Who Sue Bridehead is
Sue Bridehead is a widely read young woman who works with religious art and church ornaments in Christminster. She is quick and unconventional, reading books that most women of her time are not supposed to read. When Jude seeks her out, she treats him as an intellectual equal and challenges his sincere religious beliefs.
What Sue Bridehead wants
Sue resists the expectation that a woman's feelings must fit the accepted pattern of love and marriage. She enjoys Jude's attention, but keeps a distance and says she is not made for ordinary love. Her wish for closeness exists beside an uneasiness about physical feeling, leaving Jude both puzzled and hopeful.
Sue Bridehead and the others in the story
Richard Phillotson becomes Sue's employer before she leaves to train as a teacher. After harsh punishment at the training college, she decides in anger and recklessness to marry him. She respects his gentleness, but finds living as his wife unbearable and tells him so plainly.
With Jude, Sue shares books, ideas and a bond that deepens through letters and visits. Their relationship brings questions about marriage and personal freedom into the daily lives of two people who care for each other.
Questions
Is Sue Bridehead related to Jude?
Yes, Sue is Jude Fawley's cousin, and their attachment develops beyond family affection.
Who does Sue Bridehead marry?
Sue marries Richard Phillotson, the schoolmaster who employs her as an assistant. She respects him, but cannot bear their married life.
What does Sue Bridehead question?
Sue questions religion and the rules that bind women within marriage. Her own feelings do not fit neatly with those expectations.