Jude the Obscure
by Thomas Hardy · first published 1895
50% recommend40% neutral10% critical
Why HN recommends it
Praised for its literary density and for Hardy's skill in tying the narrative to Jude's viewpoint; a rewarding, if demanding, read for readers who enjoy spotting allusions and close reading.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Hardy's last work of fiction, Jude the Obscure is also one of his most gloomily fatalistic, depicting the lives of individuals who are trapped by forces beyond their control. Jude Fawley, a poor villager, wants to enter the divinity school at Christminster. Sidetracked by Arabella Donn, an earthy country girl who pretends to be pregnant by him, Jude marries her and is then deserted. He earns a living as a stonemason at Christminster; there he falls in love with his independent-minded cousin, Sue Bridehead. Out of a sense of obligation, Sue marries the schoolmaster Phillotson, who has helped he
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2010–2024Far from the Madding Crowd
Thomas Hardy
Recommended by 1 · mentioned by 41 recommend · 4 mention1 recommend · 41 recommend
2010–2024Atonement
Ian McEwan
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 62 recommend · 6 mention2 recommend · 62 recommend
2010–2024Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Thomas Hardy
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 73 recommend · 7 mention3 recommend · 73 recommend
2010–2025Sum
David Eagleman
Recommended by 7 · mentioned by 97 recommend · 9 mention7 recommend · 97 recommend
Love in the Time of Cholera
Gabriel García Márquez
Recommended by 9 · mentioned by 189 recommend · 18 mention9 recommend · 189 recommend
2010–2024The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Mark Haddon
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 168 recommend · 16 mention8 recommend · 168 recommend
2009–2026The Colour of Magic
Terry Pratchett
Recommended by 9 · mentioned by 389 recommend · 38 mention9 recommend · 389 recommend
2009–2026Midnight's Children
Salman Rushdie
Recommended by 18 · mentioned by 3018 recommend · 30 mention18 recommend · 3018 recommend
Some of my favorites this year: Fiction: - Jude The Obscure, Thomas Hardy. The way Hardy 'smuggles' Jude's viewpoint into the narrative is so ridiculously well crafted, a pleasure to read. - Legend Of The Galactic Heroes - a big anime from the 80s which was based…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗Thomas Hardy's Jude The Obscure, absolutely brilliant. Its littered with literary goto statements, referencing every imaginable literary text. Its really pretty cool, Its hard to follow along with, and harder to catch all of the references…
on “Ask HN: Great books you read in 2009?” ↗…favorites I read this year in order: - Prayer of Owen Meany, it’s the basis of the movie Simon Birch if you have seen that. The book has so much more going on though - My Antonia, wonderful characters - Jude the Obscure, the cover tells you the ending is shocking, and the cover is right! - How the Irish Saved Civilization, really fun and interesting
on “Ask HN: Best books read in 2022” ↗…Hardy's "The Mayor of Casterbirdge". It's the one of his 5 major novels I haven't read. "Far From the Madding Crowd" and "Return of the Native" are okay, but the two that really are magnificent are: "Jude the Obscure" - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/153 "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/110 You can sense his fury at the society he was depicting. You might not want to read either of…
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite classic books?” ↗Read Jude the Obscure.
on “Discworld Rules” ↗…understand the Burroughs example as relevant to the UK, but another good illustration is Thomas Hardy. His books sold well but were never seen as consistent with the UK cultural mainstream, and the reaction to Jude the Obscure in 1895 stopped him from writing novels entirely. Yet post-WWI he came to be seen/adopted as a mainstream cultural icon.
on “Douglas Adams on the English–American cultural divide over "heroes"” ↗I was in my late teens when I read the book and read it with the fascination a teenager has for such things. I certainly remember it better than I remember Jude the Obscure despite writing several papers plus a term paper on that book for my AP English class. The particular story of the roommates stuck out precisely because it exemplified the theme of the book perfectly.…
on “Getting shot by a handgun” ↗67. Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
I read Jude the Obscure recently after seeing it on the bookshelf of a character in the HBO show Westworld. It was a very controversial book in its day because of its portrayal of marriage. I found it pretty bleak and yes shocking.…
on “Ask HN: Best books read in 2022” ↗My high school had it as required reading (over summer vacation). I was never a big reader to begin with so this book along with others (Jude the Obscure, A Separate Peace) have always been in a bad light for me in my mind (I guess having a book that I would tested and grilled over first thing in the school year does that). However, as an adult I found…
on “Why Do We Keep Reading the Great Gatsby?” ↗