References to Sue's Homosexuality in Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure

979 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The atmosphere and tone of Thomas Hardy Jude the obscure

References to Sue's Homosexuality in Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure

Perhaps the most interesting character in Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure is Susanna Florence Mary Bridehead (Sue). Throughout the novel, she is described as everything from boyish and sexless, all the way to Voltairean and just simply unconventional. Some claim she had read prolifically many writers noted for their frankness and/or indecency (Hardy 118). Upon a surface reading, one can't help but wonder about the sexual identity and desires of Sue. At first, there seems to be none; however, upon a deeper reading of the novel, I can't help but suspect that Sue is actually a lesbian.

Sue's failures with men contribute to my feeling; she has endured unfulfilling relationships with at least three men. The critic Robert Heilman mentioned that "Sue cannot really either reject or accept men" (507) which is supported by her blatant disgust of them sexually, especially Phillotson. This man, her husband, was someone Sue found so repulsive that she would rather risk injury to herself than to allow him to touch her, as he tells his friend Gillingham, "she jumped out of window--so strong was her dread of me!" (Hardy 183). Another night, Sue avoided Phillotson by sleeping in a closet. Upon examination of this temporary "nest," Phillotson bitterly remarks to himself, "What must a woman's aversion be when it is stronger than her fear of spiders" (Hardy 176). Although I don't appreciate the stereotype, the statement does its part and makes it quite obvious that she finds her husband repulsive.

With this, his last novel, Hardy is moving away from the convention of the "inner life of the characters to be inferred from their public behavior" (Howe 513), so, although Sue...

... middle of paper ...

..."lack of respect for existing institutions and contempt for authority" (122). Kudos to Hardy for defending homosexuality, not as a "decision" made by those who wish to rebel against authority, but as a defining trait of perhaps his strongest and most interesting character.

Works Cited

Gosse, Edmund. "From Cosmopolis." Jude the Obscure. Ed. Norman Page. New York: Norton, 1978. 386-391.

Hardy, Thomas. Jude the Obscure. Ed. Norman Page. New York: Norton, 1978.

Heilman, Robert. "Reasons Against Emotion: The Significance of Sue." Jude the Obscure. Ed. Charles Child Walcutt. Toronto: Bantam, 1969. 504- 511.

Howe, Irving. 'Literary Modernism in Jude the Obscure." Jude the Obscure. Ed. Charles Child Walcutt. Toronto: Bantam, 1969. 512-518.

Ingham, Patricia. Introduction. Jude the Obscure. By Thomas Hardy. Ed. Ingham. New York: Oxford, 1985. xi-xxii.

Show More
Related

  • Theme Analysis of Killings by Andre Dubus

    753 Words  | 2 Pages

    Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. 2189.

    Read More

  • Good Night and Good Luck

    860 Words  | 2 Pages

    Murrow is correct to show that McCarthy’s argument against the rules of evidence is fallacious; the fact that McCarthy feels certification is not needed reveals just how weak his overall argument is. As McCarthy continues to generate claims without facts, his argument becomes weak. This is revealed as McCarthy accuses Radulovich of

    Read More

  • Criticism of Religious Hypocrites in Moliere's Tartuffe

    2058 Words  | 5 Pages

    Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press, 1989.

    Read More

  • Medieval Chivalry

    1683 Words  | 4 Pages

    Each different aspect of the code of chivalry held a separate role in society. Whether it be religious or barbaric, chivalry tended to hold a moral guideline among those who followed it. This moral guideline held them true to their duties to man, God, and women (Sex, Society, and Medieval Women). All of which are reflected in the three themes of Chivalry: Warrior chivalry, religious chivalry, and courtly love chivalry (Sex, Society, and Medieval Women). These three hold their individual roles, all stimulating a different part of the mind and creating a code held by all areas of life in those who hold it. The underlying question posed in this intense pledge is whether those who took the oath lived it out accordingly. To live out Chivalry is to go against the logic of the human mind. That is a hard task. Canterbury Tales provides one example of a man fighting against the odds. The kenight portrayed in the story can be compared to that of the quarterback of a football team. That knight truly took the leadership of his role and lived out all of its responsibilities. On the other hand, in midst of the popularity, a large majority of knights truly embraced only certain aspects of the pledge of Chivalry. They used their title and their pledge to court women and gain an upper hand on everyone else around them. The corrupt behavior of these knights is why the general consensus of a knight’s success in following the pledge of Chivalry is failure. The mind of a man still finds its origin in the Social Darwinism concept of a man’s mind. This idea plays the leading role in the failure of knights in the medieval period to live out their oath of Chivalry in every aspect of this oath.

    Read More

  • How Does Iago Use Pathos In Othello

    1696 Words  | 4 Pages

    With Roderigo, someone he commands control over, Iago employs pathos, allowing his plan to appeal to Roderigo’s sensitive emotions about Othello. Roderigo and Iago discuss about how each of them despise Othello when Iago says, “If ever I did dream of such a matter, / Abhor me” using pathos to confirm his hatred towards the General (1.2. 5-6). The play commences with Iago employing direct rhetoric and partnering up with Roderigo to enhance a sense of comradery. Harsh language such as “Abhor me”, exemplifies the hateful emotions Iago feels toward Othello as well as enhances the emotions Iago wants to appeal to in Roderigo (1.2. 6). Affecting Roderigo more influentially, Iago uses deeper, more personal pathos, by highlighting the seemingly good qualities in Roderigo. Iago contrasts Roderigo to Othello pointing out, “Let not they discreet heart think it…manners and beauties: all which the/ Moor is defective in” (2.1. 215, 219-220). Firstly, Iago weighs Roderigo’s positive qualities against Othello’s negatives ones, convincing Roderigo to feel more confident with Iago and following along with his scheme. Secondly, Iago alters this rhetoric to include Roderigo’s love interest, Desdemona. By exemplifying a more personal and sensitive side when talking about “manners and beauties”, Iago can create a bigger impact in

