Assignment: 5 - Challenges to Foster a National Identity during the "Meiji Restoration Period"

 Assignment: 5 - Challenges to Foster a National

 Identity during the "Meiji Restoration Period"


This blog is part of an assignment for the paper 105A - History of English Literature – From 1350 to 1900, Sem - 1, 2023.

               

 Challenges to Foster a National Identity  

during the "Meiji Restoration Period"





TABLE OF CONTENTS: -


 ❍ Personal information

 ❍ Assignment Details

 ❍ Abstract

 ❍ Keywords

 ❍ Introduction

 "Meiji Restoration"

 ❍ Westernization influence in Japan during the Meiji Restoration period 
              Political influence 
             
             ✤ Economic influence 
               
             ✤ Education influence

             Military influence 

             ✤ Arts influence 

 ❍ Educational system in Japan during the Meiji Restoration period

              ✤ School system Reform 

              ✤ Universities established 

              ✤ Primary school


 ❍ Conclusion 

 ❍ Work cited 


 PERSONAL INFORMATION: -

 
Name: - Priyanshiba Kanaksinh Gohil

Batch No: M.A. Sem 1 (2023-2025)

Enrollment Number: - 5108230018 

E-mail Address: - priyabagohil7126@gmail.com

Roll Number: - 25 

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS: -


Topic: - Challenges to Foster a National Identity during the "Meiji Restoration Period"

Paper & subject code: - 105A - History of English Literature – From 1350 to 1900 & 22396

Submitted to: - Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar.

Date of Submission: - 01st December 2023

About Assignment: - In this AssignmentI try to explore Challenges to Foster a National Identity during the "Meiji Restoration Period".


Abstract:

Meiji Restoration, Overthrow of Japan’s Tokugawa shogunate (see Tokugawa period) and restoration of direct imperial rule (through the Meiji emperor) in 1868. In the 19th century the shogunate’s policy of isolation was challenged by Russia, England, and the U.S., making Japanese feudal leaders aware of Japan’s vulnerability to superior Western firepower. After the visit of Commodore Matthew Perry, the country was forced to sign a series of unequal treaties, which, as in China, gave Western nations special privileges in Japan. In response, young samurai from feudal domains historically hostile to the Tokugawa regime took up arms against the government. In January 1868 they announced the restoration of the emperor to power, and in May 1869 the last Tokugawa forces surrendered. The revolutionaries had the emperor issue the Charter Oath, which promised a break with the feudal class restrictions of the past and a search for knowledge that could transform Japan into a “rich country with a strong military.” The restoration ushered in the Meiji period, a time of rapid modernization and Westernization. 


Keywords:

 Japan, Militarism, Imperialism, Meiji oligarchy, History of Japan, Identity, Restoration.


Introduction:

   
    In the middle of the 1800’s Japan had been a closed country for hundreds of years. There was a governmental policy which essentially stated that Japanese people would be killed if leaving the country and anyone entering would also be killed. There was a small island in the south of Japan where the Japanese imported goods from the Dutch, Chinese, and Korean nations, but there was little or no trade with any other country. Thus, the country of Japan was closed to outside influences, partly to maintain political domination control and to prevent the foreigners from stealing their gunpowder. In the mid 1860’s an American diplomatic fleet of steam powered battleships arrived and insisted upon the opening of Japanese trade with the US. The feudal Shogun government, however apprehensive of the threat to their control over the people of Japan, had no choice but to allow trade with the US. This opened the door for international trade and relations with the world beyond Japan for the first time in hundreds of years. I 1868, the shogun (the military leader) was forced to step down and the sixteen-year-old Emperor Meiji was “restored,” so that Japan might catch up military with the West. Essentially Meiji was the heir son of the imperial family and so those who stood to benefit from him being placed in as leader of the country helped to make it happen. The leadership of the Shogunate in Edo was handed over rather effortlessly as the Shogunate was apparently duped by Meiji and his supporters. Meiji’s primary supporters, of course, were leaders of some of the primary opposition to the Shogunate. This assertion of the leadership of an imperialistic family was known as the “Meiji Restoration”, yet it was not really a restoration as there had apparently never been a truly united Japan ruled in such a way before. Suddenly Meiji took over and any Samurai opposition to the changes was essentially stopped with force until the Samurai class was finally outlawed. The Meiji constitution was written as part of this “restoration” and basically fabricated a national identity for Japan. It also conveniently fabricated a nationalistic mythology which attempted to falsely present Meiji and his family as Shinto divinity. The result was a fanatical religious theocracy with a false history and deluded national patriotism. This ultimately led to the sad events of WWII and the immense disgrace of the Japanese people. It was essentially a nation-wide cult fabricated by politicians.


