'“Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus” – Shakespeare – Othello, Act 1 Scene 3\r'

'The concept of part and quite a little has fascinated humans for centuries. The root that our unrecordeds are preordained and ‘set in the stars has seemed to be an easy perspective to take on ones heart, in particular when it does non take us in the route we desire. The Greeks were a nation obsessed with great deal and created myths such as Oedipus and The Fates to decorate the outer powers that control our lives. These ideas exact of course been continued passim news report and helped to shape our views on the true control that we apprehend oer our future.\r\nEven in todays society of an ever-expanding work short letter with greater opportunities, we are end littlely reminded of a doom standardised control whether it is from a spiritual influence or mundane horoscopes. Hardy himself was obsessed with hazard and it is a theme that runs end-to-end mevery of his texts such as ‘Far From the Madding Crowd and ‘Mayor of Casterbridge. It is this ho ldfast with a predetermined layout of our lives that begs me to principal the fact as to whether the typeface Jude is in fact bound to fail, no matter how serious he works or how self-righteous he be supports.\r\nIt seems that Judes family accounting hides the preordained feeling planed out for him, with pairing a dark conundrum never to be entered into lightly, if at all. McCourt besides has to struggle non still past his throw families history in the regular army entirely in like manner a society that seems to seal his fate as a wiped out(p) syndicate Catholic Irishman wanting(p) to better himself academically, as with Jude. So how can such quasi(prenominal) characters that face such like lives end up with completely antithetic outcomes? Is it fate at work or scarce a case of stronger and weaker personalities with less or greater conclusion?\r\nWith such similar tales to reveal tho ultimately different endings it is easy to suggest that fate has ‘ chosen different paths for the two of our characters. twain McCourt and Jude seek to better themselves from the start out shed light on upbringings they both share. McCourt lived not only by the scantiness but the ‘pompous non-Christian priests, the ‘ ambitionless loquacious alcoholic father, the ‘pious defeated mother and the ‘bullying civilise masters. McCourts early life in New York consisted of living in squalor with rags as uniform and sour milk as his food.\r\nAfter the death of his unripeer sister the McCourts familys businesss seem to add-on with his fathers alcoholism reappearing and his mothers depression range new heights. It was often left(p) hand to neighbours to clean and feed McCourt and his siblings as lack of money caused Angela and Malachy, McCourts parents, the unfitness to provide the necessities for their sisterren. The cover version backdrop of the the Statesn Depression, which is mentioned on unhomogeneous occasions, se ts the context and helps to explain wherefore the McCourt family is so poor by from the wasted money on alcohol by the father.\r\nJudes childhood as an orphan brocaded by his working householdify great Aunt is also one of low program stigmatas, although the poverty is not on that point as within McCourts memoirs. Jude appears to live a comfortable life with the necessities but never any of the riches that high or yet middle class families may enjoy. Class segment is a theme that runs through both novels and is a line of work that both McCourt and Jude face throughout their lives. It is not until the move back to Limerick in Ireland and as red hot McCourt has aged that any class distinction becomes noticeable to the issue McCourt.\r\nBecause of the low class stipulation Jude and McCourt hold as youths both characters find that they are below the belt denied many opportunities even though they both have the light and eagerness to learn. Religion also plays a large econ omic consumption in both McCourt and Judes life, but neither character is sh avouch the blessing and lenity that the church is supposed(a) to offer its followers. Jude Fawely wishes to join the perform as it is seen as an accademically solid career. The deflection Jude faces from his ecclesiastical betters in Christminster threesome him to in turn can the church and its believes.\r\nJude finds himself in a ‘chaos of principles… groping in the dark… acting by instinct and not after example. Hardys novel is brimming with biblical allusions and quotations, yet it portrays a domain in which displays of religious depression are largely a ‘luxury of the emotional and idle classes. Religion also has a large influence over the actions of free-spoken McCourt. It is also the Church that retards McCourt having the opportunity to further his fostering as the Church runs his local Catholic grammar school, and collect to his slum like appearance they rejec t him.\r\nAs a child McCourt is in constant consternation of the Church, its clergy, Hell and God. The Church is meant to be a service of guidance, but to McCourt its ideas conflict with his own feelings and emotions. For a long time during McCourts life he feels that he is already condemned to an eternity in hell. These feelings grew from his experiences, McCourt feels immoral about his own sexual feelings and actions, as well as any other baseborn sin any young child would be possible to commit.\r\nMcCourts image of the Church is only increased when he returns to the States and is propositioned by a priest on his first night. McCourt is left with the feeling that ‘God torments you. Family history is a large fuss that haunts both characters in these novels. Jude is determined under the impression that on that point is a curse on his family that prevents any successful spousal relationship. His own parents ended up dead, which is seen due to their married couple, an d his great Aunt has stayed outside(a) from marriage all her life, â€Å"The Fawleys were not made for wedlock: it never seemed to sit well upon us”.\r\nIt is true that Judes first marriage to Arabella Donn is a failure, however it is not the statute of marriage that seems to be the problem for Jude as even Sue Bridesheads avoidance of marriage can not prevent the ultimate failure of there partnership. It can also be said that the lower class upbringing Jude had been given by his Aunt led to the demise of any hopes Jude may have held to gaining a further education and career within the church.\r\nMcCourt also holds some demons from his families past that he carries with him throughout his childhood and that appear during his adult life as well. The ‘curse of the Irish is one that follows McCourt to America with him. His own Fathers drinking problem that cast the McCourt family into poverty, is continued by a depressed Frank McCourt who believes he his failing in his dreams. McCourt al moods feels like an outsider in the same way that Jude always feels an inferior in the city of Christminster to the intellects that surround him.\r\n'