obscure

AReviewofJudetheObscure

z

JudetheObscureisHardy'publicationin1896provokedan

outcryasnoisyasthatwhichrecentlygreetedLadyChatterley'ssattackedina

pack,ladyreviewersbecamehysterical,abusiveletterspouredin,andabishopsolemnlyburntthe

smayemtous,atthispointintime,incredibleandevenfaintlyridiculous,butits

effectwasriounough:`...theexperience',Hardywrotelater,`completelycuredmeoffurther

interestinnovel-writing.'AfterJudehedevotedhimlfexclusivelytohispoetry,neverreturning

tofiction.

Whatcaudtheuproar?ItwasnotHardy'sfatalism;afterTesshispublichadlearnedtolive

hisattackonsocialandreligioushypocrisyparticularly

virulent,thoughtherewascertainlyagooddealofentrenchedrentmentofhiscriticismoftho

twoalmostequallyvenerableinstitutions:'snamewasinvokedbyone

ortworeviewers,lblowtotheeminentlyshockableVictorianpublicwas

thefactthatHardytreatedthexualunderthemeofhisbookmoreorlessfrankly:lessfrankly,he

complained,thanhehadwished,butmorefranklythanwasnormaloracceptable.

Despitethesocialcriticismitinvolves,thetragedyofJudeisnotoneofmisdchancesbut

ofmisdfulfilment,indofAnnaKareninafromthemalepointofview,

nnamovesfromKarenintoVronsky,from

desiccationtopartialsatisfaction,Jude,swingingfromArabellatoSue,

his--andHardy's--superficialdisgust,JudeandArabellaare,physically,verymuchmarried:their

nightatAldbrickhamafteryearsapartismadetoemthemostnaturalthingintheworld;Jude's

subquentshameispromptedlessbytheactitlfthanbyhisangeratmissingSueandfearthat

therhand,hisgreatloveforSueremainsatitshighpitchof

imlfwasquite

explainaboutthisinaletterhewroteafterthenovelwaspublished:

Onepoint...Icouldnotdwellon:that,thoughshehaschildren,herintimacieswith

Judehaveneverbeenmorethanoccasional,evenwhentheywerelivingtogether(I

mentionthattheyoccupyparaterooms,excepttowardstheend,andoneofher

reasonsforfearingthemarriageceremonyisthatshefearsitwouldbebreakingfaith

withJudetowithholdherlfatpleasure,oraltogether,afterit;thoughwhile

uncontractedshefeelsatlibertytoyieldherlfasldomasshechoos).Thishas

tendedtokeephispassionashotattheendasatthebeginning,andhelpstobreakhis

everreallypossdherasfreelyashedesired.

SoJude'stragedy,likeeverytruetragedy,comesfrominnertensionswhichshapetheaction,

asfrustratedbySue,hisideal,

intellectualwoman,asheisbyOxford,ation

isthepermanentconditionofhislife.

Iamnot,ofcour,suggestingthatthebookhasnothemebeyondthexualrelationsof

Jude,Sue,ce'sinterpretatresinhiswonderfully

perceptive,nLawrencewaswritingnotasa

ticalmethod

wassimplytoretellHardy'splotsasthoughhehimlfhadwrittenthem,isolatingonlywhat

ultwasconsiderableinsightandanequallyconsiderableshiftofemphasis

awayfromthenovelHardyactuallywrote.

Obviously,JudetheObscuredoeshaveitsdeclaredsocialpurpo:tocriticizeasystem

whichcould,formainlysnobbishreasons,keepoutoftheuniversities`oneoftheverymen',as

Suesays,`ChristminsterwasintendedforwhentheCollegeswerefounded;amanwithapassion

forlearning,butnomoney,oropportunities,afriends....Youwereelbowedoffthepavementby

themillionaires'sons.'AfigurewhoforThomasGray,aCambridgedonelegizinginhiscountry

churchyard,wasanobjectofmildlynostalgiccuriosity,becameinHardy'sworkaliving,tragic

ostscriptof1912

hewrote`thatsomereadersthought...thewhenRuskinCollegewassubquentlyfoundedit

shouldhavebeencalledtheCollegeofJudetheObscure'.Hardymaynothavehadasdirectan

influenceonsocialreformsasDickens;buthehelped.

