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1、The Causes of Judes Tragedy. IntroductionThomas Hardy(18401928) occupies a prominent position in the history of English literature. Hardys fiction writing started in 1860s and ended in 1890s, spanning the most splendid time for English novels in the latter half of the Victorian Age. (qtd. in Ren 64)
2、 Most of Hardys works inherit the tradition of the realistic trend of English novels, but at the same time, its not always justifiable to classify all his works into the traditional type.As a sentimental and romantic novelist Hardy sighs over the old and beautiful things that are eroded by the indus
3、trial society, but as a cool observer with a distinctively philosophic and intellectual turn of mind he knows that it is an inevitable trend of the social development. He feels the faint steps of time, so he conveys such messages in his writings. And among them, his last novel Jude the Obscure drama
4、tizes unmistakably the perplexities and frustrations of modern man(qtd. in Fang 15).In Jude the Obscure, Hardy presents the characters Jude Fawley and Sue, who violate the conventions of the repressive Victorian society while attempting to follow their natural instincts. It details the failed life a
5、nd ignoble death of Jude Fawley who is a bright and ambitious, but ultimately inconsequential, man. The central theme of the work is the powerlessness of individuals to the social and psychological forces that determine their lives. This theme also appears Hardys earlier novels, notably Tess of the
6、DUrbervilles and The Return of the Native, which likewise dramatize his belief that individuals are powerless to affect their own lives in an attempt to achieve happiness. In Jude the Obscure, Hardy further explores this theme in relation to the constricting forces he observed around him in Victoria
7、n society: class, religion, and sexuality. Thus, the novel recounts Judes unrealized dream to enter the university at Christminster, and his powerlessness to remain happily with the woman he loves, Sue Bridgehead, outside of the socially accepted institution of marriage(qtd. in Xiao 53).In order to
8、deeply understand this novel, this paper analyzes the reasons of Judes tragedy in a systematic and comprehensive way. It contains three aspects: Firstly, social enviroment aspect. Jude lived in the Victorian period when the capitalism began to erode the rural life and spoil the social atmosphere. De
9、spite his intelligence, diligence and kindness, Jude was destined to suffer all kinds of oppress; Secondly, the reasons of Jude himself; Thirdly, the infulence to Jude by Sue and Arbella. In this way, this paper will provide many theoretical content for the research about Jude the Obscure. Hardys Tr
10、agedy ViewTragedy is a cultural concept which has been developing and evolving in the long history of human being. Tragic novels are the main creative of Hardys novels, which are also the main research target of modern people. Later, after inheriting the glory of the two traditional forms, ancient G
11、reek tragedy and Shakespearean tragedy, Hardy has evolved the unique concept of tragedy.A. Thought of Hardy on Tragedy In Hardys early novels, he pays attention to the study of ancient Greek tragedy. This kind of traditional concept naturally has a certain impact on the formation of Hardys tragic vi
12、ews, which decides on the certain similarities between form of Hardys tragedy with the ancient Greek tragedys. But on the conflict of the tragedy, the ancient Greek tragedy focuses on the conflict between people with the destiny (known as the tragedy of the fate); the tragedy of Renaissance focuses
13、on the conflict between the various lust (known as the the tragedy of character). Hardy inherits the critical realism literary tradition in the19th century. But different with the traditional tragedy concept, his tragedy view stresses on the conflict between human and society, which decides the trag
14、edy novels of Thomas Hardy more lies in his own innovations while inherits ancient Greek novel and Shakespeares novel in the form at the same time. Hardys novels remains to choose the course of resistance and fighting in the inevitable historical process. The central theme of the work is the powerle
15、ssness of individuals to the social and psychological forces that determine their lives. The tragedy of character, the tragedy of fate, social tragedy, which demonstrates all sorts of tragedies of life and society, are usually considered expressions of thought of Hardy on tragedy. The unique underst
16、anding to the tragic conflict, precisely is a central element of thought of Hardy on tragedy. In Jude the Obscure, the characters Hardy portrayed are all controlled by the fate, while the relationship between man and nature remains opposite. Jude Fawley is a diligent rural stone mason with intellect
