Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy

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Résumé :
Jude the Obscure was first published in its complete form in 1895, just after finishing its serial run in Harper?s Magazine. At the time, its unconventional and somewhat scandalous themes earned it widespread criticism and condemnation. In the 1912 ?Wessex Edition,? Hardy appended a postscript to the book?s preface in which he stated that the outrage ultimately abated with no lingering effect other than ?completely curing me of further interest in novel-writing.? Indeed, Jude was to be Hardy?s last novel. The story chronicles the life of Jude Fawley, an orphan boy of unremarkable birth or means, growing up in the small farming village of Marygreen in Hardy?s fictional version of Wessex, England. From an early age, Jude determines to chart the course of his life by the stars of learning and scholarship, but he very quickly discovers just how little interest the society of his time would take in the grand ambitions of a young man of so humble an origin. Without proper guidance and limited resources, his progress is slow and arduous. And when he discovers the existence of his cousin, the charming Sue Bridehead, it is nearly abandoned altogether in favor of an almost obsessive pursuit. The novel proceeds to trace the lives of Jude and Sue as they become locked in a struggle both against themselves and the conventions of their times. Lofty ideals clash with harsh realities; grand pursuits fall prey to darker aspects of human nature. Characters are complex: at times spiteful, selfish, or self-destructive. Hardy, however, remains very subtle in his portrayal of these tragic figures and their flaws. The effect is to render them convincingly human. Ultimately, Jude is an unhappy tale of unfulfilled promise that is rarely told, and rarely told so well.

Biographie:
Thomas Hardy OM (2 June 1840 - 11 January 1928) was an English novelist and poet. A Victorian realist in the tradition of George Eliot, he was influenced both in his novels and in his poetry by Romanticism, including the poetry of William Wordsworth. He was highly critical of much in Victorian society, especially on the declining status of rural people in Britain, such as those from his native South West England. While Hardy wrote poetry throughout his life and regarded himself primarily as a poet, his first collection was not published until 1898. Initially, he gained fame as the author of novels such as Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the d'Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895). During his lifetime, Hardy's poetry was acclaimed by younger poets (particularly the Georgians) who viewed him as a mentor. After his death his poems were lauded by Ezra Pound, W. H. Auden and Philip Larkin....

Sommaire:
Jude the Obscure is the final novel by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1895. The narrative follows Jude Fawley, a young man from a lower-class background who aspires to become a scholar at the prestigious university in Christminster. Despite his changes, Jude's life is fraught with challenges, including his marriage to the pragmatic Arabella and his complex relationship with his intellectual cousin, Sue. The novel explores themes of class, education, religion, and the evolving societal norms of the time. Hardy delves into the constraints imposed by social structures and the personal turmoil experienced by individuals striving for self-fulfillment. The book was controversial upon its release, facing public backlash and even being burned by the Bishop of Exeter. Hardy's portrayal of marriage and religion was seen as a shift, reflecting the tensions between traditional values and modern thought. The novel's tragic elements and its critique of societal institutions make it a poignant commentary on the human condition and the pursuit of dreams in the face of societal limitations....