YetJudetheObscureisclearlymorethanacriticismoftheexclusivenessofthemajor

EnglishuniversitiesSurprisinglyearlyinthebookJuderealizesthathasChristminsterambitions

hat,thoughtheUniversityremainsanobssionwithhim,itplaysverylittlepart

d,itisakindofsubplotechoingthemainthemeinslightlydifferent

terms,justasGloucesterandhissonsrepeatonasmallerscalethetragedyofKingLearandhis

hacrucialdifference:Judeistheheroofboththemainplotandthesub-plot.

Christminstermaydropoutofthemajoraction,buthiscontinuingobssionwithitrepeats,in

anothertoneofvoice,eginning,bothSueandtheuniversityem

objectsofinfinitelymysteriousromance;both,intheend,emto

promiintellectualfreedomandstrength;bothareshowntobeatbottomutterlyconventional.

Bothpromifulfilment;e'sintellectualpassionearnshimnothingmore

thanthetitle`TutorofStSlums',whileallhispatienceanddevotiontoSueloshimhisjob,his

childrenandfinallyevenhistitleofhusband.

HardyhimlfknewperfectlywellthattheChristminster,social-purposideofthenovel

ater,whentherewastalkofturningJudeintoa

play,hewrote:`ChristminsterisofcourthetragicinfluenceofJude'sdramainonen,but

innocentlyso,andmerelyasacrassobstruction.'Thereis,however,nothingexteriorinthepart

SueplaysinJude's,infact,sheemslessapersoninherownrightthana

projectionofonesideofJude'illotsonremarksonthis:`Ihavebeenstruck',he

said,`with...theextraordinarysympathy,orsimilarity,rcousin,which

emtobeonepersonsplitintwo!'And,inharmonywith

theprinciplebywhichallthemajorintuitionsinthenovelaregiventothemen,Judehimlf

perceivesthesamething:whenhelendsSuehisclothesaftershehascapedfromthetraining

collegeandarrived,soakingwet,athislodgings,`hepalpitatedatthethoughtthatshehadfledto

unterpartstheywere!...Sittinginhisonly

armchairhesawaslimandfragilebeingmasqueradingashimlfonaSunday,sopatheticinher

defencelessnessthathisheartfeltbigwiththenofit.'Thesituation,inwhichtheherodress

inhisownclotheshiswet,lost,desperatedouble,ixactlythesameasthatofthemasterpieceof

doubleidentity,Conrad'sTheSecretSharer.

ConsideringtheultimatedifferencesbetweenSueandJude,Hardyperhapsthoughtthattheir

similaritiesmerelyemphasizedthecontrastsofwhich,hewrote,thebookwasfull:`Sueandher

heathengodstagainstJude'sreadingtheGreektestament;Christminsteracademical,

Christminsterintheslums;Judethesaint,Judethesinner;Suethepagan,Suethesaint;marriage,

nomarriage;.'ButthegeometricalneatnessofHardy'splandoesnotmakehis

oughthebookSueisJude

`masqueradingashimlfonaSunday'.Avenhernameimplies(Sue,Hardysayshimlf,isa

lily,andBrideheadsoundsverylikemaidenhead),sheistheuntouchedpartofhim,allintellect,

nervesandnsitivity,whyhermostdramaticandtypicalappearances

,forexample,Judesuddenlyandguiltilycomes

acrossherafterhisnightwithArabellaatAldbrickham,`Suestoodlikeavisionbeforehim--her

lookbodefulandanxiousasinadream'.Or,whensheunexpectedlyreturnstoPhillotsoninhis

illness,anddoesherodd,characteristicconjuringtrickwiththemirror:`Shewasinlightspring

clothing,andheradventemedghostly--liketheflittinginofamoth.'Itisthiscombinationof

non-physicalpuritywithexaggeratedlysharpintellectandnsitivitywhichprervesherforJude

asanobjectofidealyearning,earningforhisownlostinnocence,

enhefinallyroundsonher,

afteralltheiryearsandtragediestogether,hecanstillonlycallher`asortoffey,orsprite--nota

woman!'Despiteeverythinghecando,sheremainsabodilessidea,anideaofsomethingin

himlf.

