Jude

Jude

Year: 1996

Runtime: 123 min

Language: English

Director: Michael Winterbottom

DramaRomance

In Victorian England, Jude yearns for academic success but is held back by his working-class background. After a loveless marriage ends, he moves to the city seeking a new life. There, he begins a passionate but complicated affair with his cousin, Sue, who is already married. Their relationship triggers a series of devastating events, leading to heartbreak and significant turmoil for Jude and those around him.

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Timeline & Setting – Jude (1996)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Jude (1996). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Victorian era (19th century)

The film unfolds in the 19th century, a period when education was largely inaccessible to the working class and social norms governed marriage and behavior. Jude's quest for university study exposes the era's structural barriers and prejudices. Religious and moral expectations shape daily life and class conflicts, underscoring the fragility of personal happiness.

Location

England

Set in Victorian England, the story moves between rural towns where a stonemason's life is rooted and the expanding urban centers where education and opportunity seem possible. The landscape shifts from the hardness of working-class life to the promise and pressure of the city. The era's rigid codes of class and gender frame the characters' choices and the obstacles they face.

🇬🇧 England 🏛️ Victorian society 🌆 Urban centers 🌄 Countryside

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:27

Main Characters – Jude (1996)

Meet the key characters of Jude (1996), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Jude Fawley (Christopher Eccleston)

A bright, stubborn working-class man with a fierce dream of university education. He endures rejection by the university and a rough life as a stonemason, yet remains steadfast in his pursuit of knowledge and personal happiness. His devotion to Sue and his fragile sense of hope drive the emotional core of the story.

🎓 Dreamer 🧱 Stonemason 💪 Determined 🧭 Idealist

Sue Bridehead (Kate Winslet)

Intelligent, independent, and morally conflicted, Sue challenges convention while longing for authentic connection. She forms a deep bond with Jude, navigating marriage, motherhood, and religious guilt within a society that frowns on non-traditional arrangements.

📚 Intelligent 🕊️ Independent 💔 Complex 🎭 Nonconformist

Arabella (unseen/mentioned)

Jude's wife whose sudden departure sets the plot in motion and influences the couple's later choices and family dynamic.

💍 Wife 🚶 Departed

Mr. Phillotson (unseen/mentioned)

Sue's former schoolteacher and husband, whose marriage to Sue marks a social and moral pivot for both characters and highlights the era's expectations of marriage.

🎓 Teacher 🕊️ Morality 💬 Conflicted

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:27

Major Themes – Jude (1996)

Explore the central themes of Jude (1996), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

💔 Love vs Convention

Jude and Sue form a deep bond that defies social norms, choosing companionship over formal marriage. Their romance becomes a battleground where class, morality, and public judgment threaten their happiness. The narrative uses their relationship to critique how society polices intimate life and personal autonomy.

⚖️ Class & Society

Ambition clashes with harsh social realities as Jude's dream of higher education is denied due to his birth. The story highlights how lineage and class dictate access to opportunity and security. It shows the precariousness of working-class life within a rigid social hierarchy.

🕊️ Religion & Doubt

Religious pressure intensifies guilt and tragedy for the couple. Sue's shift toward belief illustrates how faith can be used to rationalize punishment for non-conformity. The plot frames religion as both a solace and a weapon in the conservative social order.

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:27

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Unlock the Full Story of Jude

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Jude Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Jude, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Jude Summary

Jude Timeline

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Jude Timeline

More About Jude

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More About Jude

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