"Meiji Restoration":


 Meiji Restoration, in Japanese history, the political revolution in 1868 that brought about the final demise of the Tokugawa shogunate (military government) thus ending the Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603–1867) and, at least nominally, returned control of the country to direct imperial rule under Mutsuhito (the emperor Meiji). In a wider context, however, the Meiji Restoration of 1868 came to be identified with the subsequent era of major political, economic, and social change the Meiji period (1868–1912) that brought about the modernization and Westernization of the country. The restoration event itself consisted of a coup d’état in the ancient imperial capital of Kyōto on January 3, 1868. The perpetrators announced the ouster of Tokugawa Yoshinobu (the last shogun) who by late 1867 was no longer effectively in power and proclaimed the young Meiji emperor to be ruler of Japan. Yoshinobu mounted a brief civil war that ended with his surrender to imperial forces in June 1869.


Westernization influence in Japan during the Meiji Restoration period :
                
        
 Political influence 


 In 1889, a constitution was promulgated which established a parliamentary government but left it accountable to the emperor rather than to the people. Administrative power was centralized in a national bureaucracy, which also ruled in the name of the emperor. There as a change in the feudal system. The classes were declared equal, so that samurai and their lords lost their feudal privileges, while the role of merchants began to be respected. Japan received its first European style constitution in 1889. A parliament, the Diet was established while the emperor kept sovereignty: he stood at the top of the army, navy, executive and legislative power. The ruling clique, however, kept on holding the actual power, and the able and intelligent emperor Meiji agreed with most of their actions. Political parties did not yet gain real power due to the lack of unity among their members.

 ✤ Economic influence 

In order to transform the agrarian economy of Tokugawa Japan into a developed industrial one, many Japanese scholars were sent abroad to study Western science and languages and businesses, while foreign experts taught in Japan. The progression and improvements in education would boost the economy because of the increase in knowledge and skills. Industrialization created more importance on businesses and the prospering of them, than the farming and agrarian economy. After means of large governmental investments, the transportation and communication network in Japan were improved. The government also directly supported the prospering of businesses and industries, especially the large and powerful family businesses called zaibatsu. The large expenditures led to a financial crisis in the middle of the 1880s which was followed by a reform of the currency system and the establishment of the Bank of Japan. Thus, Japan’s economic grew tremendously during the Meiji restoration period. 


 ✤ Education influence

   A universal education was implemented. The education system was reformed after the French and later after the German system. Among those reforms was the introduction of compulsory education. Compulsory public education was introduced both to teach the skills needed for the new nation and to inculcate values of citizenship in all Japanese. This means that the money is going towards education, which goes to the people, and creates more capital, because of more knowledge.


✤ Military influence

  There was a high priority for Japan in an era of European and American imperialism. Universal conscription was introduced, and a new national army modelled after the Prussian force was established, and a navy after the British force was established.


