Jude the Obscure: the novel that made Thomas Hardy stop writing novels
In short
Published in 1895 after an abridged serial titled Hearts Insurgent, Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure follows Jude Fawley and his cousin Sue Bridehead, who leaves her husband to live with Jude and has children with him outside marriage. Its sexual frankness and attacks on marriage and the Church shocked readers, and Hardy wrote no more fiction.
What the full article will cover
- What is Jude the Obscure about?
- Why do Jude and Sue refuse to marry?
- How did critics and readers react in 1895?
- Why did Hardy give up the novel?
- What does the book say about marriage and the Church?
Frequently asked questions
- Was Jude the Obscure burned by a bishop?
- Who is Sue Bridehead?
- What was the serial title of Jude the Obscure?
- Is Jude the Obscure autobiographical?
Sources
- britannica.com — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jude-the-Obscure
- gutenberg.org — https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/153
General information, not legal or religious advice.