Jude the Obscure is Thomas Hardys last novel and hismost controversial one.After its publication, Jude the Obscure received such severe criticism that Hardy quitted novel writing for poetry.Early critics were especially hostile, criticizing Hardy for his flouting of traditional moral standards.Actually, Hardy and the novel have always been controversial among feministcritics due to his ambivalent attitude toward women.　　This thesis will interpret Jude the Obscure from a feminist perspective, intended to examine Hardys patriarcha ideology and the root cause of Hardys ambivalent attitude toward women.In conclusion, Hardys view of woman is both conventional and unconventional.Onthe one hand, Hardyhas a sympathetic concern with women.He reveals female oppression and acknowledges their aspirations, which show his sharp feminist consciousness.On the other hand, with his morality essentially stemming from patriarchal ideology, Hardy fails to lead his heroine out of her predicaments.His own inability to break free of patriarchal ideologyconstitutes his most restrictive limitation in his view of womanhood.The contradictory coexistence of Hardys sharp feminist consciousness and his morality stemming frompatriarchy is the root cause of his ambivalent attitude toward women.Last but not least, his breaking of gender role stereotypes foresees Virginia Woolfs androgynous thoughts.In this sense,Hardy was ahead of his time.