✤ Arts influence 

  In 1876, the government opened the Technical Fine Arts School (Kobu Bijutsu Gakko) and invited the architect Giovanni Cappelletti (d. ca. 1885), the sculptor Vincenzo Ragusa (1841–1928), and the painter Antonio Fontanesi (1818–1882), who was deeply influenced by the Barbizon school, to teach its students in Western techniques and media. Fontanesi’s students Yamamoto Hosui (1850–1906), Kuroda Seiki (1866–1924), and Asai Chu (1856–1907) all later travelled to Europe to study academic painting and are looked upon today as the Meiji period’s greatest producers of Western style paintings (yoga). On the other hand, the government took the acquisition of Western art techniques as a means of fostering industrial development, as opposed to promoting an appreciation of Western aesthetics or art theory. This was to let the young Japanese gain appreciation for the potentially important role of the museum in society, and the establishment of Japan’s first public museum at Yushima Seido Confucian shrine. Conder taught at the University of Technology (Kobu Daigakko). His students Tatsuno Kingo (1854–1911), Katayama Tokuma (1853–1917), and Sone Tatsuzo (1853–1937) were responsible for many of the major architectural monuments during the Meiji period.


Educational system in Japan during the Meiji Restoration period

 ✤ School system Reform 



The reform of the school system has contributed the most to the enlightenment of the Japanese people. By the 1906, the school attendance was as high as 95%, which Japan boosted the one of the highest literacy rates in the world. The resorted Imperial government immediately realized the importance of universal education to the nation’s pursuit of modernization and progress of Japan. Gakusei, a education system was implemented in the 1872 and the promulgation of the Imperial Rescript on education in the 1890, these laid the foundation for modern education system in Japan. The school system was then modelled after the westernization.

✤Universities established


 Universities as well as technical and professional schools were established to promote higher education to meet the demands of a labor force. Except for the terakoya, small regional schools providing basic education, most traditional schools from the Edo period were almost exclusively reserved to boys belonging to the samurai class. Despite this, the level of literacy in the late Edo period was remarkably high, which no doubt paved the way for the Meiji educational reforms.


✤ Primary school

  The nationalization of the education system made primary school compulsory for both boys and girls. At first, the attendance was very low. However, after tuition was abolished for elementary schools in 1900, then there was an increase in attendance. Many things in the school were influenced by the westerners. Firstly, the school was furnished western style were built throughout Japan. Secondly, the school curriculum was also based on western models. This includes history, science, geography and arithmetic. Schools also continued to give moral instruction based on Confucian tradition, which encouraged patriotic loyalty and filial piety. Games like sugoroku, the New Year’s game, were used to introduce young children to the scripts in a fun way. The sugoroku board shown here illustrates the different steps a student must follow before earning a degree. Education in the Empire of Japan was a high priority for the government, as the leadership of the early Meiji government realized the critical need for universal public education in its drive to modernize and westernize Japan. Overseas missions such as the Iwakura mission were sent abroad to study the education systems of leading Western countries.


Conclusion:

 
 The Meiji Restoration era in Japan faced formidable hurdles in cultivating a cohesive national identity. Social fragmentation, stemming from centuries-old societal structures, regional diversity, and class divides, posed significant challenges. The clash between embracing Western influences for modernization and preserving traditional values added complexity. Resistance to rapid change from traditionalists further hindered unity. Educational reforms aimed at instilling loyalty encountered difficulties in creating a standardized national curriculum. Despite these obstacles, the era laid crucial groundwork for Japan's modernization. Over time, strategic efforts to bridge societal gaps, promote a sense of shared identity, and navigate cultural diversity contributed to Japan's eventual emergence as a unified and formidable nation on the global stage. The Meiji Restoration period's challenges were formidable, yet the enduring efforts to overcome them laid the foundation for Japan's cohesive national identity and remarkable transformation.

Work cited.:


Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. "Meiji Restoration summary". Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2003, Meiji Restoration summary | Britannica Accessed 23 November 2023.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. "Meiji Restoration". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Oct. 2023, Meiji Restoration | Summary, Effects, Social Changes, Significance, End, & Facts | Britannica   Accessed 23 November 2023.

