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Jude the Obscure
Jude the Obscure

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Jude the Obscure is here in full — 8715 sentences across 1743 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Cover illustration for Jude the Obscure
Context Illustration Reading 1/1743 · 5 lines
English subtitles · tap any word to listen 1 / 5
PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.
The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.
The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.
It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.
But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.
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LEARNER DICTIONARY
Archivist
/ˈɑːrkɪvɪst/
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A keeper or guardian of historical records and memories.

Jude the Obscure

Chapter I · Chapter 1

Chapter 1 of Jude the Obscure is here in full — 8715 sentences across 1743 reading sections, with audio for every sentence and word.

Reading 1/1743 · 5 reading units · Lines 1–5

Line 1
PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.
Line 2
The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.
Line 3
The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.
Line 4
It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.
Line 5
But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

All words in this reading · 96

Every word in these five lines is listed here, and every one of them can be played on its own.

Dictionary details are shown only when verified; these are not licensed Oxford entries.

1887

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From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

1890

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

1892

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

1893

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

1894

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

a

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

abridged

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

and

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

appears

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

as

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

at

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

August

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

been

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

begun

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From this reading It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.

being

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

birth

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

briefly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

But

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

by

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

case

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

chapters

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

circumstances

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

continued

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.

D'Urbervilles

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

death

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

degree

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

down

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

edition

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

end

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

exception

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

few

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

first

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

follows

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

for

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

former

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

from

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

full

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

hands

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

HARPER'S

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.

has

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

history

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

in

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

into

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

is

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

it

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

its

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

jotted

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

length

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

made

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

MAGAZINE

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.

modified

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

monthly

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.

much

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

narrative

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

necessities

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

next

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

notes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

novel

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

November

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.

now

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

October

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

of

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

onward

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

originally

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

outline

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

parts

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.

periodical

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

PREFACE

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

present

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

publication

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

publisher

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

reasons

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

retarded

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

revisited

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

scenes

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

scheme

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

serial

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.

shape

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

some

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

spring

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

story

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading It was begun as a serial story in HARPER’S MAGAZINE at the end of November, 1894, and was continued in monthly parts.

suggested

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

Tess

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

The

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

this

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

various

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

version

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

was

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

were

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

which

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading But, as in the case of _Tess of the D’Urbervilles_, the magazine version was, for various reasons, abridged and modified in some degree, the present edition being the first in which the whole appears as originally written.

whole

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

whose

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading PREFACE The history of this novel (whose birth in its present shape has been much retarded by the necessities of periodical publication) is briefly as follows.

with

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

woman

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

written

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scenes were revisited in October, 1892; the narrative was written in outline in 1892 and the spring of 1893, and at full length, as it now appears, from August, 1893, onward into the next year; the whole, with the exception of a few chapters, being in the hands of the publisher by the end of 1894.

year

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading The scheme was jotted down in 1890, from notes made in 1887 and onward, some of the circumstances being suggested by the death of a woman in the former year.

Chapter 1 of Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy holds 8715 sentences, grouped into 1743 reading sections of at most 5 sentences. The text is the public-domain source, unabridged, and the chapter records which sentences cover which part of the work so that nothing is dropped. Every word can be tapped for its pronunciation and dictionary entry.

What does chapter 1 of Jude the Obscure contain?

Chapter 1 holds 8715 sentences of Jude the Obscure, unabridged, divided into 1743 reading sections.

This page carries chapter 1 of Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy exactly as it stands in the public-domain source edition, without abridgement. It runs to 8715 sentences, grouped into 1743 sections of at most 5 sentences so that a reader can take the chapter in steady, finishable pieces. The chapter also stores a coverage record mapping every one of its sentences to a part of the work, which is how the edition demonstrates that no line was dropped.

How do I study chapter 1 of Jude the Obscure?

Work through the 1743 sections in order, replaying any sentence and tapping unfamiliar words for their entries.

Each of the 1743 sections in this chapter is short enough to read once, hear once, and then re-read with the vocabulary in view. Tapping a word plays it alone and opens its dictionary entry with IPA, part of speech and meaning, so the reader is never forced to guess a pronunciation from spelling. Working section by section keeps a long chapter from becoming an undifferentiated wall of text, which is the usual reason a reader abandons a work of this period.

Can chapter 1 be read aloud to me?

Yes — every sentence and every individual word in chapter 1 can be played aloud in United States English.

Audio covers the whole chapter: any sentence can be played, and any single word within it can be played on its own. The voice uses United States English. For a work of this period that matters, because spelling is an unreliable guide to pronunciation for vocabulary that has fallen out of daily use, and a learner who guesses wrong tends to keep the error. Hearing the word in its own sentence, and then alone, settles it.

Questions about reading Jude the Obscure

Common questions about reading Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy on this page, its source edition and its audio.

Is this the complete text of Jude the Obscure?

Yes. All 8715 sentences of Project Gutenberg eBook #153 are kept, with a record of which sentences cover which part.

Which edition of Jude the Obscure is used?

Project Gutenberg eBook #153, a public-domain edition. The Project Gutenberg header, footer and licence are removed.

How long does Jude the Obscure take to read?

About 600 minutes of reading across 1743 sections of 5 sentences each, at an unhurried pace.

How to read Jude the Obscure section by section

How to work through Jude the Obscure section by section, using the audio and the tap-to-define vocabulary.

  1. Open a chapter

    Choose one of the 1 chapters of Jude the Obscure to begin.

  2. Read one section

    Each section holds 5 sentences; read it once through.

  3. Listen and tap

    Play the section aloud, then tap any unfamiliar word for its entry.

Vocabulary met early in Jude the Obscure

Words and structures a reader meets early in Jude the Obscure, each tappable for pronunciation and meaning.

Preface
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jude the Obscure; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
History
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jude the Obscure; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Novel
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jude the Obscure; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.
Whose
A word that appears in the opening chapter of Jude the Obscure; the reader can tap it to hear it and see its dictionary entry.