SueandArabellaare,infact,likethewhiteandblackhors,thenobleandbainstincts,

whichdrawPlato'auHardytoohadapassionforSue'skindof

frigidpurity(`Sheis',hewrote,`atypeofwomanwhichhasalwayshadanattractionforme'),he

cewrote:

Heinsiststhatsheisapig-killer'sdaughter;heinsiststhatshedragJudeinto

pig-killing;

onlyHardy'elf,asanartist,managesinthewholepictureof

Arabellaalmosttomakeinsignificantinherthepig-sticking,fal-haircrudities.

Buthemusthavehispersonalrevengeonherforhercoarness,whichoffendshim,

becauheissomethingofanAngelClare.

WhereHardythoughtArabella`thevillainofthepiece',Lawrencetriedtomakeheroutthe

ewsarewrong,notbecauSueisanymoreorlessoftheheroinethanArabella,

butbnlya

cewas,however,rightwhenhesaidthatArabellasurvives

Hardy'

isshe,notSue,whoshowsflashesofrealintelligence:

`Idon'tknowwhatyoumean,'saidSuestiffly.`Heismineifyoucometothat!'

`Hewasn'tyesterday.'

Suecolouredroate,andsaid`Howdoyouknow?'

`,mydear,you've

beenquickaboutit,andIexpectmyvisitlastnighthelpediton....'

Anditisalsoshe,notSue,whoreallywantsJude:

InafewmomentsArabellarepliedinacuriouslylow,hungrytoneoflatent

nsuousness:`I'vegothimtocareforme:yes!ButIwanthimtomorethancarefor

me;Iwanthimtohaveme--tomarryme!'tdowithouthim.

He'gomadifIcan'tgivemylftohimaltogether!

IfeltIshouldwhenIfirstsawhim!'

Withfewerexclamationmarksandwithoutthemoralizingqualificationof`latent

nsuousness'--asthoughthatweresoreprehensible!--Arabella'swordswouldsoundmorefrank

rly,despiteeverything,it

snodoubtaboutthisfromthemoment

when,withoutaflickerofdistaste,hepicksupthepig'spizzleshehasthrownathim:

...somehoworother,theeyesofthebrowngirlrestedinhisownwhenhehadsaid

thewords,andtherewasamomentaryflashofintelligence,adumbannouncementof

affinityinpos,betweenherlfandhim,which,sofarasJudyFawleywas

concerned,thathehadsingledherout

fromthethree,asawomanissingledoutinsuchcas....Theunvoicedcallof

womantoman,whichwasutteredverydistinctlybyArabella'spersonality,heldJude

tothespotagainsthisintention--almostagainsthiswill,andinawaynewtohis

experience.

ThismayhaveinitnoneoftherefinementofJude'spassionforSue,butitisconsiderably

,afterall,fellinlovewithSue'sphotographbeforehefellin

lovewithSueherlf;andthefirsttimeshesawhim`shenomoreobrvedhisprencethanthat

ofthedust-moteswhichhismanipulationsraidintothesunbeams'.Sotheyareneverreally

marriedbecautheconnectionbetweenthemisofthensibility,yreal

momentofecstasyJudeshareswithSueisbodiless,precipitatedbythescentandbrillianceofthe

rosattheagriculturalshow.`TherealmarriageofJudeandSuewas',asLawrencesaid,`inthe

ros.'SoitisArabellawhogetsthelastword;howevermuchHardymayhavedislikedherin

principle,artisticallyheacknowledgedthesurenessofherphysicalcommonn,totheextentat

leastofallowinghertomakethefinal,unqualifiedjudgementofthetragedy:

`Shemayswearthatonherkneestotheholycrossuponhernecklacetillshe'shoar,

butitwon'tbetrue!'saidArabella.`She'sneverfoundpeacesinceshelefthisarms,

andneverwillagaintillshe'sasheisnow!'

YetalthoughhisfinalattitudetoSuemayhavebeenambiguous,increatingherHardydid

somethingextraordinarilyoriginal:hecreatedoneofthefewtotallynarcissisticwomenin

literature;

complexityliesinthewayinwhichHardymanagedtoprentthefull,bittersterilityofher

narcissismandyettriedtoexonerateher.

