Characters in Jude the Obscure: A Deeper Significance

Categories: Victorian Novel

Essay, Pages 2 (356 words)

Views

In the Victorian novel Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy, the author attributes each character with a role of deeper significance than they appear to have superficially. One such character is the schoolteacher, Richard Phillotson, who has a pivotal impact on Jude's life. By setting the mood for the novel, starting the trend of Jude's misfortunes, and encouraging Jude to pursue an education, Phillotson proves to be a central character to this novel from early on.

During the first few pages of the novel, we are introduced to Mr.

Don't use plagiarized sources. Get your custom essay on

“ Characters in Jude the Obscure: A Deeper Significance ”

Get custom paper

NEW! smart matching with writer

Phillotson through his sorrowful departure. As a well-respected schoolteacher in Marygreen, his presence will be missed by everybody, especially Jude Fawley. Jude has come to love the teacher, building a strong student-teacher bond with Mr. Phillotson. His decision to leave the town in an attempt to educate himself in the university-filled city of Christminster leaves Jude heartbroken. Essentially, Mr. Phillotson's first impact on the novel is that he establishes a sad overtone for the story from the beginning. Starting the novel with the loss of an admired man sets a trend for future sadness in the story, foreshadowing that all will not end well in this tale. Therefore, Mr. Phillotson can be seen as crucial to the first chapter of this novel because his mournful departure alludes to the further occurrence of sad events as the story progresses.

Besides Mr. Phillotson's importance to the mood for the story, he is also an essential character because of his influences on Jude. Mr. Phillotson is one of the few people who actually cared for Jude in his youth, so without him, Jude is left to struggle alone through his troublesome life. When Mr. Phillotson leaves for Christminster, he begins a pattern in Jude's personal life of misfortune and heartbreak. After Mr. Phillotson is gone from the village, Jude's encounters a downward spiral in life that ultimately continues until his death. Mr. Phillotson would have been the closest person for Jude to rely on as a friend or even a father-figure if he did not leave. By sending his old grammars to Jude and giving him heartfelt advice concerning education.

Characters in Jude the Obscure: A Deeper Significance. (2022, Apr 26). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/the-deeper-significance-in-the-role-of-the-characters-in-the-novel-jude-the-obscure-by-thomas-hardy-essay