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Part 1: Chapter IV
Synopsis: The quack-doctor Vilbert and his bragging - his false promise to give Jude grammar-books - he writes to Phillotson and gets the books - his disappointment in his inability to learn Greek and Latin.
Summary
Jude meets physician Vilbert - his false promise to give him grammar-books. Jude met Vilbert, a quack-doctor of the locality. He was a much - travelled personage, so Jude enquired if he had ever been to Christminster. His answer was in the affirmative, but he too, like the old carter, gave him an exaggerated account of that city. Jude told him that he wanted to learn Greek and Latin to go to Christminster some day. The quack promised to give him the books provided he went about and recommended to the villagers his patent medicines like golden ointment and female pills. Jude consented gladly and it was decided that he would meet the doctor at the same place and time just after a fortnight. Jude did his job honestly and met the quack at the place again. But he disappointed the boy awfully, as he had forgotten all about it. He left after asking him to meet him after another fortnight. Poor Jude saw through his game and burst into tears.
Jude writes to Phillotson and gets the books. After some time Mr. Phillotson sent for his pianoforte. Jude decided to slip a letter inside the case requesting him to send the required books and he executed his plan. After a pretty long time his eagerly-awaited books arrived. He was overjoyed, but there was another disappointment in store for him. He had always thought that there must be some simple process 'which, once known, would enable him, by merely applying it, to change at will all words of his own speech into those of the foreign one'. But after his arduous attempts to learn the languages for some time, he realised the waste of effort. He was extremely disappointed and disillusioned.
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| Jude The Obscure: Part 1, Chapter 4 |
Critical Analysis
Jude's keen desire for learning and the disillusionment. This chapter reveals Jude's keen desire for learning. He is even duped by that quack doctor due to this thirst for knowledge. He is elated after getting his grammar books, but ultimately he is sadly disillusioned when he realises that he has no brains in his head to cope with this arduous task of learning Greek and Latin. Jude's disappointment and his sad comments reveal to some extent Hardy's pessimistic outlook upon life. Jude's great disappointment even leads him to think that it would have been better for him not to have been born at all.
Humorous sketch of Dr. Vilbert. Another thing to be noted in this chapter is the genuine humour from the pen of Hardy for the first time in the sketch of the quack-doctor Mr. Vilbert. His way of talking, moving, bragging and bluffing reveals good fun and humour. His healing ointment could only be obtained from a particular animal which grazed on Mount Sinai. And his "movements are as truly timed as those of planets in their courses".