Presentation of Henry Fielding‘s masterpiece: Tom Jones
Structure: 1. Author and work
2. Plot and structure
3. Narrative situation
4. Main theme
5. Fieldings humour
1.Author and work
- Henry Fielding was born in 1707 at Sharpham Park, near Glastonbury
- He was educated privately at first and then at Eton
- He then went to London, where, in 1728 he published a satirical poem „The Masquerade“ and a comedy „Love in several Masques“
- From 1728 to 1729 he was a student of literature at Leyden University. In the autumn of the later year he returned to London
- Between then and 1737 he wrote over 25 dramatic plays, including comedies, adaptations of Moliere, farces, ballad operas and a series of witty entertaining topical satires such as „Pasquin“ and „The historical register“ which heavily attacks Sir Robert Walpole and his government
- It was partly because of this last play that Walpole introduced the „Stage Licensing act of 1737,which ended Fieldings career not only as a playwright but also as a theatre manager (He had formed his own company and was running the little theatre, Haymarket.)
- After this he tried to start a career in the law and was called to the Bar in 1740 but he had only little success as a barrister
- In 1734 he married Charlotte Cradock who had a great inlfluence on him. He took his wife as a model for two female characters in his novels: Sophia Western and Amelia
- His novel-writing career began with his first work „Shamela“ in 1741 (novel was a counterpart to Richardsons „Pamela“)
- In the following year he published his own alternative conception of the art and purpose of the novel , „Joseph Andrews“, which achieved immediate popularity
- His masterpiece „Tom Jones, one of the great comic novels in english literature was published in 1749
- After Walpoles fall he wrote pro-government journalism and produced two anti Jacobite papers: „The true Patriot and „The Jacobites Journal“
- In 1748 Fielding was commissioned as a Justice of the Peace for Westminster and in the following year became chairman of the Quarter Sessions of Westminster
- He and his brother, John Fielding, were prominent in developing the police force and between 1749 and 1752 Fielding wrote a good deal on urgent legal and social problems
- 1754 he was forced to resign his post because he suffered from gout for many years
- He died on 8.10.1754
2. Plot and structure
- The wealthy, benevolent Squire Allworthy , living in Somerset with his unmarried sister Bridget, returns one night from a three month absence and finds a baby lying in his bed
- The child is adopted by Allworthy and is named Tom Jones. Thomas is the christian name of Allworthy and the surname Jones is the name of the presumed mother, one Jenny Jones. Her former employer, the schoolmaster Partridge, is supposed to be Toms father.
- Partridge denies the accusation of paternity, but his hysterically jealous wife gives evidence against him, and he is dismissed from his post.
- Both, Partridge and jenny become outsiders and are forced to leave the town
- Meanwhile, soon after the discovery of Tom, Bridget marries the unpleasant and fortune-hunting Captain Blifil. Fortunately the Captain dies two years later, leaving behind him a son, who is to become Toms antagonist.
- Tom and Master Blifil grow up together and are educated by the clergyman Thwackum and the philosopher Square.This they do with frequent beatings. But when Tom catches Square in bed with the local slut, Molly Seagrim his education ends.
- So far so good. On an estate nearby lives the Squire Western with his lovely daughter Sophia.
- Tom spends a good deal of time with the Westerns because the Squire admires his rough and ready manners and his horsemanship while Sophia is impressed with his goodness of heart. Tom and Sophia of course fall in love.
- When Tom hears that Squire Allworthy is ill and not likely to recover he rushes to his benefactors bedside, where he finds the fortune hunting Blifil.
- But Allworthy makes a miraculous recovery, and Tom is so delighted that he gets roaring drunk. Blifil however takes offence at Toms behaviour and accuses him that he does not really care about the health of Allworthy
- Meanwhile, Sophia becomes interested in Blifil, a favorite with the ladies, in order to conceal her real love for the penniless Tom. When her aunt arrives from London, she assumes that sophia and Blifil will marry, and tells Squire Western to prepare for the wedding. When Sophias aunt learns the truth, both she and Western are outraged. Squire Western however likes Tom, but refuses to consider a foundling as a son in law.
- Now Western and Allworthy trie to secure the marriage of Sophia with Blifil, so that the estates can be joined.
- Meanwhile Toms escapades (Which include the night where he was drunk and an affair with Molly Seagrim), are effectively used by the very evil Blifil
- Blifil achieves the deception of Allworthy and consequently Toms expulsion from the household.
- Nearly at the same time Sophia, refusing to marry Blifil under any circumstances is locked up in her room by her father. Only with the help of her maid she manages to slip out at night and heads for her aunts house in London.
- On the road, Tom gets involved with a crowd of rowdy soldiers and gets into a fight with them at an Inn called Upton-on-Severn. His wounds are treated by the local barber, who turns out to be the banished Partridge.
- Partridge becomes Toms companion on his adventures. They meet a beautiful woman named Mrs. Waters who tries to fight off the advances of a soldier in the forest
- Tom rescues her and takes her to the Inn at Upton where she lures him into her bed
- Also arriving at the Upton Inn on their way to London are Spohia and her maid.
