Jude the Obscure cover

Jude the Obscure

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928)

Original en 144372 words First published 1895 United Kingdom

Hardy's 1895 novel, his last, and the one that drove him out of fiction. Jude Fawley is a village stonemason who teaches himself Latin and Greek in hope of Christminster and its university, which will not admit a man of his class; he is entangled first with Arabella, who traps him, and then with his cousin Sue Bridehead, brilliant and terrified of the flesh. Their unmarried union, the children, and the horror that follows drew reviews calling it Jude the Obscene. Hardy answered by never writing another novel.

Text sourced from Project Gutenberg (public domain in the United States); the Project Gutenberg trademark and license text have been removed on import. Public-domain status determined by the author's death year + 50 years rule.

Table of Contents

  1. 001 PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape… 2599 words
  2. 002 The boy stood under the rick before mentioned, and every few seconds… 2530 words
  3. 003 He then seated himself again, and waited. 2508 words
  4. 004 “Where will you be with the grammars?” “I shall be passing here this… 2561 words
  5. 005 As another outcome of this change of groove he visited on Sundays all… 2687 words
  6. 006 Meanwhile the girl had joined her companions, and she silently… 2502 words
  7. 007 He kept his impassioned doings a secret almost from himself. 2502 words
  8. 008 “That’s very shabby of you!” “You should have catched me a minute ago… 2506 words
  9. 009 “I’ll get up,” said Jude. 2535 words
  10. 010 “Aunt—did my father ill-use my mother, and my aunt her husband?” said… 2580 words
  11. 011 It was a windy, whispering, moonless night. 2569 words
  12. 012 For many days he haunted the cloisters and quadrangles of the… 2570 words
  13. 013 Though he was loth to suspect it, some people might have said to him… 2500 words
  14. 014 Meanwhile the young woman had knocked at the office door and asked if Mr. 2512 words
  15. 015 It was part of his duty to give her private lessons in the evening… 2557 words
  16. 016 These retrospective visions of Sue only made Jude the more miserable… 2513 words
  17. 017 The gates were shut, and, by an impulse, he took from his pocket the… 2501 words
  18. 018 Slowly Jude unfolded to the curate his late plans and movements, by… 2505 words
  19. 019 “Then don’t let us talk of it any more. 2551 words
  20. 020 When, accordingly, Sue came into the dormitory to hastily tidy… 2554 words
  21. 021 Jude looked round upon the arm-chair and its occupant, as if to read… 2566 words
  22. 022 SUE. It would be superfluous to say what his answer was; and how he… 2569 words
  23. 023 Jude had never spoken to his former hero since the meeting by the model of Jerusalem. 2615 words
  24. 024 He determined to play the Spartan; to make the best of it, and… 2644 words
  25. 025 The oppressive strength of his affection for Sue showed itself on the… 2548 words
  26. 026 “As you like.” “Then wait till I get two or three things. 2516 words
  27. 027 “Ah—sceered ye, have I! I wasn’t going to bide up there no longer, to… 2621 words
  28. 028 The natural picturesqueness and singularity of the town still remain… 2505 words
  29. 029 A glimmering candlelight shone from a front window, the shutters being yet unclosed. 2569 words
  30. 030 In the lonely room of his aunt’s house, Jude sat watching the cottage… 2504 words
  31. 031 As the silence seemed more absolute than ordinarily he turned round. 2549 words
  32. 032 “Thank God—you are not killed! 2551 words
  33. 033 “If you will send me some of the manuscript to copy at any time, as… 2551 words
  34. 034 “Of course, if it would make you reproach yourself… but you do like me very much, Sue? 2519 words
  35. 035 Gillingham saw that his rather headstrong friend would not be able to… 2524 words
  36. 036 “Now then, Sue, at any rate, you can do what you like!” He looked at… 2544 words
  37. 037 “Poor thing! I must do her the kindness of hearing what’s the matter… 2559 words
  38. 038 III When Sue reached home Jude was awaiting her at the door to take… 2502 words
  39. 039 “You must have a fly for your box.” “No. 2548 words
  40. 040 “Jude—I don’t like it here! 2516 words
  41. 041 “They are rather fond of one another and of their child, seemingly,”… 2503 words
  42. 042 Little Time—for though he was formally turned into “Jude,” the apt… 2566 words
  43. 043 A few evenings after his dismissal from the church repairs, and… 2509 words
  44. 044 “Lord—I mean goodness gracious—what is there to cry about? 2598 words
  45. 045 Sue kissed the children, and said, “How is he now?” “Still better!” returned Mrs. 2556 words
  46. 046 “If that can be done,” said Jude, “at college gates in the most… 2514 words
  47. 047 She found Jude at breakfast in the obscure tavern he had chosen as a… 2545 words
  48. 048 “She’s been wanting me to dig out the grave again, and let her get to… 2504 words
  49. 049 Jude had known from the quality of Sue’s tone that her new and… 2508 words
  50. 050 “Good-night,” he said, and turned to go. 2515 words
  51. 051 “No—I won’t let him. I go to him voluntarily, just as I went away… 2504 words
  52. 052 “Now you’ve got so far you ought not to back out of it. 2552 words
  53. 053 “I don’t care which! Say cherry brandy… Sue has served me badly, very… 2559 words
  54. 054 “Don’t say anything against my honour!” enjoined Jude hotly, standing up. 2547 words
  55. 055 “Don’t make me rush away from you—I can’t bear much! 2509 words
  56. 056 “No, dear,” said the widow, opening the door. 2535 words
  57. 057 As soon as he could speak he murmured, his eyes still closed: “A… 1986 words