Jude the Obscure the theme of marriage
Marriage is a running theme throughout Jude the Obscure, and Hardy focuses mostly on the negative aspects of the custom. This is first mentioned by Jude’s aunt when she tells Jude, “The Fawleys were not made for wedlock: it never seemed to sit well upon us.” Her reasons for this statement were the failed marriages of both Jude’s parents and his aunt and uncle. Sue’s character has the most discomfort with and disagreement towards marriage. She shares her feelings with Jude in part 5, chapter 2 saying, “Jude, before I married him [Phillotson] I had never thought out fully what marriage meant, even though I knew.