"Challenges to foster a national identity during the Meiji restoration period." Free Essays - PhDessay.com, 10 Apr 2019, https://phdessay.com/challenges-to-foster-a-national-identity-during-the-meiji-restoration-period/

"Meiji Restoration." Free Essays - PhDessay.com, 31 Mar 2017, https://phdessay.com/meiji-restoration/


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Thank You...!

Youth Festival 2023

 Youth Festival 2023

Hello everyone !!, I'm Priyanshi and here I will discuss about the youth festival which was conducted on 3/11/2023 to 5/11/2023.

  



Youth is the backbone of a nation. They are the pillars on which the nation rests. It is in the fitness of things that their energy may be properly used. It can be done through the celebration of youth festivals. These festivals are an integral part of education.

Youth festival is an annual festival where young boys and girls from different Background to take part in cultural and literary activities. These festivals have become a very important medium of interchange of culture and promotion of discipline. These festivals are celebrated at local, state, national and international levels.

These festivals help develop a proper understanding and appreciation of the culture, language and traditions of students of other regions. It helps in the exchange of views on art and culture. It creates a spirit of love and friendship. Students from different Departments organize cultural programmes, organize debates, declamation contests, political symposiums and music concerts. Students take part in dance, drama and music. These festivals widen the outlook of the students.






These are the participants of Youth Festivals and the Volunteers. And they all have played different roles in theme of female of Kalayatra where Bhumiba - as married in young age, Kusum - as Civil engineer, Dhatri - as Lawyer, Rajeshwariba - as sport player etc. unfortunate i didn't join all days of youth festival due to personal reason but I watched all videos and photos of every events.


here, I put more photos on youth festival.













Youth festival provides a very happy and cheerful atmosphere. It provides an opportunity for free expression of views. Students rise above the narrow walls of religionism. This helps in creating cordial relations and proper understanding between different regions. The youth festivals help the students conquer their shyness. They talk freely with one another. Students of both the sexes get an opportunity of mixing freely. This help in creating a proper understanding of the other sex. Sex starvation melts away.


Youth festivals stimulate competitive spirit. The youth of different states and countries come in contact with one another. These festivals provide an experiment in community living. This has great educative value.

Thank You.

Assignment - 4: A Connection between Thomas Hardy's Novel "Jude the Obscure" & E.M Forster's Novel "Howards End"

 Assignment - 4: A Connection between Thomas Hardy's Novel "Jude the Obscure" & E.M Forster's Novel "Howards End"


This blog is part of an assignment for the paper 104 - Literature of Victorians, Sem - 1, 2023.


         A Connection between Thomas Hardy's Novel   "Jude the Obscure" & E.M Forster's Novel "Howards End"

TABLE OF CONTENTS: -


  Personal information

 ❍ Assignment Details

 ❍ Abstract

 ❍ Keywords

 ❍ Introduction

 ❍ Thomas Hardy 
 
 ❍ 'Jude the Obscure'
 
 ❍ E.M Forster 

 ❍ 'Howards End'

 ❍ A Connection between both Novel "Jude the Obscure" & " Howards End"
    Sociocultural struggle in English Literature: E.M Forster's 'Howard End' and Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure'.

          The Image of Rural. 

   Conclusion 

  Work cited


PERSONAL INFORMATION:-

 
Name: - Priyanshiba Kanaksinh Gohil

Batch No: M.A. Sem 1 (2023-2025)

Enrollment Number: -  5108230018 

E-mail Address: - priyabagohil7126@gmail.com

Roll Number: - 25



ASSIGNMENT DETAILS: -


Topic: - A Connection between Thomas Hardy's Novel "Jude the Obscure and E.M. Forster's Novel "Howards End".

Paper & subject code: - 104 - Literature of the Victorians & 22395 

Submitted to: - Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar.

