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?
I believe that Hardy set the phases as towns and cities to reflect Jude's character and struggle to move forward in life. He feels trapped by multiple aspects of his life: his marriage, his ignorance, and the fact that he can't get to Christminster which is his idea of the land of knowledge. He is in each of these locations during each phase, so the literal interpretation is that each phase is simply named for its setting. Why is the setting so important though? It seems to move progressively, possibly reflecting Jude's progression from the ignorant, foolish young man that he is at the beginning, to a (hopefully) wiser man at the end. For example, the phases start with Marygreen, which is his hick-town that he comes from. It symbolizes his simpler nature. Near the end though, the phases take him to Christminster, and that could symbolize his acquisition of knowledge. He is trapped in each of these locations as the book progresses, just like he is trapped by his choices and his abilities. As he moves though, he also grows, and though he is still limited, it seems as though he is moving in a positive direction.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I believe Hardy distinctly separates the phases by location to reflect Jude's character which respectively begins to indicate his struggle to move forward in life and avoid the confinement he creates for himself. For example, you indicated that the first part, At Marygreen, starts with Jude in his hometown...Marygreen. Throughout this part, Jude struggles and urges to get to the "promise land" Chrisminster. I too think that Jude gets trapped in locations, whether they be physical locations or mental locations, which reflect the choices he makes in the future. It'll be interesting to see where his confinement takes him.
DeleteThroughout this book, Jude is constantly moving about but in the confinements of some area. Whether it's when he's working in his field scaring off rooks for farmer Troutham or when he's on his date with Arabella Donn , Jude is always roaming or migrant. Sure, he's settled down with his Great Aunt Drusilla for a while, but Jude always finds himself moving about; avoiding confinement when in actuality he's locked by location. I've noticed that a large reoccurring theme throughout this novel so far is the theme of confinement. (Spoiler alert) Specifically marriage confinement later in the book when he's in love with his cousin instead of his wife Arabella (End Spoiler Alert). But, confinement spans a space much larger than just through marriage. Hardy titles the phases by locations and emphasizes towns, cities, etc because Jude is confined to that space throughout that phase both physically and mentally. For example, our self-assigned reading was Part First: At Marygreen. In this part, Jude is confined to Marygreen due to his social status as an orphan living with his great aunt and due to the fact that he has no means to be where he would prefer to be; Christminster. In "At Marygreen", Jude wishes to be studying near his old teacher Mr. Phillotson at Christminster; a place of universities and scholars. My overall point and my personal belief is that the phases or parts of this story are separated by location to show Jude's confinement to that area; physical (his location) or mental (his marriage). In his confinement, Jude always wishes to be somewhere else and in his slowly he grows depressive.
ReplyDeleteI agree with this idea of confinement and the desire to move ahead (even though it's not possible for Jude at the time). His locations seem to emphasize key parts of his character at the time that he is in them, like you said. Marygreen is his prison at the beginning when he wants to be in Christminster, then his marriage is another prison within that one, and that one is something he'll never be able to get out of! No wonder he's depressed.
DeleteDo you think this is going to work out for Jude, that Christminster is going to be the Promised Land he hopes?
DeleteElijah,
DeleteIs the mental confinement you describe limited to the marriage? Might his various physical confinements be one and the same as the mental? It seems a textbook case of avoiding dealing with issues by moving, in hopes of breaking free (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRdo7WXTVoM). Like Getty's poster of Henri so clearly illustrates, "we cannot escape ourselves"...
Click clack, I hear all the tapping of the keys.
ReplyDeleteTrying to please. Mr. Getty's needs.
To teach, and to reach.
The higher level.
Yet as I sit here reflecting on my own work. Just Like Jude I am trapped. The phases of life only move with time. Jude and I read books. To pass time. These phases make the book realistic. Trapped if you would. Just like faint. You are trapped by it almost being consumed by it. You are consumed by the faint of being trapped, especially by marriage. The book makes me think are you ever really in charge of yourself or is it all organized/falling in to place. What's your opinion about being entrapped by your faint?
Faint = fate with sinus congestion?
Deleteno just seasonal allergies
DeleteLabeling Jude's sections by location allows you to reinvent the character each section. For most people, as they move locations and surround themselves with different people they change personalities, even if its just slightly. Subjecting Jude to the confinement of each place shows that Jude needs to learn certain lessons before he can move on to his next location, and next life. This further exemplifies Hardy's obsession with fate and destiny. With the phases names going from very direct "at marry green" to " At Aldbrickham and Elsewhere" it shows that Hardy is loosing direction in his novel and Jude is loosing direction in himself. Jude is not able to learn all of his lessons in the places he is fated too, Aldbrickham, so he has to go "Elsewhere" to learn what he was supposed to. Going back to Christminster shows that Jude is not a well rounded person until he is able to learn a lesson that he was supposed to years ago, possibly the lesson he first went to Christminster to achieve.
ReplyDeleteLindsey,
DeleteDo you mean to say that, as the reader, your perception of Jude changes with each new location, or do you see how he may reinvent himself at each place, presenting a new face to the people he meets? Does this introduce a bit of dramatic irony, in that you, as the reader, know Jude to be different from what he is presenting, or, as Kraig suggests, is Jude truly growing, developing, maturing?
The significance of focusing on location, rather than the indicative changes in the main characters life, is that Hardy is focusing on the relationship between Jude and his setting. The correlation between those two components is that the setting portrays the characters inner emotions and, when switching locations between phases, shows how the character is changing and growing throughout the novel. For example, the town he's in during the beginning of the book is Marygreen which I find to be a simpler place full of farms and, quite possibly, poverty. Everyone there seems to be unhappy, and the only people that are happy are the ones that are leaving (i.e Mr. Phillotson). The next phase, which I have yet to get to, is called At Christminster. From what I've read so far, Christminster seems to be slightly more sophisticated than Marygreen. I've already noticed that Jude is taking it upon himself to learn Latin in order to survive in Christminster, which, I think, adds to his level of sophistication. Because essentially, education equals sophistication.
ReplyDeleteDo you think this is something that both you, the reader, and Jude will expect, this correlation? Do you think it can hold up?
DeleteIn each chapter Thomas Hardy creates a sense of confinement towards Jude by creating a setting barrier. Jude can not leave the given setting until the next chapter in which a new setting is given. Within the first chapter, At Marygreen, Jude fails in excelling when it comes to work, his marriage and venturing out to the great Christminister all because of tender heart and the meeting of Arabella. Maygreen is nothing special and contains farmland and a little town. He is trapped in a rural town, he is trapped into a marriage. In no way would Jude's dreams excel in the simple setting that Hardy gives. Christminister from what Jude has learned, is a highly educated, sophisticated city and continuing the idea that nature impacts man, we can infer that Jude will be impacted by "the city of light" which will then impact his fate overall. It will impact his fate because nature impacts man, man is then essentially given the freedom of choices and decisions which then impacts his fate. So it's no wonder the first chapter Jude's fate is poor because he is given a town too small of his young ambition.
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