Bitbybit,evenJudeismadetobuildupthecaagainsther:sheiscold,`incapableofreal

love',`anepicureoftheemotions',andaflirt;shewantstobelovedmorethanshewantstolove;

sheisvain,marryingPhillotsonoutofpiquewhenshelearnsthatJudeismarried,andgoingto

bedwithJudeonlywhenArabellareappearsonthescene;sheivencruel,inarefinedway,her

deliberate,`epicene'piteall

this,hislove,ofcour,isrootedinfrustration:hewantsherendlessly

ovesher,too,becauheloveshimlf;hehasin

himlfanarcissismwhichrespondstohers,avanityoftheintellectuallife,ofhisidealsand

ambitions,oftherefinementofintellectandnsibilitywhichhehadfirstprojectedonto

Christminster.

ButthetruthandpowerofthenovellieinthewayinwhichJude,intheend,isableto

heclosingscenes,hemanagestomakeher

conformtohisidealbyakindofemotionalsleightofmind:hedismisshisglimpsofthe

unchangingconventionalitybelowthebrightsurfaceofhernon-conformitybyinvokingbothhis

ownworth

turning-pointisthedeathofthechildren.

Onethingtroubledhimmorethananyother;thatSueandhimlfhadmentally

travelledinoppositedirectionssincethetragedy:eventswhichhadenlargedhisown

viewsoflife,laws,customs,anddogmas,hadnotoperatedinthesamemanneron

Sue'nolongerthesameasintheindependentdays,whenherintellect

playedlikelambentlightningoverconventionsandformalitieswhichheatthetime

respected,thoughhedidnotnow.

WhereJudematuresasaman,reconcilinghimlftotheendlesstragediesand

disappointmentsuntilhecanacceptthemmoreorlesswithoutlf-pity,Sueremainsfixedinher

snotchange,shesimplyshapesherouteractionstothecommonplaceswhich

tion--whichshecallsHighChurchSacramentalism--is

kherlf-enclodmouldwouldmeanlaying

herlfopentotherealtragedyofherrelationshipwithJude--ofwhichshe,notFate,isthemain

esheisunabletodothis,shedenies

thetruemala

mayoccasionallyhaveturnedwhoreforpracticalends--thatpresumably,ishowsheraidthe

moneytomakeJudedrunkbeforeremarryinghim--butitisSuewhomheaccus,whenshe

returnstoPhillotson,of`afanaticprostitution'.Whatbeganasintellectualfreedomendsas

Judefinallyturnsonherwiththecry`Sue,Sue,youarenotworth

aman'slove!',heispassingjudgementnotonlyonherbutalso,becauheneveroncedeniesthat

helovesher,yandArabella'sclosingwordsreprentastandard

ofmaturitywhichJudeonlyslowlyandpainfullyattains.

ThereissomethingpuzzlingaboutJudetheObscureasaworkofart:inimpactitisintenly

moving;logue,forexample,is,withvery

littleexception,antedtheconventionalformalitiesofthetime,no

eallthetroublestheyhave

entogether,JudeandSuespeaktoeachotherasthoughtheyhadjustbeenintroducedata

ult,theirgrandpassionbecomes,ontheirownlips,something

generalized,e,inSue'sownwords,`toormony'.

Converly,Arabella,apartfromherfewmomentsoftruthandanoccasional,ponderousslyness,

dlinisarchlyfolksyandFather

ypeoplewhoemableto

talkmoreorlessnaturallytoothersarethesolitaries,Phillotsonand,inaslighterway,Vilbert.

ItmaybethatHardyhadverylittleearfordialogue;

hisclumsinessinJudeismorethanafault,esntial

subjectofthenovelisnotOxford,ormarriage,theone

eyaretogetherthe

charactersoftenemamateurishlyconceived,etheyare

lefttothemlvestheybegintothink,feel,actandeventalkwiththatstrangepoignancywhichis

uniquelyHardy'ef,almostcursoryparagraphinwhichJudetriestodrownhimlfafter

thefailureofhisfirstmarriageisafarmoreeffectiveandaffectingscenethan,forexample,the

elaboratelyconstructedpig-killing--andlargely,Ithink,the

deisonhisown,asheis

foragreatdealofthenovel,walkingfromonevillagetothenext,oneChristminstercollegeto

another,thenheemergesasacreationofrealgenius.