17、ual aspirations. Frustrated by poverty and the indifference of the society and academic institutions. Judes tragedy demonstrates the conflict between human with old custom and cruel society, which has a direct reflect on Hardys tragedy view as social tragedies. In addition, Fatalism is also an impor
18、tant part in the tragedy view of Thomas Hardy. In his article, Thomas Hardy has ever said that the tragedy is caused by the things indivisible with the universe(Hardy 65). Hardy thinks that there is a cold, harsh and unconscious driving force(Hardy 52) controls all the things in the world. B. Tragic
19、 Features in Jude the ObscureTragedy is a cultural concept which has been developing and evolving in the long history of human being. In Jude the Obscure，tragedy is partly caused by the weakness in humanity. Jude and Sue both experience the failure in their dreams and marriage, but they ironically r
20、eturn to the original failures and find no true life any more. Thats the reason of their painful ending. Jude is shown inevitably bound by his own inherent nature and hereditary traits which prompt him to go and search for some specific happiness or success and set him in conflict with the environme
21、nt(qtd. in Xu 65). The outside natural environment or nature herself is shown as some mysterious supernatural force, very powerful but half-blind, impulsive and uncaring to the individuals will, hope, passion or suffering. It likes to play practical jokes upon human beings by producing a series of m
22、istimed actions and unfortunate coincidences. Jude proves impotent before fate，though he tries，he seldom-escapes his ordained destiny. Sue finds no peace because she is not in Judes arms, but she cannot find peace in his arms either. She finds no peace anywhere. Where should they end, where should t
23、hey return? No hope, no consolation, no dream any more, thats tragic features in Jude the Obscure.The various symbols from nature are also the tragic features in Jude the Obscure. Part of weather, such as fog, mists, wind, and rain, are important in reflecting the emotional conficts of Jude the Obsc
24、ure (qtd. in Li 24). Equally, the well at Marygreen, roses at the agicultural show, the rebuilt church and so on, have their symbolic meanings, Judes burning of his theological book, Sues burning of the nightgown are also symbolic. These images from nature and those symbolic actions anticipate the t
25、ragic life of Jude.Irony is another tragic feature in Jude the Obscure, Hardy prominently uses it to shape the tragic images Jude and Sue, to reveal the theme and criticize the education, marriage and religious system in Victorian Britian. The Reasons of Judes TragedyIn Jude the Obscure, many reason
26、s all together cause the tragedy of Jude. This paper focuses on three main aspects to clarify the sources of Judes tragedy.A. Social BackgroundNineteenth century was marked as the transitional period wherein traditional society gave way for the modern one. With the advent of the Industrial Revolutio
27、n, a corresponding change in social structures occurred, thereby, influencing and changing the norms and values of societies as well. This is the social condition that Thomas Hardy found himself in when he wrote the novel Jude the Obscure. True to its title, the novel depicted the life of the indivi
28、dual in a society that was undergoing a radical change from traditionalism to modernism, from the rigidity of norms to the loosening of social standards. In 1895, society was challenged to endure the shift in ideologies, beliefs, and values among people. During this period, society was torn between
29、people who chose to live life the conventional or traditional way, while others opted or was forced to live life in the prevalently more radical and modern manner. The Victorian England was a time of rapid economic development as well as serious social problems. After the Reform Bill of 1832 passed
30、the political power from the decaying aristocrats into the hands of the middle-class industrial capitalists，the Industrial Revolution soon geared up. Towards the mid-century, England had reached its highest point of development as a world power. And yet beneath the great prosperity and richness, the
31、re existed widespread poverty and wretchedness among the working class. Tragic society in which Jude lived also reflects the unreasonable education system, bourgeois marriage and religion.In the case of education, the reader can see that the university rejects Jude. Jude the Obscure expresses its ow
32、n purpose, that is, to criticize the education system. In this system, people who have real enthusiasm to learn are excluded from the university. In contrast, when a person has lost what Jude has lost, he absolutely needed not to feel despair. Jude cannot find a way to ernter into university in the
33、middle class; This is a tragedy, which is a tragedy to the community. In the beginning of Jude the Obscur, Hardy has described for readers that Jude, a orphan from a poor family in rural, how diligent with enthusiasm of Jude to enter into university in Christminster, hoe he workharding to learn Lati
