Dreams And Realities In Jude The Obscure

And A Kind Of Loving Essay, Research Paper

Dreams and Realities in

?Jude the Obscure? and ?A Kind of Loving?

?Dreams and realities? are both part of life in both different and similar ways. Dreams are what you want whereas reality is what you have. Many dreams can become reality.

In the case of these two books, ?Jude the Obscure? and ?A Kind of Loving?, dreams and reality overlap and conflict with each other to result in unhappiness, in the case of Vic and Ingrid and Jude and Arabella but also happiness and fulfilment like Jude and Sue. Jude Fawley, lives a life of poverty in the village of Marygreen, as a stone-mason, but as a young boy he is effected by his schoolmaster Mr Phillotson, who leaves the village to find a better life as a university student in Christminster, Oxford. This provokes Jude to strive for more, ?his dream?. However, due to circumstances Jude?s dream is put aside when he marrys Arabella, (a loveless marriage). Soon, this ends and Jude is free and travels to Christminster where he meets Sue, his cousin who also has dreams.

Vic Brown, lives in Cressley. His life, it seems, resolves around Ingrid Rothwell, a pretty girl but not entirely Vic?s idea of his ideal match for life. Throughout the book Vic refers or visits hid sister, Chris who we perceive as his ideal woman. Each has his own dream, Jude?s is to become educated at Christminster, Oxford and to win the heart of his cousin, Sue. Jude?s dream of Oxford, although Jude himself is Scholar material has not the finance or the background. University was for the privileged, which unfortunately did not include Jude Fawley. Vic?s dream is to be with his ideal woman and live a happy and peaceful life. He sees this woman as Ingrid Rothwell. However, their realities are somewhat different.

Jude as a nineteen-year-old becomes trapped in a loveless marriage to Arabella.

?But, of course, If that is the case, we must marry!? Page 65

?Jude the Obscure? was set in the 1890?s when ?bastard? children, like Jude were considered outsiders. Thus Jude feels he should do ?the right thing? and must as he says marry her, although there is no love and then he dream has no chance of becoming a reality. Vic also becomes trapped in a loveless marriage for the same reason. Although set some years later than Jude in the 1950?s it was still considered improper to have Sexual relations before marriage. Vic soon outgrows Ingrid and finds there is no love and he is left unhappy and disappointed. Both Jude Fawley and Vic Brown fall in love with how Arabella and Ingrid look rather than them as an overall person. Jude even after saying he will marry Arabella, he still dreams,

?Dreams about books, and degrees?, Page 66

Jude does however find love with Sue for awhile, whereas Vic tries to be contented with Ingrid. Her mother stops Vic visiting the house and Ingrid?s father arranges for them to meet, Vic although happy with the compromise still talks of a divorce,

?And I could apply for a divorce?, Page 259

Apart from this, Ingrid agrees to meet Vic and they discuss a flat. Ingrid is keen and Vic agrees to do ?the right thing? for the marriage and ?makes the best of it?.

?A Kind of Loving? was set in the 1950?s, when life was easier than in the 1890?s when ?Jude the Obscure? was set. With an education there were more job opportunities for Vic than for Jude. Jude was expected to work his families? trade, as a stonemason for the rest of his life whereas Vic had more choice and freedom. Jude wishes to learn, it is dream, to be a scholar, Vic however is not as keen to learn but is still interested in learning about music.

?My scheme, or dream is to be a university graduate?, Page 5

Both Jude Fawley and Vic Brown have dreams; the difference is Vic ignores his dream and Jude follows his. Jude becomes the better man, through experience of life, having struggled but not in vain. Vic however, is still where he started, still struggling and not having learnt anything.