Thenovel'spower,infact,residesinthatsustained,deepplangencyofnotewhichisthe

teisproducednotbyanysingleactionbutbya

generalnoftragedyandsympathetichopelessnesswhichthefigureofJudeprovokesinHardy.

AndtheesnceofhistragedyisJude'olatedfromsocietybecauhis

ambitions,abilitiesandnsibilityparatehimfromhisownclasswhilewinninghimnoplacein

olatedinhismarriagetoArabellabecaushehasnoideaofwhatheisabout,

anddoesn'er,thenof

lonelinessisintensifiedbythewayinwhichbothwomenareprentedlessascharacterscomplete

inthemlvesthanasprojectionsofJude,sidesofhischaracter,

thesameway,thewonderfullysympatheticandmovingtreatmentofPhillotsoninthesceneat

Shaston--hissurprisingdelicacyandgenerosityanddesolatingloneliness--isntiallythesame

men,indeed,areextraordinarilyalike:theyarebothinlovewith

thesamewoman,bothfailinmuchthesamewayatChristminster,bothinhabitthesame

ifferenceisinageandabilityandpassion.

Phillotson,inshort,indofJude

Senior:older,milder,withlesstalentandurgency,

onen,theentirenovelissimplytheimageofJudemagnifiedandsubtlylitfromdifferent

einturnisan

embodimentoftheloneliness,deprivationandregretwhichareboththestrengthandconstant

themeofHardy'ayhavebeenperfectlyjustifiedindenyingthatthebook

wasatallautobiographical,butitisasupremelyvividdramatizationofthestateofmindoutof

whichHardy'spoetryemerged.

troducedinoneofthemostbeautiful

passagesofthenovel:

HewasAgemasqueradingasJuvenility,anddoingitsobadlythathisreallf

d-swellfromancientyearsofnightemednowand

thentoliftthechildinthishismorning-life,whenhisfacetookabackviewover

somegreatAtlanticofTime,andappearednottocareaboutwhatitsaw.

Andheisfinallyleftinaparagraphofequalforce:

Theboy'littleshapehad

convergedalltheinauspiciousnessandshadowwhichhaddarkenedthefirstunionof

Judeandalltheaccidents,mistakes,fears,heirnodalpoint,

theirfocus,rashnessofthoparentshehad

groaned,fortheirill-assortmenthehadquaked,andforthemisfortunesofthehe

haddied.

Butinbetweenthetwopoints,hisominousremarks,desolation,andlf-consciously

incurablemelancholyaresooverdoneastoemalmostasthoughHardyhaddecidedtoparody

edeathofthechildren,andFatherTime'sappallingnote--'Donebecauweare

toomenny'--isdangerouslyclotobeinglaughable:asituationsoextreme,insistedonsostrongly,

dy,Ithink,wasforcedto

ov

asnowayof

repeatingitwithoutmelodrama.

ThepowerofJudetheObscureis,then,eslessfromthe

actionorthefidelityofthettingthanfromthewholenessoftheauthor'ragedy

feelingsarethowhichwerelatergiven

perfectforminHardy'kisthefinestofHardy'snovelsbecauitistheone

inwhichthecomplexofemotionsis,despiteFatherTime,leastweakenedbymelodrama,bad

plotting,andthatoddincidentalamateurishnessofdetailbywhich,perhaps,Hardy,allthroughhis

novel-writingperiod,sothefinestbecauitisthe

novelinwhichthetrueHardyheroismostfullyvindicated,andtheapparentlyfascinatingmythof

nderifHardywasnotbeingslightly

disingenuouswhenheclaimedthatthetreatmentofthebookbythepopularreviewershadturned

him,forgood,udetheObscuretherewasnootherdirectionin

whichhecouldgo.

(Source:z,AreviewofJudetheObscure,inBeyondAllThisFiddle:Essays1955-67,

PenguinBooks,Ltd.,1968.)