Jude the Obscure · Chapter
II explained
Jude Fawley, a young boy living with his great-aunt Drusilla, is dismissed from his job scaring birds for Farmer Troutham after allowing the rooks to eat some corn.
What happens
Jude Fawley, a young boy living with his great-aunt Drusilla, is dismissed from his job scaring birds for Farmer Troutham after allowing the rooks to eat some corn. He reflects on his harsh punishment and his growing awareness of life's cruelties. His aunt scolds him and suggests he should have gone with the schoolmaster Mr. Phillotson to Christminster. Jude becomes curious about Christminster and sets out to find it, crossing the field where he was punished.
Themes in this chapter
Education and Ignorance
Jude's longing for Christminster and learning contrasts with his aunt's dismissal of his potential and the villagers' ignorance of the city.
Suffering and Tragedy
Jude's punishment, his sensitivity to cruelty, and his sense of being 'undemanded' highlight the suffering inherent in his life.
Fate and Free Will
Jude's reflection on growing up and the 'terrestrial scheme' suggests a struggle between his desires and the harsh realities of his fate.
Characters to notice
- Jude Fawley
A sensitive boy who is punished for letting birds eat corn and becomes curious about Christminster.
- Aunt Drusilla
Jude's great-aunt who scolds him for losing his job and speaks of the family's misfortunes.
- Richard Phillotson
The schoolmaster who has left Marygreen for Christminster, inspiring Jude's curiosity.
- Farmer Troutham
The farmer who employs Jude to scare birds and punishes him for letting them eat corn.
Key passages
“Nature's logic was too horrid for him to care for. That mercy towards one set of creatures was cruelty towards another sickened his sense of harmony.”
Jude finds nature's moral contradictions disturbing, as kindness to some creatures causes harm to others.
Reflects Jude's developing moral sensitivity and disillusionment with the natural world.
“If he could only prevent himself growing up! He did not want to be a man.”
Jude wishes he could avoid the responsibilities and harshness of adulthood.
Highlights Jude's fear of the burdens of maturity.