- Partridge has by accident revealed to Sophia her lovers affair with Mrs. Waters
- Sophia departs in a fury and travels to London.
- Here sophia is introdused to the sophisticated Mrs Bellaston, who promises to show her the pleasures of a life in the town.
- Tom and Partridge follow Sophia to London where they find good lodgings at the home of Mrs Miller. Soon Tom is admitted to the social circle and to the beds of Lady Bellaston and Mrs.Fitzpatrick
- One night, seeing Sophia at a play, he assures her of his eternal devotion and promises to reform
- When Squire Western recognizes Sophias escape from his house and finds out details about her escape he follows her to London too. He finds her at Lady Bellastons lodgings and removes her to his own lodgings.
- Tom is now very broken-hearted because he knows the Squire will never allow a marriage with Sophia
- To add to his misery , Partridge brings the news that Squire Allworthy has also arrived in London with Blifil who is now going to marry Sophia.
- Tom goes to Mrs.Fitzpatrick to ask for advice, but with typical bad luck he is discovered there by her jealous husband who challenges him to a duel.
- Tom wounds him and is immediately sent to jail.
- In his cell Tom is visited by Mrs.Waters with whom he spent a night at Upton.
- Partridge later identifies her as the former Jenny Jones the presumed mother of Tom.Tom is so shocked by this deed that he swears to reform his behaviour.
- Mrs. Miller defends Tom, telling Squire Allworthy that Tom is not at fault in the duel with Mr. Fitzpatrick
- Squire Allworthy is about to forgive Tom but when he hears about toms behavior with Mrs. Waters once again the good man is furious with Tom
- But fortunately, Mrs Waters assures him that she is not Toms mother. The real mother, she tells the Squire was his own sister, Bridget. On her deathbed Bridget left a message with Blifil concerning Toms true parentage. Blifil had destroyed the message and had also tried to bribe witness to get Tom hanged for the duel.
- Now Tom is released from prision and his fortune improves
- Squire Allworthys affection for him returns and he tells Squire Western that Tom, his nephew is his heir.
- This convinces Western that Tom is worthy to marry Sophia. Tom and Sophia live happily on Squire Allwortys estate.
- Blifil the mean and evil antagonist of Tom is sent away with a yearly stipend.
It is now not very hard to guess that the novel is mainly devided into 3 Parts of nearly the same length.
The first part describes the life on the countryside in Somerset.(Book 1-6)
The second part reveals all the adventures on the road and in Upton (Book 7-12)
Finally, the last part is a describtion of the life in London (Book 13-18)
3. narrative Situation
The narrative situation throughout the whole novel is authorial, which means that the author constantly comments on his intentions and informs the reader about the artistic and poetological arrangement of the novel . (S. XXI)+ (S.27 Chap 3)
The narrator however appears to the reader like God. He directs his protagonists like marionetts to their fate. He is the master over time expands it whenever he thinks it is nessessary.
4. Main theme
Fieldings basic concern is the nature of happiness as well as of goodness. In connection with this he examines such things as tyranny (forced marriage), the distinction between justice and mercy ( Toms release from the prision), the ethics of sexual relationships and above all, hypocrisy.(= Heuchelei)
Hypocrisy might infact be called the main theme of the whole Story.
Fielding presents us an ideal (nature of happiness and goodness)and how the ideal is so often destroyed and corrupted by vanity and hypocrisy. The ideal is embodied in Allworthy, in Sophia Western and in Tom. All those characters inherent a good soul and a good heart. They do not want to hurt anyone and the do not follow the vice towards Hypocrisy.
But the ideal is destroyed by those characters who tend to use hypocrisy to reach their aims ,such as Blifil for example. He has a very corrupt heart and plans exactly every movement which is nessessary to reach his aim. (as he tells good Allworthy about the night whereTom gets drunk and about the affair with Molly Seagrim to get rid of Tom.)
Fielding describes the hypocrite as a man in a mask: when the mask is ripped off, we can see the contrast between the face presented to the world and the real features.
This is exactly the same thing which happened to Blifil in the end.His mask is ripped off and now everyone can see his real face his real character which is of an evil and mean quality.
Consequently one can remark again another theme which is clearly connected with the main theme. The contrast between appearance and reality.
5. Fieldings humour
Fielding was famous for his outstanding humour. Due to him a new kind of novel writing is invented which is defined as a „comic epic poem in prose“.
The authors intention is to disclose (Enthüllen) hypocrisy of the conventional morals and to show human weakness in a tolerant and humerous way.
Fielding however used various technics to make his audience smile.
He knows exactly that an incident which is funny the first time it happens may become more than twice as funny the second time.
In the scene between Sophia and her aunt (VI,5) he develops the comedy of mutual (gegenseitig) misunderstanding.
Such situations as unexpected entrances and discoveries, best shown perhaps in XV,5 where Western bursts in to interrupt Fellamars attempted rape of Sophia
And of course there is the humour of verbal irony, when a single nicely chosen word evokes a smile.