Book review: Jude the Obscure

I just finished one of the least enjoyable books (audio book) I've ever completed. Jude the Obscure, by Thomas Hardy, was published as a serial series in magazines in the US and Europe in the late 1800's. It's the story of Jude Fawley, a young man of noble character but of poor birth, who has his hopes, faith, dreams, ideals, occupation, health, children, true love, and eventually his life, wrung from him. I hung on to the end of the book, waiting for resolution, but none came.

This book irks me. It makes me ask myself: What facet of human character places value on stories like this? Are we so basic that we're entertained by others unrequited suffering? Are we so hopeless that we find comfort in reading the story of others hopes failing? Do we somehow value them because we can't relate? Do we find it cathartic to allow these characters to suffer as our proxies? Do we need satyr or some thing to stir us from comfort? I am not comforted, nor can I relate or find it catharsis. Instead I'm... Frustrated... a bit worked up ... and even angry?!?

I've heard it before: "Great art stirs our emotions".  Ok. Great. Why would we lump together that which expands our minds and edifies us with that which discourages us and causes us to doubt that which is bigger than our limited view? Is there a place for suffering in art, including literature? YES! The greatest books on earth are those which address it head-on AND show us the way through. Hardy offers no such guidance. In fact, he chooses to extinguish the light of hope by using the words of pre-deliverance Job as Jude's last: "... Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul." (Job 3:20).

I'm encouraged to read most of the Audible review, that the book, "... incited such outrage that Hardy never wrote another novel. Jude the Obscure remains one of the most righteously angry and deeply radical works of the nineteenth century." I agree with the review but find no righteousness or even anger of this book. If he's referring to my anger, he may be onto something :-).

I choose hope. I choose faith. I believe light is coming. Have I suffered? Maybe not. Still, I can't recommend this book.