A Study Of Jude The Obscure From The Perspective Of Ecofeminism

Ecofeminism has aroused revolutionary debate about women’s position.Ecofeminists hold that there are important connections between the domination ofwomen and the domination of nature in the patriarchal society. On this occasion, bothnature and women are alienated and otherized, which has resulted in the tragic destinyof nature and women, dominated by patriarchal system and civilization. Thusecofeminists appeal to that human beings should bear strong ecological awareness andthe gender equality in mind so as to build a harmonious society in which nature, womenand men form a big warm family. Recently, with the booming researches withecofeminism, various kinds of classical literary works have been reinterpreted andThomas Hardy’s masterpiece Jude the Obscure is in great need of study to enrich itsliterary meanings. The present thesis attempts to study this novel from the perspectiveof ecofeminism.In this novel, Hardy’s affinity to ecofeminism toward the relationship betweennature and civilization, nature and women, women and men, are largely revealed. Hardypurposely describes the cultural and spiritual link between animals and women. Naturein Jude the Obscure is deteriorating at an amazing speed and industrialization hasbecome the great enemy of nature. Sue is the Symbolization of “Bird” and “Rabbit”,who are viewed as the weak ones. Arabella is the embodiment of “pig” and “chicken”,all of whom are disdained and oppressed by patriarchy. Jude’s aunt and Mrs Edlin, asthe bird’s mothers, who have loving hearts, protect their young little birds, especially Sue. However, in the patriarchal society, nature and women are dominated bycivilization and men who have patriarchal mind. Jude and Philloston are the weakrepresentatives of patriarchy, both of whom already have awakened a little, in somedegree, to respect women but in their deep hearts they still have the inclination to take afirm hand of women. Gilingham, a close friend of Philloston, is a down-to-earth flunkyof patriarchy. Farmer Troutham has been the typical example of the industrialization,who is in defiance of the natural law to chase the economic profits. Little Father Time isawakening from the sin of the oppression of nature and women, for which he chooses toend his life so as to terminate the sin but his choice is a little cruel to Sue, with her ownchildren dead. Therefore, the invasion of industrialization and the traditional patriarchaldomination have been the main causes of the lamentable end of nature and women. Butwe can not discard the women themselves who have internalized the patriarchalthinking, which is another important factor to their tragic end. To interpret Jude theObscure with ecofeminism is to rouse human consciousness that the lives on the earthare all equal and the harmonious relationship between nature, women and men shouldbe reconstructed.