34、n and Greek. But his ieal to enroll university is crushed by the unreasonable educationsystem and irrational reality. Under this kind of education system, the door of education only open to the richers and the upper class of the society. Child of poor people in the country are never entitled to free
35、 education at school. In the grim educate enviroment, Judes ambition is unrealistic. Hardys novels display the scene of course of desire to enter into university of Jude. In the magic circle, we can see it is difficult to realize the pursuits in this reality. The grim environment is great and his am
36、bition is unrealistic. The struggle between Jude and old unreasonable education system, eventually leaded Judes failure. Hardy provides us with a letter by the president in answer to Judes inquiry. What the president puts in the letter, in Hardys words, is terribly sensible advice, and there is a re
37、ason for us to read mockery out of it. When Judes aims lie far beyond his reach, it is disputable that his failure to realize these goals and should be blamed on the snobbery of society. Judes aims are justifiable, we see him make any visible efforts to enter the university such as writing letters t
38、o the principals of university and learning Latin by himself and In other words, he attempts to demonstrate his ability before anyone who is in a decision-making position. However, eventurally, he is refused by the principals of university who represents the un reasonable education system, which ref
39、lects some social problems in Victorian Britian. Therefore, his failure partly be attributed to the educational system.A marriage is an interpersonal relationship with governmental, social, or religious recognition. As for the institution of marriage, Hardy presents us with two failed cases. Bound b
40、y marriage, Sue has to bear with Phillotson, for antipathy toward which she would rather jump out of the window. Between Jude and Arabella there is nothing but an empty legal relationship. While the latter case is typical to an extent, the former case is too unnatural to be a proof against the insti
41、tution. In contrast, Jude and Sue could lead a happy life if they would agree to marry when both are divorced. Sue fears marriage and it is the result of her hypersensitive nature. The reader can see reason why, Sue thinks that marriage will destroy the love between a couple if they really love each
42、 other, so they did not marry, however, the people at that time did not accept their marriage, they are discriminated by others and have a bad living. Therefore, Hardy denounced marriage at that time.In another, the Christian church is hostile toward Jude and Sues action, and people around them are
43、more indifferent than oppressive. The evidence of religious discrimination is his being ostracized from the Artisans mutual improvement society. In Christerminster, peoples refusal to provide Judes family with lodging is more out of suspicion than a prejudiced act against their unmarried status. Mos
44、t of Hardys fierce attacks on the church come frome Sues mouth. She made many witty and bitter observation on religion; we can find their basis in the novle itself. At such times Sue is a spokeswoman whom Hardy chooses to publicize his views on the church. Though we cant assert that Jude and Sue des
45、erve their ends, society are largely responsible for ruining theirown lives. It is for this reason that Judes messianic Christminster speech and his deathbed damnation against Victorian society. Hardys social criticisms in this book are more involved with the hero, and the reader understands the aut
46、hors social attitudes through Judes story itself. It is an age when religious belief and conventional ideas become doubtful for young men. In other words, God is dead, but people still cant find their own ideas reasonable and convincing in that transitional society. So, at last, after the painful bu
47、t true love with Sue, Jude dies, alone, reciting the curses of job, while the outside is in a rapturous atmosphere. Its a sharp ironic revenge of fate and social conventions to those who refuse the common-accepted track of life. The dreams, idolization, sensitivity, betrayal, educational and sexual
48、desires of Jude make fate seem extremely empty and poignant. Hardy uses the two characters to reveal that he finds the society in which they live ridiculous.We can assert that society is largely responsible for ruining lives of Jude and Sue. It is for this reason that Judes messianic Christminster s
49、peech and his deathbed damnation against Victorian society. Hardys social criticisms in this book are more involved with the hero, and the reader understands the authors social attitudes through Judes story itself. Jude the Obscure is a social tragedy, with its pervasive irony and undisguised invectives against Victorian institutions and values. Jude is the tragedy of bourgeois morality, laws, and customs brutal suffo