Date of Submission: - 01st December, 2023

About Assignment: - In this Assignment, I try to explain A Connection between Thomas Hardy's Novel "Jude the Obscure and E.M. Forster's Novel "Howards End".


ABSTRACT: -


The novel by Thomas Hardy, ‘Jude the Obscure’, and E.M. Forster’s ‘Howard’s End’ are two novels narrating the lives and times of various people These chronicle the environmental and social aspects surrounding the characters in them, and their progression through life. Each delivers a stark contrast in the lives of the main characters, and the different troubles and pleasures they incur during their lifetime. This essay will show a connection between these two novels in the context that they display the image of the rural and the historic, international image that the British commonwealth established amongst the rest of the world's cultures. The first area that needs to be addressed when answering this question is the image of the rural. The simple, universal definition of the term rural in Standard English, means the characteristics of, or pertaining to the country and the people living in the country.


KEYWORDS

Obscureness, Sociocultural struggle, Nature Life, Rebellions 


Introduction: 

    "Jude the Obscure" by Thomas Hardy and "Howards End" by E.M. Forster, despite being written in different periods and focusing on distinct social milieus, share intriguing thematic connections. Both novels delve into the complexities of societal norms, class struggles, and the challenges faced by individuals striving for personal fulfillment within rigid social structures. Hardy's "Jude the Obscure" explores the life of Jude Fawley, a working-class man aspiring for education and a better life in a society where social mobility is restricted. Similarly, Forster's "Howards End" delves into the lives of characters navigating the Edwardian-era societal divisions, focusing on the clash between the classes and the complexities of human relationships. One thematic link lies in their critique of societal constraints and the limitations imposed by class distinctions. Both novels highlight the struggle of individuals against societal expectations, seeking personal growth and fulfillment amidst societal prejudice and barriers. Furthermore, they both examine the human condition and the pursuit of personal happiness in the face of societal norms and conventions. Characters in both novels strive for a sense of belonging, personal identity, and genuine connections in a world that often values conformity over individuality. The thematic similarities between Hardy's "Jude the Obscure" and Forster's "Howards End" provide a rich ground for exploring the human experience within the constraints of society, making them compelling works that resonate across different eras and societal contexts.


Thomas Hardy:



Thomas Hardy, (born June 2, 1840, Higher Brockhampton, Dorset, Eng.—died Jan. 11, 1928, Dorchester, Dorset), British novelist and poet. Son of a country stonemason and builder, he practiced architecture before beginning to write poetry, then prose. Many of his novels, beginning with his second, Under the Greenwood Tree (1872), are set in the imaginary county of Wessex. Far from the Madding Crowd (1874), his first success, was followed by The Return of the Native (1878), The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886), Tess of the D’Urbervilles (1891), and Jude the Obscure (1895), all expressing his stoical pessimism and his sense of the inevitable tragedy of life. Their continuing popularity (many have been filmed) owes much to their richly varied yet accessible style and their combination of romantic plots with convincingly presented characters. Hardy’s works were increasingly at odds with Victorian morality, and public indignation at Jude so disgusted him that he wrote no more novels. He returned to poetry with Wessex Poems (1898), Poems of the Past and the Present (1901), and The Dynasts (1910), a huge poetic drama of the Napoleonic Wars.


Jude the Obscure:

"Jude the Obscure," penned by Thomas Hardy in 1895, stands as a poignant exploration of societal constraints and individual aspirations set against the backdrop of late 19th-century England. The narrative orbits around Jude Fawley, a determined and idealistic protagonist whose fervent pursuit of education and personal fulfillment collides head-on with the prevailing societal norms and class restrictions of his era. Born into modest circumstances, Jude harbors an unwavering ambition to break free from his rural life and ascend the academic ladder. His fervor for learning fuels his desires to become a scholar, a seemingly unattainable dream given his humble origins. Hardy weaves a compelling tale of Jude's unwavering determination and the hurdles he faces as he seeks to transcend societal barriers, emphasizing the conflict between individual aspirations and the rigid structures imposed by society. The novel unravels against a backdrop of societal conservatism, stringent religious beliefs, and entrenched class divisions, all of which serve as formidable barriers to Jude's aspirations. Hardy boldly critiques the institution of marriage, societal expectations, and the limitations imposed by traditional ideologies, thereby inviting readers to contemplate the conflict between personal desires and societal norms.

