In Tess of the d'Urbervilles Hardy separates his novel into phases, indicative of the changes that beset the main character over the course of her life. The purpose of this technique could be interpreted as emphasizing the cycle of womanhood, or the seasonal stages of the simple, agrarian life which Hardy glorifies in all his novels, or as simply the phases of the moon, that heavenly body which affects the Earth and its inhabitants in mysterious, ephemeral ways. The moon as a early symbol, connects the concepts of a Mother Earth, or Gaia, to the seasonal discord which is a metaphor for Tess's existence.Before even beginning the novel Jude the Obscure, we can recognize a change in focus from character to setting. Hardy chooses to separate Jude's chapters differently. Instead of phases relates to character, the sections are titled "At Marygreen," "At Melchester," "At Shaston" moving the focus to towns, villages, and cities. Knowing that Hardy intentionally creates a metaphorical structure to mirror the protagonist's nature, what purpose might Hardy have for labeling Jude's sections by town or city? What themes might he be reinforcing?
