Jude the Obscure Lesson Plan

While most Victorian novels are quite explicit in how they introduce new characters, Hardy is far more subtle. What are some examples of small details that tell us a lot about our characters?

Have students come up with a list of the main characters we meet in the novel's first part: among them are Jude, Arabella, Aunt Drusilla, and Phillotson. There is also a brief mention of Sue and a somewhat alluring allusion to a scandalous past, though we will not meet her for a little while.

Next, have students consider what we learn about them through their actions, rather than details explicitly provided by the author. For instance, consider Phillotson's piano: this is an...