"Jude the Obscure" is a profoundly introspective work that probes the complexities of human yearning, the struggle for self-fulfillment, and the poignant consequences of pursuing dreams in a world that resists change. It remains a timeless literary piece that challenges conventions, sparking discussions on the individual's quest for identity and fulfillment within a society rife with constraints and limitations.

E.M. Froster: 

E. M. Forster, (born Jan. 1, 1879, London, Eng.—died June 7, 1970, Coventry, Warwickshire), British writer. Forster was born into an upper-middle-class family. He attended the University of Cambridge and from roughly 1907 was a member of the informal Bloomsbury group. His early works include Where Angels Fear to Tread (1905), The Longest Journey (1907), A Room with a View (1908), and his first major success, Howards End (1910), novels that show his acute observation of middle-class life and its values. After periods in India and Alexandria, he wrote his finest novel, A Passage to India (1924), examining the failure of human understanding between ethnic and social groups under British rule. Maurice, a novel with a homosexual theme written in 1913, appeared posthumously. Aspects of the Novel (1927) is a classic discussion of aesthetics and the creative process. Awarded an honorary fellowship in 1946 at Cambridge, he lived there until his death.

"Howards End":


Howards End, novel by E.M. Forster, published in 1910. The narrative concerns the relationships that develop between the imaginative, life-loving Schlegel family Margaret, Helen, and their brother Tibby and the apparently cool, pragmatic Wilcox's Henry and Ruth and their children Charles, Paul, and Evie. Margaret finds a soul mate in Ruth, who before dying declares in a note that her family country house, Howards End, which has been the family’s connection with the earth for generations, should go to Margaret. Her survivors choose to ignore her wishes, but after marrying Henry, Margaret ultimately does come to own the house. In a symbolic ending, Margaret brings Henry back to Howards End after several traumatic events have left him a broken man.

Connection between both Novels, "Jude the Obscure" & "Howards End": 

              Sociocultural struggle in English Literature: E.M Froster's 'Howard End' and Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure':


     In 1895, aged only fifty-five years old, Thomas Hardy published what was to be his last novel and what many latterly regard as his greatest achievement, Jude the Obscure. However, it outraged Victorian society on its publication, with critics describing it as 'uncouth' or 'obscene.' Like Leonard Bast, the protagonist Jude Fawley constantly strives for intellectual improvement, against the grain of his social position. Although the setting differs from Forster's City bank Hardy describes a pastoral environment, his re-invented Wessex this is the single relevant difference. Jude is presented to us as a stonemason with dreams of reaching the academic Valhalla of Christ minster (Oxford). Jude's lone walk from Mary green, to view from afar this New Jerusalem and its lights of topaz, is in itself a voyage of singular struggle he arrives only towards the end of day.
 
In a similar triangular relationship to that of Forster's Leonard, Jude Fawley is tied to Arabella, whilst intellectually attracted (in a sexually problematic relationship) to his cousin Sue Bridehead. Jude's intellectual struggle also has parallels with that of Leonard Bast.  Despite Jude's independent learning of Greek and Latin and greater intellectual proficiency than that of many Christ minster scholars, he is still rejected by the ivory towers. Jude's only access to this otherworld is as a stonemason working on the colleges that form the University.  It could be observed that Oxford in the modern day retains that same inaccessibility to those on the outside. Like Cambridge, it is a city of high-walled, gated colleges.


