The Symbolic Elements in Jude the Obscure

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I decided to be the volunteer in putting the first seminar

This is my seminar about the novel of Prose 3 n a m ed

Jude the Obscure

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The Symbolic Elements in Jude the Obscure

Symbolism implies a duality of meaning. An incident or a character in such a case may be viewed at two levels: at a literal level and at a deeper level where we find a hidden meaning or significance. Symbolism is a literary device which aims at imbuing a work with a deeper significance than is apparent on the surface. Symbolism is thus a means whereby a work of art is enriched, and its imagination appeal enhanced.

Thomas Hardy in his Jude the Obscure provides his readers with so many significant symbols in order to convey a message of his thoughts. Those symbols were the measures of the intensity of the writing and the tightness of the structure. Hardy uses symbolism skillfully in this novel and next are some of the symbols that are used in it.

In the novel, there are some obvious examples that may be listed starting with Jude the hero of the novel. We find Christminster symbolizes Jude's emotions and dreams of success. It is almost characterized as his first mistress. Also, the experience of the grammar books symbolizes Jude's entire failure in life. In his early life, Jude struggled with the Greek and Latin grammar books that he couldn’t read. This early experience was disappointing and depressing as it symbolizes Jude's entire failure in life because neither his intellectual aspirations nor his emotional desires are fulfilled or satisfied.

As for Sue Bridehead, she has two main symbolic elements in the novel. First, the symbolic meaning of her own n a m e which means what really she is which hardy intends to use. Sue" Susanna" means "lily" which represents "purity" and her last n a m e is also meaningful "Bridehead" which points out to two meanings " maidenhead" or "virginity" and "bride" and that's clear in her character. The second symbol concerning Sue is that she symbolizes "spirit" i.e.: "mind". She does not care about her sexual desires as much as her mental ones. It reveals in her marriage with Phillotson . She is unconventional and unbelieving woman. She is always an ethereal being " almost a divinity" so that she fascinates Jude by the virtue of her appeal to his mind and his inner essence. Only Sue gives Jude adequate praise for his " generous devotion " .

On the other hand, Arabella Donn, the physical representation of the novel. Her n a m e suggests her character which means " instinct towards artificiality " which is in her blood and distinguishes her character. Arabella mostly called an substantial female animal . She represents " flesh" or " sensuality ". hardy spoke in his novel as describing "the deadly war waged between spirit and flesh " that he represents in the characters of Sue and Arabella. She is a materialist who run after her own benefit trying to catch every chance allowed by fate to grasp. Arabella is a striking example of the sensuality which comes into conflict with everything that is fine, noble, or exalted .

The pig's flesh which symbolizes Arabella's and Jude sensuality. We all know that pig is a symbol of sensuality which Arabella intends to throw at Jude in order to evoke his sexual desires and consequently attract him to marry her. Jude himself realizes " it was no vestal who chose that particular missile ", n a m ely the pizzle which means she opens her attack on him". Thus the pig's flesh conveys to us the hidden streak of sensuality of Jude.

Next, there is Little Father Time, young Jude, is a character so purely a symbolic as hardly believed in ordinary terms. It is undoubtedly an allegorical figure. He represents the feelings of both his father Jude and his step-mother Sue. He was like a philosopher who sees only the empty part of the glass. For them, Jude and Sue, little father time was a kind of punishment from God because they had breached the bond of church and God. They illegally got married and had two children which they end in a very sorrowful way hanged by their older brother Father Time. Hardy makes the child carry more meaning than he is naturally able to. He , as a child, " did not want to be a man" so he wants to put an end to hid growing up and unlike his father he succeeds in this melancholy ambition. He is fate, of course , but also blighted hopes, failure, and change.

At the end, we conclude that the whole novel is full of symbolic elements that carry many meanings. Symbolism in the novel helps to work out the themes. These symbols represent meanings, ideas very briefly, quickly, and effectively. This shows that Bible and Greek legends are background of Hardy's symbolism which he used in the whole novel[/size]

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