[Hardy-l] Kittens

[Rosemarie Morgan]

And now that we have introduced a moralising tone it's also important to 
distinguish research findings and scholarship data from "criticising" the 
object of those findings.

Shall we get back to Hardy & little Jude ? -- who is also "Little Time -- 
for though he was formally turned into 'Jude,' the nickname stuck to him" 
(V,vi). I'm wondering where "Juey" (as Sue calls him) picked up the notion 
that

whenever children be born that are not wanted they should be killed 
directly, before their souls come to 'em, and not allowed to grow big and 
walk about!" (VI, ii).

Is this a reflection of all that constant bullying he gets at school? Does 
the school playground abound with little Malthusians? Or is he reiterating 
neighbourly talk? Moreover - it strikes me as odd that Sue  responds by 
simply "pondering how to treat this too reflective child."  Does this lack 
of surprise or of  objection or of protest suggest that Juey may be 
reiterating her own views -- or Jude's?

  Cheers,
Rosemarie

>     When criticizing Victorian morality and its hypocrisy, one should
>remember that the churches and lots of middle class people were trying to
>help put an end to such suffering and misery. Dito when criticising the
>class system in the past (the present is different).
>     Eric Christen
>  _______________________________________________