     ⇨ The Image of Rural:

 The novel by Thomas Hardy ‘Jude the Obscure’ is the best source to draw details and perceptions for this idea of the rural, as the theme and its main character Jude, is largely based on his rural lifetime. When thinking about the rural, often one of the first images we get is the image of a livelihood based around agriculture. Agriculture and other simple professions seem to be the main stay of the economic structure of a rural environment. Evidence for this image can be found in ‘Jude the Obscure’. From Jude’s early life as a boy, we see him scaring away birds from crops Just now he’s a-scaring of birds for farmer Troutham. It keeps him out of mischty.” (Page 17’Jude the obscure’) This quote also is symbolic of the language differences within the rural and the urbane. The city linguistic system is more proper in the sense that they don’t conjoin words or shorten words ‘mischty’ being an example of the latter. The image of the rural, as seen in terms of their work is primitive and largely agricultural. The rural people are seen to live in a less sophisticated habitat, boarding rooms and lodges; also, small farming cottages are often the main perceptions of rural habitats.

 This next part of the essay will show the customs, traditions, and behavior of the different classes within the city. These will mainly be drawn from the novel by E. M. Forster’s ‘Howard’s End’. Howard’s End’ shows what most see as the idea of England at that time. What has to be taken into account is the three distinct social classes we have within this novel, and which all interact with one another in some way. Three families, the Schlegel family, the Wilcox family, and the Bast family represent the three social classes in this novel. These three families are a good depiction of the types of people dwelling in the main English cities of that time. The first of these families is the Wilcox family. Mr. Wilcox summarizes the depiction of this social class.

   In the case of ‘Howard’s End’, it arranges three different social classes interacting, and eventually learning to peaceably live with one another. ‘Jude The Obscure’ is showing a time when this was in early stage of evolution. The rural wanted to stay rural, but an ever-increasing amount wanted to become more urbane and sophisticated. This leads to the next point of discussion. The next area of significance in answering this question is the graduation from rural to city, and the connection with which these two novels, ‘Jude the Obscure’ and ‘Howard’s End’ explain this.

Conclusion:

Both "Jude the Obscure" by Thomas Hardy and "Howards End" by E.M. Forster delve into societal constraints and the struggle of individuals against rigid social structures. While the settings and characters differ, both novels explore themes of class struggle, the limitations imposed by societal norms, and the clash between personal desires and societal expectations. In "Jude the Obscure," Hardy portrays Jude Fawley's relentless pursuit of education and dreams despite societal barriers, emphasizing the oppressive weight of societal conventions and the consequent tragedy that befalls those who challenge them. On the other hand, "Howards End" delves into the clash between the Wilcox's, who represent the practical, business-oriented upper-middle class, and the Schlegel's, who embody culture and intellectualism. Forster's novel explores the tensions between different social classes and the struggle for connection and understanding between them.

Both novels highlight the complexities of human relationships, and the harsh consequences individuals face when attempting to break free from societal norms. Ultimately, they question the rigidity of societal structures, and the price individuals pay for daring to challenge or transcend them.

Work Cited:

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. "Thomas Hardy summary". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Oct. 2003, Thomas Hardy summary | Britannica   Accessed 22 November 2023.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. "Howards End". Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Sep. 2023, Howards End | Edwardian England, Social Class, Marriage | Britannica   Accessed 22 November 2023.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopedia. "E. M. Forster summary". Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Oct. 2003, E. M. Forster summary | Britannica   Accessed 22 November 2023.

"Jude the Obscure and Howards End." Free Essays - PhDessay.com, 11 Sep 2017, https://phdessay.com/relation-image-rural-idea-england-jude-obscure-howards-end/


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Assignment: 4 What is Plagiarism? Its Consequences and Forms

This blog is part of an assignment for Paper 209 - Research Methodology  - Sem - 4, 2025. What is Plagiarism? Its Consequences and Forms TAB...