The protagonist Judeis an orphan whose parents failed in marriage, and lives in a remote village with his aunt since childhood. Inspired by teacher Philoson, the intelligent, kind and hard-working Jude is determined to enter the university in Christminster far away. Jude, a teenage boy, encounters Alberta, the daughter of a pig farmer, and is soon seduced by her to have sex with her. The setting of the plots, such as the pigsty where the sex had occurred, the identity of the pig farmer's daughter, and the way Alberta seduced Jude when the two first met all foreshadow the tragic end of this marriage. The completely different character pursuits and lifestyles made Jude more and more intolerable to Alberta's rudeness and savagery. At the same time, the heartless Alberta also left Jude to marry someone else.
Jude, who escaped from a loveless marriage, rekindled her dreams of university and finally set out on her way to Christminster with confidence. After arriving in Christminster, Jude insisted on self-taught while working as a mason. During this time, he found Pheroson, the senior scholar Philoson who had obtained a university degree in his fantasy, but at this time he became the principal of a humble elementary school and had already given up his original dream, and Philoson also succumbed to reality. The side reflects the strict hierarchy of that era, implying the ending of Jude's dream. The appearance of his cousin Sueleads Jude to find a soul-mate, so when Sue is forced to leave Christminster, Jude implores Philoson to offer Sue a teaching position. But to Jude's surprise, Sue accepted Philoson's proposal and moved with her from Christminster. Out of an extreme infatuation with Su, Jude finds Su, and begins their cohabitation life with Philoson's acquiescence.
In the Victorian era dominated by the Christian concept of marriage and love, Jude and Su's cohabitation life without a marriage contract was not tolerated by the world, and the two were forced to lead their children to live a life of displacement. After many twists and turns, they returned to Christminster again. Jude got a teaching position in the school with his profound knowledge. Just as the happy life was about to begin, Jude and Alberta's son Jude Jr. Thinking that his parents were burdened by his three children, including himself, he killed his younger sister and younger brother and then hanged himself. Afterwards, Su firmly believed that his disdain for God caused the tragedy to happen. He changed his previous disdain for the Christian view of marriage and love, and left Jude's marriage under the Christian statute, and returned to Philoson's side
.
