Jude the Obscure · Character

Father Time

Jude and Arabella's strange, solemn son, Father Time arrives from Australia carrying the weight of his parents' failures on small shoulders.

supporting

Also known as Time, Father, little Time, Little Father

First appearance: jude the obscure

As a supporting figure in Jude the Obscure, Father Time is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Arrives to live with Jude and Sue, adding complexity to their household.

In the storyPart V: At Aldbrickham and ElsewhereOpen this moment free

See Father Time in Part V: At Aldbrickham and Elsewhere Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

With Jude Fawley (family): Tragic father-son bond, with Jude trying to love the melancholic boy who ultimately destroys their family. With Arabella Donn (family): Neglectful mother-son relationship, with Arabella abandoning the boy and later using him for her own ends. With Sue Bridehead (family): Unstable stepmother-stepson relationship, with Sue trying to love the troubled boy who ultimately kills her children.

Continue beside the text

The fuller portrait of Father Time sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Father Time in jude the obscure

Character Web

11 connections

A slice of how Father Time sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Family
Other

Character groups

Jude's personal circle
Peripheral antagonists
Minor comic relief
Protagonist

+6 more in the full Character Web

Open in reader

Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

Jude’s emotional and psychological peak occurs when he declares his intention to commit suicide, having “seen…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

Follow the arc while reading

Relationships

Jude Fawley
family · negative
Tragic father-son bond, with Jude trying to love the melancholic boy who ultimately… How this plays out →
Arabella Donn
family · negative
Sue Bridehead
family · negative
Jude Fawley
family · negative
Tragic father-son bond, with Jude trying to love the melancholic boy who ultimately… How this plays out →
Arabella Donn
family · negative
Sue Bridehead
family · negative
Jude Fawley
family · negative
Tragic father-son bond, with Jude trying to love the melancholic boy who ultimately… How this plays out →
Sue Bridehead
family · negative

Jude Fawley
Tragic father-son bond, with Jude trying to love the melancholic boy who ultimately destroys their family.
Arabella Donn
Neglectful mother-son relationship, with Arabella abandoning the boy and later using him for her own ends.
Sue Bridehead
Unstable stepmother-stepson relationship, with Sue trying to love the troubled boy who ultimately kills her children.
Jude Fawley
Tragic father-son bond, with Jude trying to love the melancholic boy who ultimately destroys their family.
Arabella Donn
Neglectful mother-son relationship, with Arabella abandoning the boy and later using him for her own ends.
Sue Bridehead
Unstable stepmother-stepson relationship, with Sue trying to love the troubled boy who ultimately kills her children.
Jude Fawley
Tragic father-son bond, with Jude trying to love the melancholic boy who ultimately destroys their family.
Sue Bridehead
Unstable stepmother-stepson relationship, with Sue trying to love the troubled boy who ultimately kills her children.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Father Time in jude the obscure

In the story

Father Time appears across 9 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Part V: At Aldbrickham and Elsewhere
Arrives to live with Jude and Sue, adding complexity to their household.
III
The boy arrives by train, described as a pale, serious child with a key around his neck, embodying premature age.
IV
Present at the fireside conversation, he speaks a single line advising against the marriage.
V
Accompanies Jude and Sue; unable to enjoy the flowers due to thoughts of their withering.
VI
Taunted by schoolboys about his parentage; becomes a source of concern for Sue and Jude.
Chapter VII
Assists Sue at the cake stall; does not know Arabella is his mother; speaks in Wessex dialect.
Part VI: At Christminster Again
Present in the household, his melancholic nature foreshadows the impending tragedy.
At Christminster Again
Present with Jude and Sue, expresses dislike for Christminster, asks if the colleges are gaols.
II
Father Time is deeply affected by their homelessness and the news of another child. He expresses a desire never to have been born and later hangs himself and the two younger children.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Father Time unlock in the free preview.

See Father Time in jude the obscure

See Father Time in Part V: At Aldbrickham and Elsewhere