Jude the Obscure | Thomas Hardy

Could Jude's decision to meet with Arabella instead of studying Greek foreshadow his ultimate fate?

Despite Andy's disclaimer that Jude's situation progressively gets worse throughout the novel, Jude seems to already place himself in an unhappy situation from Part I: At Marygreen. From the beginning, readers learn that Jude is a very motivated and ambitious. He sets his sights on Christminster as a young boy, at first in search of reuniting with Mr. Phillotson, but then later for his own enlightenment. He seems to find Christminster as this other world that is worth attaining; it almost has a very spiritual meaning to it as well. So it seems odd, then, that after meeting Arabella, Jude sacrifices what he believes will assist him in achieving his dreams to be with her. It seems almost superficial of Jude to react the way he does when he meets Arabella, as he is more of the intellectual type that doesn't seem too concerned about something like love. Hardy even writes in Chapter 6, "...there was something in the nature of this girl who had drawn him to her, which made it necessary that he should assert mere sportiveness on his part as his reason in seeking her..." Jude feels torn between doing what his mind wants versus what his heart wants. I think it is interesting to see this flaw in Jude mostly because he does not really allude to strong emotional flaws, like he does toward Arabella, in the beginning of the novel. It also is disappointing that he stays with Arabella despite her lie to marry. This seems like the beginning of an awful and strained relationship, seeing as how Jude marries out of pressure and obligation. Again, this situation seems to foreshadow what lies ahead in Jude's life, more specifically, in his relationship with crazy Arabella.