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swicksy 's review for:
Jude the Obscure
by Thomas Hardy
I've read almost everything by Thomas Hardy, and I think this has just bumped RETURN OF THE NATIVE off from my favorite of his works.
Controversial for its time, it even could be considered controversial now given it's viewpoints - especially on marriage.
Characters (both men and women) find their livelihoods and dreams circumvented by ill chosen relationships (not to mention social and religious factors), then when a couple that actually loves each other finally gets together, they (well more like she) decide to circumvent marriage and live as if a married couple without going through the motions and experience severe consequences from society and otherwise for doing so.
I can't help but agree with Hardy's one statement (and this is paraphrased) about how marriage is like a month or two of happiness that suddenly becomes a lifelong legal contract, and not always a happy one. The religious and moral attitudes of the time (1895) make their approach nearly impossible while in 2014 living in a common law situation is for the most part completely acceptable (depends on who you're talking to that is).
I couldn't put this book down, and one tragic moment really hit me hard.
Controversial for its time, it even could be considered controversial now given it's viewpoints - especially on marriage.
Characters (both men and women) find their livelihoods and dreams circumvented by ill chosen relationships (not to mention social and religious factors), then when a couple that actually loves each other finally gets together, they (well more like she) decide to circumvent marriage and live as if a married couple without going through the motions and experience severe consequences from society and otherwise for doing so.
I can't help but agree with Hardy's one statement (and this is paraphrased) about how marriage is like a month or two of happiness that suddenly becomes a lifelong legal contract, and not always a happy one. The religious and moral attitudes of the time (1895) make their approach nearly impossible while in 2014 living in a common law situation is for the most part completely acceptable (depends on who you're talking to that is).
I couldn't put this book down, and one tragic moment really hit me hard.