Jude the Obscure - (Dover Thrift Editions: Classic Novels) by Thomas Hardy (Paperback)

Jude the Obscure is a powerful and thought-provoking novel that excoriates the institutions of marriage, religion, and education in a pioneering work of feminism and socialist thought.

The book follows the tragic tale of Jude Hawley, a poor stonemason who aspires to a university education and a higher place in society, but is thwarted at every turn.

Despite his best efforts, Jude finds himself trapped into an unwise marriage and pursuing a doomed relationship with his free-spirited cousin, Sue Bridehead.

The novel's frank portrayals of sexuality and its indictments of the class system have made it controversial from its 1895 publication to the present day.

However, modern critics hail Jude the Obscure as a groundbreaking work of literature that continues to resonate with readers today.