Jude the Obscure Love Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #7

'You musn't love me. You are to like me – that's all!' (3.5.15)

I'm pretty sure that's the Victorian equivalent of, "I like you as a friend." Ouch. Of course, we know Sue is protesting too much, but it might be nice if she were a little more in touch with her feelings.

Quote #8

Arabella was perhaps an intended intervention to punish him for his unauthorized love. (3.8.59)

Don't forget that there is a moral and social code in this novel that differs from the codes many people follow today. Jude truly believes that fate will fling down punishments for him loving his cousin while technically still married to another woman, even though that other woman left the country and married another dude and is a total witch (and not the cool Hermione Granger kind of witch).

Quote #9

'My dear one, your happiness is more to me than anything.' (4.5.40)

That's a lovely little snapshot of how Jude feels about Sue. The worst part about their mutual suffering as the book goes on is that they have to watch each other suffer, as well as going through their own hard times. Their love for one another adds to their pain as their lives get worse and worse.