Jude the Obscure Gender Quotes

This is what Sue and her fellow female students have to deal with on a daily basis. They are to be constantly reminded that they are weaker than their male counterparts. Not cool.

Sue's wet clothes hang in Jude's lodging. At the time, this would have been 'odd' and even a little scandalous. Luckily, Sue is here to point out how ridiculous it is. 'They are just clothes, people. Everybody calm down.' Okay, she doesn't say that, but it's pretty much what she's thinking.

This is one of those moments that leads people to call Sue one of the first feminist characters in literature. She doesn't get intimidated by the scholarly works of the men around her, preferring to argue her own views instead of accepting the words of men as law.

In this one little sentence, there is a whole lot to be said about gender. It's not that Sue views women as somehow superior to men exactly, or that she sees men and women as two opposing forces. She just does not acknowledge gender roles. Her actions are not determined by the fact that she is a woman; they are determined by who she is as a person. Gender has nothing to do with it. Of course, this kind of blows Jude's mind and freaks him out a little.

Jude, at times, can slip into alpha male mode. It's rare, but when he sees Phillotson with Sue, he goes pretty ultra "masculine" for a minute. Disappointing or romantic? You make the call!

That about sums it up, doesn't it? Still, to this day, there are a number of wedding ceremonies that lack a sense of gender equality. After all, what are the implications of "giving away the bride?"

O, Gillingham, you antiquated brute. Phillotson's friend's thoughts on Sue are actually much more along the lines of the general populace in the book than Phillotson's or Jude's. The fact that there are two men in Sue's life who attempt to give her freedom is a sign that the times, they are a-changing. While the larger society of the novel is not ready for Sue's rebellious thoughts, there are people out there who accept and value Sue for being the freethinker that she is.

Despite what she preaches, there are moments when Sue doesn't quite have the courage of her convictions. Here, Jude tells Sue that she has been flirting with him, and Sue gets angry and guilty. Sue excuses herself for flirting, even though she thinks the two of them shouldn't see each other anymore, because sometimes a woman's "love of being loved" can overcome her conscience. This is a weird moment because Sue, who is often so particular about thinking of herself as a person rather than a woman, suddenly excuses herself based on her gender. What do you think of Sue's reasoning here? Do you think that women have a particular "love of being loved," or is that just a human thing?

While Gillingham would just as soon punish Sue for what she has done to Phillotson, Phillotson sees mercy and understanding as being the far manlier actions to take. Good for you, sir. Good for you.