Sue Bridehead: Hardy's feminist figure or a fallen temptress

Among Thomas Hardy's female characters, Sue Bridehead (the female protagonist in Jude the Obscure 1895) seems very powerful and many readers may consider her as Hardy's feminist female character, who stands against all the existing forces of her time and wants to defend her status quo. Rea...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Sivandipour, Faezeh, Talif, Rosli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2018
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/66272/1/04%20JSSH-1519-2016.pdf
_version_ 1825933102090813440
author Sivandipour, Faezeh
Talif, Rosli
author_facet Sivandipour, Faezeh
Talif, Rosli
author_sort Sivandipour, Faezeh
collection UPM
description Among Thomas Hardy's female characters, Sue Bridehead (the female protagonist in Jude the Obscure 1895) seems very powerful and many readers may consider her as Hardy's feminist female character, who stands against all the existing forces of her time and wants to defend her status quo. Reading this article clarifies that, although Sue wants to say something new in women's case, she is not supported through the story and rather her portrayal shows that a woman, in the Victorian society, is the weaker sex and even if she wants to change or break the rules she cannot simply because she is a woman. Therefore, portrayal of Sue supports this idea that, while Hardy highlights women's problems and inequalities it is merely to emphasise the existing social and religious situations of the Victorian era. In this light, Hardy's portrayal of Sue does not follow the basic tenets of Christian feminism. This article, considering the main images of sin, salvation and Eve (a temptress), illustrates that Hardy's portrayal of Sue is not in accordance with Christian feminism; therefore, Sue cannot be considered as Hardy's feminist figure.
first_indexed 2024-03-06T09:52:08Z
format Article
id upm.eprints-66272
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-06T09:52:08Z
publishDate 2018
publisher Universiti Putra Malaysia Press
record_format dspace
spelling upm.eprints-662722019-02-12T07:01:29Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/66272/ Sue Bridehead: Hardy's feminist figure or a fallen temptress Sivandipour, Faezeh Talif, Rosli Among Thomas Hardy's female characters, Sue Bridehead (the female protagonist in Jude the Obscure 1895) seems very powerful and many readers may consider her as Hardy's feminist female character, who stands against all the existing forces of her time and wants to defend her status quo. Reading this article clarifies that, although Sue wants to say something new in women's case, she is not supported through the story and rather her portrayal shows that a woman, in the Victorian society, is the weaker sex and even if she wants to change or break the rules she cannot simply because she is a woman. Therefore, portrayal of Sue supports this idea that, while Hardy highlights women's problems and inequalities it is merely to emphasise the existing social and religious situations of the Victorian era. In this light, Hardy's portrayal of Sue does not follow the basic tenets of Christian feminism. This article, considering the main images of sin, salvation and Eve (a temptress), illustrates that Hardy's portrayal of Sue is not in accordance with Christian feminism; therefore, Sue cannot be considered as Hardy's feminist figure. Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2018 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/66272/1/04%20JSSH-1519-2016.pdf Sivandipour, Faezeh and Talif, Rosli (2018) Sue Bridehead: Hardy's feminist figure or a fallen temptress. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 26 (them. Dec.). pp. 45-55. ISSN 0128-7702; ESSN: 2231-8534 http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/Pertanika%20PAPERS/JSSH%20Vol.%2026%20(T)%20Dec.%202018/04%20JSSH-1519-2016.pdf
spellingShingle Sivandipour, Faezeh
Talif, Rosli
Sue Bridehead: Hardy's feminist figure or a fallen temptress
title Sue Bridehead: Hardy's feminist figure or a fallen temptress
title_full Sue Bridehead: Hardy's feminist figure or a fallen temptress
title_fullStr Sue Bridehead: Hardy's feminist figure or a fallen temptress
title_full_unstemmed Sue Bridehead: Hardy's feminist figure or a fallen temptress
title_short Sue Bridehead: Hardy's feminist figure or a fallen temptress
title_sort sue bridehead hardy s feminist figure or a fallen temptress
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/66272/1/04%20JSSH-1519-2016.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT sivandipourfaezeh suebrideheadhardysfeministfigureorafallentemptress
AT talifrosli suebrideheadhardysfeministfigureorafallentemptress