Hello Readers ! This blog is Written as a Part Of assignment writing Of Semester - 1. This blog is Inspired by Dr. Dilip Sir Barad , Department Of English , MKBU. In this I am going to discuss about a topic - " Symbolism Used in Thomas Hardy's Novel - ' Jude the Obscure ''.
Name :- Hetal Samirbhai Pathak
Batch :- M.A Sem - 1 ( 2022 - 2024)
Enrollment No. :- 4069206420220022
Roll No. :- 10
Subject Code :- 22394
Paper No. :- 104
Paper Name :- Literature of the Victorians
E- Mail address:- hetalpathak28@gmail.com
Submitted to :- Smt. S.B.Gardi, Department Of English -
Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji, Bhavnagar University
Date of Submission :- 7th November - 2022
' Symbolism Used in Thomas Hardy's novel -
' Jude the Obscure':-
Content of my Assignment :-
Introduction
An Overview about the novel
What is Symbolism
Significance of Symbols
Symbols used in Hardy's - 'Jude the Obscure'
Conclusion
Work Cited
Introduction :-
Thomas Hardy ( 1840 - 1928 ) One of the greatest English writers. No matter how we
may rank Mr. Hardy Whether we Put him before or after George Meredith or George Eliot,
or Charles Dickens his Place in the history of English literature is Secure. He has made a
locality live; he has immortalised its towns and Villages , its Sea - Costs , heaths and hills;
he has created a Whole army of men and Women and Sent them living, breathing, acting
down the highways of eternity. He has given us an arrangement of Certain Social
Conditions, In spite of himself he has given us an interpretation if not a Philosophy of life.
The life he set himself to Portray he has recorded with Something to the Shakespearean
irony and detachment.
Thomas Hardy 's much Proclaimed Pessimism is really then due to the Fact that he does
Chiefly become Vocal at the Sight Of tragedy. In Speaking to him of one of his most
Pessimism Short Poems. Mr. Hardy's novels give us the Sense of relief and ease that go with
a happy ending. But, every time it's not happen like that, the novel ends with a happy
ending. He Processed and dealt with Subjects more and more austere. He was
entirely Uncompromising. He Would not Placate an audience. He offered no Current ,
Obvious Views of life. He chooses his Setting and abode in and by it. The
deliberate Circumscription of an environment has indeed been One of Mr. Hardy's Chief
gains. Hardy himself warns us that Although he believes his metrical Work to Contain his
most individualistic Utterances, We must Still not make the mistake of taking his
Philosophy therein expressed to be Other than dramatic.
Thomas Hardy seems like George Meredith, to belong to the Present rather than to a Past age ,
and an interesting Comparison may be drawn between these two novelists. In Style , George
Meredith is Obscure and difficult, While Hardy is direct and Simple , aiming at realism in all
things. George Meredith makes man the most important Phenomenon in the Universe and the
Struggles of men are brightened by the hope of victory. While Thomas Hardy makes man an
insignificant Part of the World Struggling against Powers greater than himself , - Sometimes
against the Systems Which he cannot reach or influence , Sometimes against a kind of grim
World - Spirit who delights in making human affairs go Wrong. He is therefore hardly a realist ,
but rather a man blinded by Pessimism. Thomas Hardy 's novels though generally Powerful and
Sometimes Fascinating, are not Pleasant or Wholesome reading.
' The Return of the native ' in the Year - 1878 and
' The Woodlanders ' are generally regarded as Hardy's masterpieces. But two of the novels of
our Own day - ' Tess of the d ' Urbervilles in 1891 and
' Jude the Obscure ' in the Year - 1895 is a better expression of Hardy's literary art and his
gloomy Philosophy.
Thus, We can Say that Thomas Hardy - English novelist and an important literary Figure
during the age of Victorian.
' An Overview about the novel:-'
' Jude the Obscure ' novel Written by Thomas Hardy. It is Hardy 's last Completed novel. This
novel Created a huge impact on the minds of the readers. After the Publication of this novel
Hardy received So much Criticism and negative responses and that is Why he Stopped Writing
novels and moved towards Poetry.
' Jude the Obscure ' reveals Thomas Hardy's major intention as demonstrated throughout his
Career as a novelist. Hardy's Wish was to Portray ' an honest Picture of Human nature ' and in
doing So Hardy Created , or tried to create and Write of the magnitude and Scope of the epic.
The essential qualities of epic writing are described and demonstrated as relevant to ' Jude the
Obscure .' Understanding that Hardy is Writing a modern epic, a Story of destiny in a world
without God, explains that Why this novel - ' Jude the Obscure ' and other novels is not a
tragedy , but is a lament.
Jude is the epic hero or protagonist of this novel who lacks divine intervention, Who becomes
one of the First anti - heroes of existentialism and able guide to the realities of twenty Century
life.
