Jude The Shallow

JUDE THE SHALLOW

"You cannot cast away your stone. It is yourself. You cannot evade it and its responsibilities by resigning or remaining absent from the Brotherhood in which you first acquired the stone. Once a Masons, always a mason: in this world and the other world to come. You stand solemnly and eternally covenanted, not only to yourself and your brother hood, but to the Eternal sacred Law, to proceed with your Masonic work to the end. That Law does not permit you stultify an obligation deliberately made upon it, even if made ignorantly. Know Thyself! Once thou break the oath, it is the Brotherhood that killth." This quotation is the oath which stone masons once swore in their rituals. It was believed by stone workers that now that this oath was taken, in no way should it be broken; if it happened to be broken anyhow, I would cast a spell on him (the one who broke the promise). In Thomas Hardy's last novel, one can see Jude "The Stonemason" as the good embodiment of how a disobedient stonemason is subjected o this inevitable doom. As a matter of fact, building the structures or shaping the stones is symbolic of Jude's building up and forming his own personality. When Jude matures into adulthood, he has not been able to build up a strong character, and thus he is doomed to face defeat and frustration due to his unstable personal integrity. Jude has the foundation (his self and personal traits); he has the stones (aspirations and ideals), but he lacks cement (essential skills to incorporate wishes into one's character). How do the stones stay together without mortar or cement? Likewise, the bricks of Jude's character cannot stick together; that is he cannot give a certain shape to his personality because he is a man of impractical dreams, contradicting emotions and beliefs, and over-sensitivity and modesty.

To begin with, Nature in the novel is based solely upon the survival of the fittest as Phillotson says "Cruelty is the law pervading all nature and society and we cannot get out of it if we would." Jude struggles patiently to realize his dream of a university education but is thwarted by a cruel fate and rigid, conservative social order. Jude is not wanted at Christminster, and this university city is described in unfavorable terms in the novel: "the rottenness of the stones- it seemed impossible that modern thought could house itself in such decrepit a superseded chambers." It is emphasized that Jude will always remain an outsider, denied access to improvement not because of lack of ability but because of social class. On the other hand, Jude holds a romantic and illusionary view of Christminster. He sees it as "a city of light where the three of knowledge grows: it is like a castle manned by scholarship and religion." When he starts making indirect inquiries about entering the university, he realizes that a scholarship is the only solution. However, he needs a good deal of coaching for that to be possible. He could not compete with those who have the advantage of trained teachers all their lives. "Buying" his way into the university is impossible; it would have taken him many ages. Once he receives the letter from the head of Biblioll College, he accepts that the task seems hopeless and realizes how impractical his illusions have been. Another reason why Jude is utopian in his dreams is that he expects his union with Sue to be free from any problems. Marrying to Sue when he is still legally tied to Arabella is the crime of bigamy which cannot be tolerated by society and requires a punishment. Moreover, marrying to his cousin is another point with which society is bound to be discontent. Additionally, living together with a woman with no authorized contract (marriage license) is evidently what the people in Victorian Age cannot accept. On top of all, although Sue's religious faith and marriage conception is in stark contrast to Jude's, he still dreams of a happy marriage which will also be approved by society. However, in the end Jude is left disillusioned, hence confrontation with the reality of the true roles of husband and wife. For all these reasons, Jude is a pure dreamer who resembles Joseph, "the dreamer of dreams" and Don Quixote, a tragic hero who chased after an elusive world which no longer existed.

Secondly, Jude has a shaky identity because he is torn between contradicting feelings and beliefs. The first of many conflicts that will radically change Jude occurs when he meets Arabella. The desires of his flesh come into brutal collision with Jude's goal of education and self-improvement when he encounters the awakening of sexual emotions with Arabella. All his ambitions related to Christminster are forgotten in his passion for Arabella. Another conflict crops up in his meeting with Sue. He promises himself that he will think of Sue in a quite "family way"; however, in time Jude has adoring feelings towards her and is deeply attached to her. Furthermore, after deciding to go on with a priestly career, he receives a letter from Sue, and his response to her requests is immediate. All his resolutions about his feelings for sue vanish, and he undergoes a moral indecisiveness. He drifts away from his long-held aspirations and is torn between two conflicting forces. In addition, the kiss which is "the turning points in Jude's career" causes Jude to abandon his studies. He realizes that as long as he continues his relationship with Sue, it is "glaringly inconsistent" to go on with the goal of a religious career. He remembers his first goal - toward an academic career - was checked by a woman (Arabella).