Jude the Obscure
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- $5.99
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy - Thomas Hardy's last finished novel and published in 1895, "Jude the Obscure", is widely considered to be his best. Hardy explores all the big issues: class, faith, hope, love, sex. In the process, this seemingly simple story of a doomed love affair transcends the Victorian era in which it is set, making it a timeless classic, a universal tale of longing and despair. "Jude the Obscure" is also one of his most gloomily fatalistic, depicting the lives of individuals who are trapped by forces beyond their control.Jude Fawley, a poor villager, wants to enter the divinity school at Christminster (the University of Oxford). Sidetracked by Arabella Donn, an earthy country girl who pretends to be pregnant by him, Jude marries her but is later deserted. He earns a living as a stonemason at Christminster; there he falls in love with his independent-minded cousin, Sue Bridehead. Out of a sense of obligation, Sue marries the schoolmaster Phillotson, who has helped her. Unable to bear living with Phillotson, she returns to live with Jude and eventually bears his children out of wedlock. Their poverty and the weight of societys disapproval begin to take a toll on Sue and Jude; the climax occurs when Judes son by Arabella hangs...
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The controversial tale of Jude Fawley and his unconventional relationship with his cousin, Sue Bridehead, is as fascinating today as it was when Hardy published the novel in 1895. Beautifully narrated by the gifted Neville Jason, this story of repression, judgment, and true love will appeal to listeners who love the classics. Jason's proper tone and slow pacing is a perfect fit for Hardy's prose. As Jude, Jason shifts his voice to become, by turns, optimistic and lovelorn, while the supporting characters are equally well crafted. The result is a truly memorable literary experience that demands repeated listens.