" What God , man or hero
Shall I lay a tin wreath Upon ? "
- Ezra pound
The narrative of the novel - ' Jude the Obscure ' was begun in the Year - 1892 Written in Full
length from August 1893 Onward into the next Year , and was in the hands of the Publisher by
the end of the Year - 1894. ' Harper's Magazine ' begun in Serialization in November 1894 under
the title ' The Simple tons ' and Continued with monthly instalments from January to
November 1895, Under the title - ' Heart Insurgent' . '
In 1916 , Harold Child argued that Hardy's novel - ' Jude the Obscure ' is another exposition
of the Conflict between love and morality. The Story of Jude is that of a man Struggling to
realise fine ideals , but Struggling vainly against a Current too strong for him.
The novel's sexual Frankness Shocked the Public as did Hardy 's Criticism of marriage and
the education and University System, and the Church.
' What is Symbolism :- '
Symbolism is Used to Provide meaning to the Writing beyond What is actually being described.
A Symbol can enhance a theme , idea or a character in any Work of literature. When the author
uses Symbolism as an Object or reference to add deeper meaning to a Story. A Symbol is an
Object that stands for itself and a greater idea. Symbolism is the Practice or art of using an
object or a word to represent an abstract idea. When an author wants to suggest a Certain
mood or emotion , he can also Use Symbolism to hint at it, rather than just bluntly saying it.
Objects are Often Used to Symbolise something else : A chain can Symbolise the coming
together of two things. In literature Symbols are full of meaning and are used to develop
atmosphere in the text.
So , This is how we can Understand about the term - Symbolism which is Used by Writers in
any work of literature.
' Symbols Used in Thomas Hardy's Novel - ' Jude the Obscure ' :-
As we all know, Symbols are very important. One of the most important Symbols in the novel
is Christminser. Our Protagonist Jude is enchanted with it. It is a Symbol of all his dreams and
aspirations.
Let's discuss the Symbols that Used in the novel in detail.
Christminster :-
Christminter is a Fictional University town based on Oxford, England. Jude First learns of it
when he was only an eleven years old and his teacher - Mr. Philotson leaves the Place Marygreen
to go there. Christminter then becomes the Young Jude's goal in his life and he idealises the
Place as ' The new Jerusalem ' and a ' a city of light ' watching its Faint , distant glow from the
roof of the Brown house. When Jude Finally makes it to the Place Christminter he imagines the
Shades of dead Philosophers Speaking to him in the Streets. In the First Part of the novel ,
Christminter Symbolises Jude's hope and idealism and his desire to make a better life for
himself despite his low Social class.
The reality of the Place Christminter soon strikes Jude however as he learns that despite his
hard Work and natural intelligence. The Colleges are only open to the Upper classes. Philotson has also failed. So that's why he settled back into his earlier role as a schoolmaster
and Jude likewise remains a Stonemason.
In this way Christminster Comes to Symbolise Jude's Failed hopes and dreams and Hardy 's
pessimistic world view. After years of moving about nomadically , Jude returns to
Christminster for one last attempt to achieve his goals. It takes him a long time to realise it.
But, he finally gives up christminter as a hopeless dream.
He recognises that it Would take ' two or three generations ' to do what he tried to do in one
generation - raise his Social Class through his own hard work and intelligence. Because of the
tragedy of Jude's Situation, Christminter ultimately becomes one of Hardy's greatest critiques
of the Unfairness inherent in his Society.
So , we can Understand that the Symbol of University Place Christminter became
one of the most important Symbols in this novel.
Little Father Time :-
Little Father Time is a character in the novel , but he also acts as a Symbol of Coming of age and
Hardy 's apprehensive View of the generation to come. Little Father Time lacks Personality
except as an excessively morbid , unexcitable Child but When he kills himself and Sue 's children
it is the Climax of the novel. As a Symbol Little Father Times represents the depression and
imorality that Hardy sees as the inevitable result of the injustices in his Society.
Little Father Time is driven to despair by how Poorly Jude and Sue are treated for being
Unmarried, and by his lack of love from Arabella Donn and her Parents. After Little Father
Time 's death in the novel, the doctor actually diagnosis his murder Suicide as - ' In his nature '.
And ' The beginning of the Coming Universal wishes not to live. ' In this way Thomas Hardy horrifies his readers and makes his Social Critiques seem that
much more Urgent implying that the injustices of his generation will lead to tragedy in the next.
Conclusion :-
To Conclude I would like to say that the Symblols Of University Place
Christminster and Little Father Time both the Symbols are Well Presented in Thomas Hardy’s
novel - “ Jude the Obscure.”
Work Cited
https://www.litcharts.com/. Accessed 7 November 2022.
Long, william J. English Literature. AITBS, 2017. Accessed 7 November 2022.
Schwartz, Barry N. “Jude the Obscure - In the age of anxiety.” vol. 10, 1970,
https://www.jstor.org/stable/449715. Accessed 7 November 2022.
[Word Counts :- 1716]
[Images :- 2]
Thank You…
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