Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy is a profoundly somber exploration of ambition, social constraints, and personal tragedy. The novel centers on Jude Fawley, a working-class young man with intellectual aspirations thwarted by rigid class structures and moral hypocrisies of Victorian society. Hardy’s narrative delves deeply into themes of education, religion, and the oppressive nature of societal norms, portraying a bleak and often unforgiving vision of human struggle. The novel’s candid treatment of taboo subjects and its tragic denouement challenge idealized Victorian values, rendering it one of Hardy’s most controversial yet enduring works.
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy is a profoundly somber exploration of ambition, social constraints, and personal tragedy. The novel centers on Jude Fawley, a working-class young man with intellectual aspirations thwarted by rigid class structures and moral hypocrisies of Victorian society. Hardy’s narrative delves deeply into themes of education, religion, and the oppressive nature of societal norms, portraying a bleak and often unforgiving vision of human struggle. The novel’s candid treatment of taboo subjects and its tragic denouement challenge idealized Victorian values, rendering it one of Hardy’s most controversial yet enduring works.
Penguin, 1996 softcover first edition, copy is in very good condition, clean internally/externally
