none of this is his fault. It's all societies fault, somehow. That might be true; the influence of the society he lives in might be why he acts as he does, but that's never made explicit; there's no acknowledgement of Jude as an agent in his own life, or on societies influence on the mind.
I couldn't commit long hours to reading about a protagonist whose actions are never examined, and whose relationship with the forces around them is never examined. Perhaps I'm missing something here, because greater minds than mine have found a lot to like and respect in this book. I just can't see what.
EDIT: My edition does have some nice woodcut illustrations though.
I have been waiting to get hold on this one book which made Hardy to abandon his writing career. Curiously I can't still figure out what was all this commotion about; there is his usual pessimism stuff with fate (sometimes taking the embodiment of humans) thwarting expectations, critical remarks on religion (which eventually became too critical for his career as a novelist), and the portrayal of inner dilemmas. But if we take the lives of Henchard and Tess for comparison, Jude seems to occupy the better slot. Well, each of us have our own individual crosses enough to drag us down from the smooth climb.
Other day I was waiting in que in front of the xerox shop for some printouts; its the day of 12th standard results and not surprisingly there is one small crowd waiting for the verdict. Thanks to the new examination pattern, there are no disappointments or heartbreaks and I can see the family residing in the nearby chawl starting the cries of jubilation; their girl has secured a first class. The new system is open to Judes (at least partially) who are ready to rise from their working class background to the magnificent halls of Oxford. In other words, the illusion of the American dream still permeates hope, even though the odds are stacked against us each.
To know the summary please visit:
http://finithajose.blogspot.in/2014/05/jude-obscure-thomas-hardy.html
Other day I was waiting in que in front of the xerox shop for some printouts; its the day of 12th standard results and not surprisingly there is one small crowd waiting for the verdict. Thanks to the new examination pattern, there are no disappointments or heartbreaks and I can see the family residing in the nearby chawl starting the cries of jubilation; their girl has secured a first class. The new system is open to Judes (at least partially) who are ready to rise from their working class background to the magnificent halls of Oxford. In other words, the illusion of the American dream still permeates hope, even though the odds are stacked against us each.
To know the summary please visit:
http://finithajose.blogspot.in/2014/05/jude-obscure-thomas-hardy.html
Jude Fawley might be the origin point of the Fedora Hat Guy persona. Glad it’s over and I don’t have to spend anymore time with this self-pitying character.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
sad
slow-paced
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A miserable, miserable book. I could believe somebody who said they liked this book because it dissects the usefulness of religion; I could believe somebody who said they liked this book because it questions the happiness of marriage; I could believe somebody who said they liked this book because of its moral outrage at the way a good education is kept out of the reach of the poor, thus dooming them to narrow lives.
But I cannot believe anybody has read this book and said they liked the miserable, foolish characters; the miserable, morbid plot; or the miserable, dreary language that fills the pages.
"Done because we are too menny" - that line broke my heart though.
But I cannot believe anybody has read this book and said they liked the miserable, foolish characters; the miserable, morbid plot; or the miserable, dreary language that fills the pages.
"Done because we are too menny" - that line broke my heart though.
I find Hardy's books to be on the more depressing side. Beautiful descriptive writing hides a very dark vision of humanity, love and life.