JUDE THE OBSCURE (World's Classics Series) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Historical Romance NovelBy Thomas Hardy
Length17h 44m
About this audiobook
Thomas Hardy's *Jude the Obscure* follows Jude Fawley, an intellectually ambitious stonemason whose aspirations toward learning, love, and social advancement are thwarted by class prejudice, restrictive institutions, and the often destructive force of convention. Set against the rural and urban landscapes of Hardy's Wessex, the novel combines psychological realism, tragic structure, and incisive social criticism. Its episodic design, symbolic landscapes, and conflicted protagonists place it within the late-Victorian movement toward naturalism, while its critique of marriage, education, religion, and sexual morality anticipates the more radical fiction of the twentieth century. The novel's bleakness is balanced by Hardy's lyrical prose and profound sympathy for lives constrained by circumstance. Hardy, born in Dorset in 1840, trained as an architect before establishing himself as one of the major English novelists and poets of the nineteenth century. His intimate knowledge of rural communities, combined with his awareness of class divisions and institutional power, shaped his characteristic vision of individuals struggling against inherited custom and social fate. Published in 1895, *Jude the Obscure* emerged from Hardy's growing disillusionment with Victorian moral orthodoxies and was his final completed novel. This World's Classics edition is especially suited to readers seeking a demanding, intellectually serious work of Victorian literature. It will reward those interested in Hardy's tragic imagination, the history of the English novel, and enduring questions about freedom, education, desire, and social justice.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.0 (95.7K)
Includes Goodreads, StoryGraph, LibraryThing, Amazon
GenreLiterary Classics, General Fiction
Length17 hrs 44 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 30, 2023
LanguageEnglish
The Well-Beloved: A Sketch of a TemperamentThomas Hardy7h 12m$1.99 · $0.00
The Complete Poetical Works of Thomas Hardy (Illustrated) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy21h 58m4.3 (2.8K)$2 · $0.00
Wessex Tales Series: 18 Novels & Stories (Complete Collection) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy161h 30m$2 · $0.00
Winter Words in Various Moods and Metres (Annotated)Thomas Hardy3h 22m4.6 (10)$2 · $0.00
THOMAS HARDY Ultimate Collection: 15 Novels, 53 Short Stories & 650+ Poems (Illustrated Edition) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy279h 42m4.6 (1.2K)$2 · $0.00
WESSEX TALES - Complete Series (Illustrated) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy161h 25m4.1 (5.4K)$2 · $0.00
Thomas Hardy: The Complete Novels (The Giants of Literature - Book 22) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy200h 48m4.3 (387)$2 · $0.00
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD (British Classics Series) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy17h 41m4.1 (414.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Return of the Native (Annotated)Thomas Hardy17h 39m4.0 (74K)$2 · $0.00
The Complete Novels of Thomas Hardy (Illustrated) (Annotated)Thomas Hardy200h 48m$2 · $0.00
Life's Little IroniesThomas Hardy9h 9m3.9 (1.8K)$1.50 · $0.00
Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure WomanThomas Hardy18h 4m4.0 (367.8K)$2 · $0.00
A Mere InterludeThomas Hardy2h 36m3.7 (572)$1 · $0.00
Satires of Circumstance, Lyrics and Reveries, with Miscellaneous PiecesThomas Hardy2h 21m4.1 (50)$2 · $0.00
Late Lyrics and Earlier, With Many Other VersesThomas Hardy2h 25m4.1 (33)$2 · $0.00
A Group of Noble DamesThomas Hardy7h 23m3.8 (569)$2 · $0.00
The Trumpet-MajorThomas Hardy12h 2m3.8 (6.7K)$2 · $0.00
The DynastsThomas Hardy12h 32m3.7 (62)$1 · $0.00
The Complete NovelsThomas Hardy200h 27m4.6 (2.5K)$1 · $0.00
Tess of the D'urbervillesThomas Hardy17h 4m4.0 (610.2K)$1 · $0.00
This Side of Paradise - The Original 1920 Edition (Annotated)F. Scott Fitzgerald11h 30m4.6 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