    Read More

  • Tuberculosis

    903 Words  | 2 Pages

    Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection that can attack any part of the body, but it is normally found in the lungs (Huether, McCance, Brashers and Rote, 2008,). TB is an infection caused by a acid-fast bacillus also know as Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Huether et al. 2008) It is one of the leading causes of death in Asia, China, Indian, Indonesia and Pakistan (Huether et al. 2008). These countries show that in most cases the incidence rate is highest in young adults, and are usually the result from re-infection in recent infections. The spread of TB is attributed to the emigration of infected people from high-prevalent countries, substance abuse, poverty, transmission in crowd places, and the lack of proper medical care for the infected individuals (Huether et al. 2008).

    Read More

  • Othello's Responsibility for Desdemona's Death

    1214 Words  | 3 Pages

    Roderigo for being gullible and too easily duped into Iago's plans. He believes that he will have a chance with Desdemona. For example, "put money in thy purse" shows how clever Iago is with his subtle techniques of persuasion.

    Read More

  • Tuberculosis Essay

    993 Words  | 2 Pages

    Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in which bacteria may invade many parts of the body, such as the brain, the kidneys, and the spine. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a rod shaped, aerobic bacterium that is resistant to destruction and can persist in necrotic and calcified lesion for prolonged periods and remain capable of reinstating growth (Porth, 2011). However, the most common target is the lungs (Wouk, 2010). The Tuberculosis bacteria severely damage the lungs that it is difficult for a person to breathe. According to Wouk, there are two main types of Tuberculosis. The first type is latent, which means a person carries the tuberculosis germ, but he or she is not sick and can not pass the germ on to the other person, and the other type is active tuberculosis.

    Read More

  • Frankenstein, Community, and the Individual

    1689 Words  | 4 Pages

    Stillinger, Jack, Deidre Lynch, Stephen Greenblatt, and M H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Volume D. New York, N.Y: W.W. Norton & Co, 2006. Print.

    Read More

  • Tuberculosis

    932 Words  | 2 Pages

    Tuberculosis (TB) has various infections that can completely immobilize one's body. Its infections are varied and it generally eats away lung tissues and forms boils that releases pus. As disease proceeds, lungs would mercilessly be devoured and the victim will become pallid and fragile, coughing up blood and becoming unable to breathe. The word consumption originated from this sickness because o Infections in digestive tract can cause serious vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and acute pain. Aside from lungs, it can also infect bloodstream and even kidneys. TB can also cripple people's nervous system and their bones. Basically, it can destroy one's body completely. Surprisingly, the germ causing it (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) is extremely small.

    Read More

  • Tuberculosis Research Papers

    1505 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tuberculosis is disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Usually bacteria attacks lungs but TB bacteria can attack any parts of the body such as brain, kidney, and spine. It can spread through the lymph node and blood stream to any organ. Usually it is seen in the lungs. If it is not treated accordingly, it can be deadly. One of the leading causes of death in the United States was tuberculosis. Everyone who infected with TB bacteria not get sick. There are two TB conditions stand. They are latent TB infection and TB disease. In latent TB infection, people do not get sick but TB bacteria can live in you. People with latent TB infection cannot spread the bacteria to others nor are they infectious. If the bacteria is active and multiply, the person has TB disease. If a person has TB disease, their immune system cannot stop the bacteria become active. People with TB disease get sick and they are able to spread the bacteria to others.

    Read More

  • Code Of Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... has changed drastically. During the Middle Ages, chivalry was a code of brave and courteous conduct for knights. During the Middle Ages, the people who lived during this time use chivalry as a code of conduct .There are some forms of Chivalry today but to a smaller degree than in the Middle Ages. Some examples of chivalry today are helping the elderly, family, and friends with some activities. It’s not possible to be as chivalrous as the knights in the Middle Ages were because our lifestyles have changed. Since the beginning of the Middle Ages, chivalry has been an important part of life. Society had high expectations for knights. Knights strictly followed by these rules and were punished both physically and socially if they broke them. They had many responsibilities such as protect the church, serve their lord, protect the weak and practice courtly love(Chivalry).

    Read More

  • Chivalry

    1794 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...er class during the Middle Ages. Without chivalry, some of the most important cultural events of the Middle Ages may never have occurred including the Crusades and tournaments, among others.

    Read More

  • A Feminist Perspective of The Lady of Shalott

    2170 Words  | 5 Pages

    Abrams, M.H., ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature. 6th ed. Vol. 2. New York: Norton, 1993.

    Read More

  • Depiction of Class in Tess of the d’Urbervilles, by Thomas Hardy

    2548 Words  | 6 Pages

    Hardy originated from a working class family. The son of a master mason, Hardy was slightly above that of his agricultural peers. Hardy’s examination of transition between classes is usually similar to that of D.H. Lawrence, that if you step outside your circle you will die. The ambitious lives of the characters within Hardy’s novels like Jude and Tess usually end fatally; as they attempt to break away from the constraints of their class, thus, depicting Hardy’s view upon the transition between classes. Hardy valued lower class morals and traditions, it is apparent through reading Tess that her struggles are evidently permeated through the social sufferings of the working class. A central theme running throughout Hardy’s novels is the decline of old families. It is said Hardy himself traced the Dorset Hardy’s lineage and found once they were of great i...

    Read More

More about References to Sue's Homosexuality in Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure

Open Document