What Role Does Religion Play In Jude The Obscure

Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy is absolutely one of the most depressing novels I have ever read. This novel contains dark emotions. The reader watches a working-class young attempt to better himself only to fail. Jude is continuously manipulated and kicked down. His struggles end when he dies. He dies abandoned by the woman whom he truly loves, and his wife does not mourn him.
Jeff said in class that there is nothing more dangerous than sexuality in Hardy’s novels. I disagree. While sexuality plays a destructive role in this novel, especially for Jude, I believe that religion is more dangerous. Religion is the reason that Sue decides to leave Jude and remarry Phillotson. Sue breaks down when she comes to believe that “Little Father Time” killing his siblings and himself was divine retribution. She believed that she was at fault and the God was punishing her for having children and being with Jude but not being married to him. Sue decides …show more content…
This woman is cunning, manipulative, and exploitative. Professor Berman stated that the only positive statement about Arabella is that she is a survivor. I agree. She uses her understanding of people and the world around her to advantage. Arabella doesn’t change throughout the novel, she remains despicable and deceitful. She makes Jude’s life more depressing. The way that she tricks him into marrying her not once, but twice is comical. This woman is a character who is untrustworthy and it is hard to decipher when she is actually telling the truth. Arabella uses her body to manipulate men. She plays a huge role in the collapse of Jude and Sue’s relationship. She does this without a single care. She is selfish. When Jude lies dying and Arabella is already working her way into another man’s life. Arabella doing this proves that Jude is truly alone. That thought is depressing. Hardy uses Arabella to destroy the good in both Jude and