Jude the Obscure: A Novel of Ambition, Constraint, and Social Conflict

The novel tells the story of Jude Fawley, a village stonemason who yearns to be a scholar at Christminster, a city modeled on Oxford, England. The novela also follows his earthy wife, Arabella, and his cousin, Sue. The elaborately structured plot dwells on subtle details and accidents lead to the characters' ruin while exploring many different themes.