Jude the Obscure
by Thomas Hardy

Plot Summary

As a boy with aspirations higher than his station in life, Jude Fawley is doomed in pretty much everything from the beginning of his life.  From the parting of his mentor to the shattering of his aspirations of education, Jude has a series of disappointments of such numerous amounts which leave the reader contented that their failures are comparatively few and far between. 

            At the start of the book, Jude's only mentor, the schoolmaster Mr. Phillotson, leaves him in the pursuit of higher learning at the mecca of higher learning, Christminster.  Jude is then left in an unloving world in the care of his often-callous aunt, Drusilla Fawley.  Finding himself unemployed after a mishap with his employer, Jude then turns all of his attentions to his studies in aspiration of later attaining a university degree.  But then along comes Arabella and seduces Jude from his studies, and convinces him to marry her through deceptive measures.  Now that he is successfully derailed from his educational track, he is frustrated with his lack of progress towards his ultimate goal.  Jude soon parts ways with Arabella to leave for Christminster, enticed by a photograph of his beautiful cousin, Sue.

            Once in Christminster, Jude is drawn into a trance by Sue and realizes, although at this point subconsciously, that he must have her.  Jude works in Christminster as a means to support himself until he can secure a spot at the university.  Jude sends his application into the university and in no subtle terms is told that he should stick to his own kind and throw away his aspirations to better himself through education.  At about the same time Jude receives another blow, Sue decides to ignore the love that Jude feels for her and to marry Mr. Phillotson, as the icing on the cake she asks Jude to give her away at the altar.  Jude then gives up his dreams of an education and leaves Christminster. 

            After leaving Christminster, Jude's life continues on its downward spiral.  Everything Jude tries to do, he fails, even when presented with the opportunity to marry his only love he then denies himself the chance of happiness.  Ostracized by society and utterly failing at every endeavor he goes through life in despair as all of his dreams are consecutively shattered.  As Jude's health slips away from him, he finds himself alone and unloved.  When he dies, only Arabella and Mrs. Edlin are present at the funeral.

by Georgia Patera

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