Ivanhoe (Annotated)Walter Scott22h 52m4.8 (88)$2 · $0.00
The Fire Next TimeJames Baldwin2h 25m4.6 (159.1K)$15
The Complete Histories / History Plays of William Shakespeare (Annotated)William Shakespeare29h 42m4.6 (2.3K)$1.99 · $0.00
Braving the TruthRachel Held Evans11h 31m4.7 (359)$29 · $0.00
Richard Wagamese SelectedRichard Wagamese3h 14m4.6 (594)$15
The Old Man and the Sea (Annotated)Ernest Hemingway4h 27m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Twelfth Night (The Unabridged Play) + The Classic Biography (Annotated)William Shakespeare, Sidney Lee16h 38m4.6 (1.4K)$2 · $0.00
Henry V (The Play, Historical Background and Analysis of the Character in the Play)William Shakespeare, William Hazlitt8h 40m4.6 (1.3K)$1 · $0.00
Pathways to LightPrakash Amte7h 6m4.6 (1.3K)$8
These Vital SignsSayed Tabatabai3h 20m4.7 (215)$18 · $0.00
H. P. LOVECRAFT Ultimate Collection: Novellas, Short Stories, Poetry & Essays (Annotated)H. P. Lovecraft12h 28m4.6 (2.3K)$2 · $0.00
Time RegainedMarcel Proust15h 54m4.5 (10.6K)$2 · $0.00
Lessons in TruthH. Emilie3h 50m4.6 (1.4K)$4.70 · $0.00
TORAH - Bilingual Edition: English/Hebrew (Annotated)Max Margolis, JPS28h 26m4.6 (1K)$2 · $0.00
The Poetic EddaJackson Crawford6h 24m4.5 (19.8K)$17
Betty Crocker picture cooky bookBetty Crocker, Inc. General Mills2h 13m4.5 (6.5K)$1 · $0.00
The Complete Tales of Beatrix PotterBeatrix Potter3h 36m4.5 (75K)$3 · $0.00
Anne of Green GablesL. M. Montgomery11h 1m4.5 (1.2M)$2.30 · $0.00
Supreme ClienteleAshley & JaQuavis8h 58m4.7 (3.4K)$20
Body Refinement in a Beast Tamer’s World, Book 1Seth Ring14h 7m4.7 (1.3K)$27
Desperate MeasuresBrenda Jackson8h 59m4.7 (669)$28 · $0.00
Searching For ThanksgivingS.E. Smith4h 24m4.8 (395)$20
Naughty 4Brenda Hampton7h 30m4.7 (726)$17
The Dance with Me TrilogyShelley Shepard Gray21h 44m4.7 (1.2K)$35
The DopemanJaQuavis Coleman5h 25m4.7 (3.8K)$20
BAEJahquel J.5h 22m4.7 (3.1K)$20
Dark RisingJeffrey Wilson, Brian Andrews13h 47m4.7 (1.3K)$27
WhistlerAnn Patchett10h 45m4.6 (4.6K)$29 · $0.00
Grand Opening 2Carl Weber9h 16m4.7 (2.4K)$20
Sons of Valor II: Violence of ActionBrian Andrews, Jeffrey Wilson12h 34m4.6 (3.6K)$23
Malevolent MagicMildred Abbott7h 13m4.7 (1.2K)$17
Bikes, Toys, and Hot BoyzGenesis Woods, Shantaé13h 9m4.7 (722)$23
This Side of Paradise - The Original 1920 Edition (Annotated)F. Scott Fitzgerald11h 30m4.6 (1.6K)$2 · $0.00
War LordBernard Cornwell13h 21m4.6 (33.1K)$33 · $0.00
Ghetto BastardK’wan7h 37m4.6 (2.9K)$20
The Great Gatsby: Original 1925 Edition (An F. Scott Fitzgerald Classic NovelFrancis Scott Fitzgerald4h 45m4.6 (9.3K)$18 · $0.00
The Vineyard BrideKatie Winters5h 5m4.6 (1.9K)$15
Something Like LoveBeverly Jenkins10h 21m4.6 (2.7K)$29 · $0.00
You may also like
A Woman of Thirty (Annotated)Honoré de Balzac9h 14m3.6 (7.8K)$2 · $0.00
JUDE THE OBSCURE (World's Classics Series)Thomas Hardy18h 9m4.0 (93.8K)$2 · $0.00
The Awakening, and selected Short StoriesKate Chopin7h 10m3.9 (27.9K)$2.30
Lady SusanJane Austen2h 27m3.8 (80.5K)$3.50 · $0.00
The Wings of the DoveHenry James18h 54m3.9 (33.2K)$32
I Am Madame XGioia Diliberto10h 51m3.9 (4K)$20
Lady Chatterley's Lover (Annotated)D. H. Lawrence14h 51m3.8 (22.1K)$1.99 · $0.00
The Purple DiariesJoseph B. Egan8h 44m4.0 (1.5K)$20
THE AWAKENING - A Solitary Soul (Feminist Classics Series) (Annotated)Kate Chopin7h 17m3.8 (280.1K)$1.99 · $0.00
MiddlemarchGeorge Eliot34h 44m4.2 (224.8K)$21 · $0.00
The Wings of the DoveHenry James19h 53m3.9 (24.3K)$1.20 · $0.00
The Age of Innocence (Annotated)Edith Wharton13h 4m4.1 (236K)$2 · $0.00
The Age of InnocenceEdith Wharton10h 39m4.1 (217K)$2.30
To LetJohn Galsworthy9h 42m4.3 (2.6K)$20
The Complete Novels of George Eliot (Annotated)George Eliot169h 40m4.5 (2.2K)$3 · $0.00
The Glimpses of the MoonEdith Wharton8h 56m3.9 (6.3K)$20
Jude the ObscureThomas Hardy15h 54m4.0 (189.5K)$20 · $0.00
The Eldest SonJohn Galsworthy1h 55m3.3 (28)$2 · $0.00
The Odd Women (Annotated)George Gissing15h 53m4.0 (213)$1.20 · $0.00
JUDE THE OBSCURE (British Classics Series)Thomas Hardy18h 10m$2 · $0.00