A Spatial Criticism On Hardy's Jude The Obscure

Thomas Hardy was one of the important realistic novelists and poets in late Victorian Age. This thesis is mainly to study his novel Jude the Obscure from the space angle and go deep into the text to discuss the connotation of it through the theory of spatial criticism. There are six parts, in which the meaning of history, culture and politics held by the space would have special attention.The preface gives a brief account of the thought of Thomas Hardy and his literary works. The research condition both at home and abroad is described as well as the novel itself. Meanwhile, this part makes readers have a clear view of the starting point, the value and the fresh ground of this thesis.The first chapter introduces the concept of space, focusing on the spatial criticism. We shall place Hardy's Jude the Obscure in the perspective of space theory and mainly explain the reason why we use the theory of space to analyze the text.The second chapter is to analyze the abstract meaning and metaphor of the particular scenery space in Wessex and to deconstruct the spatial art of the Wessex region. The pertinences of spatial position in changing the fate of the characters are very strong in the text. The cultural meaning in the society is shown to us through the description of nature, church, villages, bars and the streets. As a result, the return subject implied in the transference is brought out in this part as well as the religion subject expressed in the architectural space.The social space is studied in the third chapter. We can clearly feel the struggle of thoughts, the resistance and the persistence among groups of sexes, social classes and individuals. The puissant controlling force the heterotopias pressed on the social space is presented in this part.Chapter Four studies the individual space in Jude the Obscure. Through the analysis of psychological and behavioral space, the fittest individuals, the schizotypal individuals and the rebellious individuals are unfolded and discussed. The text produced from Hardy's male angle is examined in the female perspective, which broadens the horizons of space theory and develops women criticism. Therefore, the perfect feminist approach and the equal status between women and men have been further consolidated because of the new understanding of relationships between human being and the space.The Conclusion leads out the theme of the thesis:the space of literary text is a heterogeneous field, in which are various co-acting and co-blending forces. Social development requires a coherent multi-dimensional space. Only by the constant communication and understanding of the individuals, can human being coexist and develop together in the harmonious space.From the analysis of Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy through the theory of spatial criticism, we get the idea that this novel overcomes the limitations and bears the strong feeling of picture which is reflected with strong spatial expressive force. I hope the researchers of space theory and the scholars in and abroad the country will further study Thomas Hardy and his works with the purpose of demonstrating the deep meaning of the novel and developing our thoughts.