Henry Fielding as a Novelist of Tom Jones

Name : Gauswami Surbhai A.

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Assignment Topic : Henry Fielding as a Novelist of 

Tom Jones

Roll No. : 32

Submitted to : M.A English department

MKBU Bhavnagar University

Batch Year : 2016-18

Henry Fielding

Born : 22 April 1707

Sharpham, Somerset England

Pen Name : Captain Hercules Vinegur

Occupation : Novelist Dramatist

Nationality : English

Period : 1728 - 54

Genre : Satire, Picaresque

Literary Movement : Enlightenment Augustan Age

Henry Fielding (22 April, 1707-8 October 1754) was an English novelist and dramatist best known for his rich earthy Humor and satire and as the author of the novel Tom Jones.

Henry Fielding was an 18th Century English writer who established the mechanism of the modern novel through such works as tom Jones and Amelia. the English author and magistrate Henry fielding was one of the great novelist of the 18^th century. His fiction essay and legal pamphlets show that he was a witty man with a passion for reform and justice.

His best known novels are :

1 An apology for the life of Mrs. Shamela Andaews

2 Joseph Andrews

3 Mr. Jonathan wild the great

4 The history of Tom Jones a Foundling.

5 Amelia.

* Henry Fielding as a writer of Tom Jones :

Fielding's eldest daughter died in 1742 and his wife in 1744 the death of his beloved wife was great shock for him. Yet during these sad years fielding was creating his comic masterpiece, "the history of Tom Jones" a foundling which appeared in 1749.

The plot of tom Jones is too complicated. It's basis is Tom alienation from his father squire allworthy and his beloved Sophia western and his reunion with them, after dangerous adventures in London. The writer presents the characters of mid 18th century. Henry fielding makes moral satire on society through this novel.

Tom Jones is comic epic by fielding. It was published on February 28, 1749. The novel is divided into 18 smaller books and it has gained immediate popularity despite intense criticism for its lowness.

Tom Jones is a picaresque novel. Fielding also mixes some Augustan elements. Such as the mock epic descriptions of morning or evening, several long tailed similes, and the fisticuffs, scene between molly seagrim and the villagers in the somerset church yard.

Henry fielding exploits the birth mystery of tom and he uses as many characters as possible in more than one role.

Tom Jones is generally regarded as Fielding's greatest book and as a very influential English novel.

The original or full title of the novel is :

"The history Tom Jones a Founding."

* The Plot of the novel :

The novel's events occupy eighteen books. Initially the kindly and wealthy squire allworthy and his sister Bridget are introduced in their wealthy estate in somerset. after returning from London Allworthy finds a baby on his bed. It is the child of servant. Jenny Jones but she refused to give the name of his father. Allworthy brings up that child and named him tom Jones. Bridget has one child name Blifil.

Tom grows into a vigorous and lusty yet honest and kind hearted youth. Tom is in love with a neighboring squire's lovely daughter Sophia Western. Tom has relationship with many women like molly seagrim, Mrs. waters, lady Bellaston.

Sophia's father is oppose to their love and he wants making Sophia marry the hypocritical master Blifil. But she refuses and tried to escape from her father's influence. Tom also starts his adventures across London. In London he makes relationship with two older women Mrs. Waters and lady Bellaston. and very nearly kills a man in a duel for which he is arrested.

At the end of the novel the secret of tom's birth revealed that Bridget is the real mother of tom. Hence he is the true nephew of squire allworthy. After finding Blifil's intrigues, allworthy decides to bestow the majority of his inheritance to tom and at the end tom and Sophia western marry.

We can consider the novel as a document for the history of the period. As title itself suggests :

"The history of tom Jones a founding:"

Through this novel fielding represents the society of 18th century. The novel is anti traditional writing by Henry fielding. It has a unconventional vision of virtue writer's aim is

"Representing good by displaying ridiculous."

He portrays morality through representation of immorality. Tom Jones is a story of vanity and human weakness.

The characters are full of vices except allworthy and tom Jones is the imperfect hero of the novel who has multiple illicit relationship with many women. Henry fielding depicts the monstrous romances, which arouses comedy and farce. This novel is a comic epic in a prose. writer has written grave philosophical comedy. The romance of tom and molly the way tom and Mrs. waters eat the food. It's very comic as if they make love by the means of food. we finds elements of humor with romance.

The novel is long narrative and it has a complex plot and also has ambiguous characters and relations the uncertainty of birth identity issue.

Blifil is the cunning and Hippocratic fellow who plans many intrigues against tom. Characters have pre marital and post marital affairs. Characters have sexual perversion and moral degradation. lust and greed is the central passion of all the characters.

We can read this novel as feminist view point as all the female characters like molly, Jenny Jones lady Bellaston are greedy and lusty. It was not tom but women who first initiate tom for physical relation ship.

After all this evil aspects writer gives the poetic justice to the novel as tom and Sophia get married.

Henry fielding proves himself as greatest novelist of 18th century by writing this novel. Very success fully he portrays the philosophy of life, reflection of society, social and moral satire, feminist discourse virtue vs vices romantic comedy, moral degradation element of realism etc.

Citation :

• Citation:

* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/henry_fielding

* www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/….

* en.wikipedia.org/wiki/the_history_o….