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Jude the Obscure Book Summary and Study Guide

Detailed plot synopsis reviews of Jude the Obscure


This story focuses on the main character Jude Fawley and his hopes and aspirations to become a scholar. Sadly, due to his social class, he is rejected by the universities and must become a common worker. Jude unwisely marries a rather audacious and shameless woman whom he later splits with. After their seperation, Jude moves away and falls in love with his cousin Sue. After Sue learns that Jude is married, she becomes angry and marries a man that she doesn't love. Later, Sue realizes that she is unhappy and leaves her husband. Finally, Sue proclaims her love to Jude and they both get divorces from their previous spouses. However, Sue and Jude are too fearful to marry each other and they begin to live together. Soon, Jude's ex-wife tells his that he has a son that will be coming to live with him. This proposes a problem with Sue but she overcomes her fears and loves the boy nonetheless. In a few years, Jude and Sue have 2 children of their own. However, society rejects them and the family is forced to move to another town where they will not be well known. No inn will take the family in at the new town. Finally, an inn receives them but only allows Sue and the children to stay. Sue, depressed and lonely, confides in Jude's son that she is pregnant. The child is overcome with grief because they are very poor and will become worse off after the new arrival. The next morning Sue leaves to find Jude so they can get a new lodging. When they return, they find the corpses of their children hanging from hooks in the room. Jude's child murdered his brother and sister and took his own life, so that his parents wouldn't have to be weighted down by them. In the end, Sue and Jude are torn apart by the deaths of their children. You'll have to read the rest to find out the end of this terribly picturesque tragedy.
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The review of this Book prepared by Katie Williams




Jude dreams of being an academic, but finds that as he is from a poor family, Oxford will not accept him. In the town however, he meets his cousin Sue with whom he embarks on a romantic relationship. They do not marry and are social outcasts as a result. Jude's child be the wife he has seperated from comes into their lvies bringing a tragedy that breaks the lovers apart and deprives them of what little happiness they had. Sue declines into misery and near amdness, marrying a man she does not love as a form of self punishment.
The review of this Book prepared by Bryn Pearson



Chapter Analysis of Jude the Obscure

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Plot & Themes

Tone of book?    -   depressed Time/era of story    -   1600-1899 Romance/Romance Problems    -   Yes Family, loving relations    -   Yes Special relationship with    -   cousin Internal struggle/realization?    -   Yes Struggle over    -   vague finding self/purpose in life (i.e. no plot to book) Kind of sex:    -   incest Is this an adult or child's book?    -   Adult or Young Adult Book Taboo sex story?    -   Yes Unmarried Love Triangle?    -   Yes Married, fooling around?    -   Yes

Main Character

Gender    -   Male Profession/status:    -   scholar Age:    -   20's-30's Ethnicity/Nationality    -   British Unusual characteristics:    -   Super sensitive soggy jelly muffin

Setting

How much descriptions of surroundings?    -   7 () Europe    -   Yes European country:    -   England/UK Misc setting    -   moving train

Writing Style

Sex in book?    -   Yes What kind of sex:    -   vague references only    -   descript of kissing    -   impregnation/reproduction Weird Victorian/Shakespearean English?    -   Yes Amount of dialog    -   mostly dialog    -   roughly even amounts of descript and dialog

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