Critical Analysis of Tom Jones

Topic:  Critical Analysis of Tom Jones

Paper Name: The Neo- Classical Literature

Paper: 2

Name: Kinjal Patel

Class: M.A part 1 SEM 1

Year: 2013

Submitted to: Department of English M.K Bhavnagar University

Guidance by: Dr. Dilip Barad & Heenaba Zala

                                

INTRODUCTIONS:

Henry Fielding was born in 1707 in Lieutenant George Fielding and his wife Sarah. History of Tom Jones a foundling was published in 1749. Henry died on October 8^th of 1754 in Jonquiere, her Lisbon.

Accordingly to William Hazlit Fielding’s novels throw massive light on 18^th century society of England, than the whole mass of historical documentary. The entries life of England including countryside highways, urban and rural society is wonderfully – presented with the help of graphics and suggestive touches he provided a remarkably distinct and vivid impression of the externalities of his age. The history of Tom Jones, a foundling was published in 1749.

PLOT:-

Allworthy discover a baby boy in is bed. And finds local woman Jermy Jones and her tutor Mr. Partridge guilty – Allworthy sends Jermy a ways from the country and the poverty – stricken partridge leaves of his own accord. In spite of the criticism of the Parish. Allworthy decides to bring up the boy. Bridget marries captain Blifil regards Tom Jones with jealousy while meditating on money matters captain Blifil falls dead of an apoplexy. The narrator skips forward twelve years. Blifil and Tom Jones have been brought up together. Allworthy is the only person who shows consistent affection for Tom. Tom is wild and Blifil is pious. Tom frequently steals to support the family of Black George one of Allworthy’s servants. Tom spends much time with squire Western Allworthy’s neighbor – since the squire is impressed by Tom’s sportsmanship. Sophia Western squire Western’s daughter. Falls deeply in love with Tom. Tom has already bestowed his affection on Molly Seagrim the poor.

When Molly becomes pregnant, Tom prevents Allworthy from sending Molly to prison by admitting that he has father he child. Tom’s commitment to Molly ends when he discovers that she has been having affairs. Allworthy falls gravely ill. He reads out his will inherit most of his estate. Although Tom is also provided for. A lawyer names Dowling arrives and announces the sudden and unexpected death of Bridget Allworthy. Blifil calls Tom a “ bastard ”  and Tom retaliates by hitting. Mrs. Western the aunt with whom Sophia spent much of her youth, comes to stay at the brother’s houses. She and the squire fight constantly but they unite over Mrs. Western’s plan to Marry Sophia to Blifil. Blifil thus beings with courtship of Sophia. Sophia however, strongly opposes the proposal. Blifil tells Allworthy that Tom is a rascal who drunkenly about the house and Allworthy banishes Tom from the county. Tom does not want to leave Sophia, but decides that he must follow the honorable path. Tom begins to wonder about the countryside. In Bristol he happens to meet up with Partridge who becomes his loyal servant. Tom also rescues Mrs. Waters from being robbed and they being an affair a local inn. Sophia who has run away from Squire Western’s estate to avoid marrying Blifil stops at this inn that Tom’s bed. The Irish man Fitzpatrick arrives at that inn searching for his wife and Western arrives searching for Sophia. Sophia stays with her lady relative Lady Bellaston.  Tom and Partridge stay in the house of Mrs. Miller and her daughters. A young gentle man call Mr. Nightingale also in habits the house and Tom soon realizes that he and Nancy are in love.  Nancy falls pregnant and Tom convinces Nightingale to marry her Lady Bellaston and Tom begins an affair, although Tom privately continues to pursue Sophia. When he and Sophia are reconciled Tom breaks off the relationship with Lady Bellaston by sending her marriage proposal that scares her away. She encourages lord Fellamar to rape Sophia. Squire Western looks Sophia in her bedroom. Mr. Fitzpatrick this begins a duel with Tom in defending himself Tom Stabs Fitzpatrick with the sword Partridge visits Tom in jail. Mrs. Western Allworthy and explains that Fitzpatrick is still alive and has admitted to initiating the duel. Allworthy realizes Blifil is this very gentlemen and he decides never to speak to him again. Mrs. Waters also reveal that Tom’s mother was Bridget Allworthy. Mrs. Miller explains to Sophia the reasons for Tom’s marriage proposal to Lady Bellaston and Sophia is satisfied. Now that Tom is Allworthy’s heir. Squire Western eagerly encourages the marriage between Tom and Sophia. Sophia chastises Tom for his lack of chastity, but agrees to marry him. They live happily on Western’s estate one around them with kindness and generosity.

THEMES IN TOM JONES:-

Tom Jones is an interesting epicomic novel by Henry Fielding. Henry Fielding was renowned writer of 18^th century. He was born in 1707 and died in 1754. Almost every aspect of Fielding’s own life is seen in the novel, from love and reverence he had for his first wife to his extensive knowledge of the South Western part of England. Even Tom Jones himself clearly shows the – markings of Fielding exhibiting the same careless good nature as well as deeply entrenched awareness of poverty and the reversals of fortune. This novel exhibits many themes:

·         Virtue as an action in Tom Jones

·         Hypocrisy

·         Journey

·         Romance

·         Love

·         Contemporary Social Scenario

·         Patriotism

·         Stereotypes

·         Art as a theme

NOW I EXPLAIN ALL THE THEMES IN DETAILS…………..

    

Virtue as an action in Tom Jones:

Fielding has here changed the concept of virtue. He has presented his virtues protagonist with manly weakness. Tom Jones is a virtuous person whose love for Sophia is pure but his weakness forced him to have relations with three other women Mr. Allworthy is praised as a virtuous man all over the region. Blifil was considered virtuous but he has none. Tom the hero steals but to help his servant virtue in Tom Jones is to be taken in broad sense. The writer’s view is different than other writers. He believes that a man is full of weakness but yet he can remain virtuous.

Hypocrisy:-

Hypocrisy in one of the themes. Here, many rural and urban characters are Hippocratic. Sophia’s aunt, Lady Bellaston, Thwacked, Squire, Blifil are hollow people who tried to pretentious.

Journey:

As most of the epics of ancient India’s and Greek’s heroes, hero of this novel also travels a lot after he is thrown away from Mr. Allworthy’s house. His education of life and philosophy starts on the journey. Not only the hero but also heroine sets out a journey. They both learn from the experiences of the different places. Meeting different people they are acquainted to the ways of the world.

Romance:

From beginning till the end the novel is full of romance. The exposure of the hero as well as heroine from rural and urban life is romantic. Many other adventures incidents increase the reader’s romance. The reader travels with the writer with curiosity to various places. The writer has keenly written minute details of the characters which are no less romantic.

Love:

Love has various forms in the novel. Father Son’s Love, father – daughter’s love for servant, hero’s love for heroine, common person’s love for good person, a soldier’s love for his country and greed’s love for money are well defined in the novel through the characters, such as Allworthy.  Tom, Mr. Western, Sophia, Tom – Molly and Black George, Tom – Sophia, Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Waters – Tom etc.

Contemporary Social Scenario:

The vices of the society are ridiculed by Henry Fielding wisely and also without creating havoc, one by one evil customs of the society are satirized effectively and efficiently.

Patriotism:

Tom Captain and Solider were eager to crush the rebel for the sake of motherland; Nationalist feeling is aroused as the patriotic matter is raised. England in those days suffered from many internal problems.

Stereotypes:

Fielding broke many rules of novel writing in Tom Jones. He could not clarify what type of novel is Tom Jones.  Whether it is philosophical history, romance or epicomic prosaic poem Tom as qualities of hero as well as villain’s, on the other hand man and women both suffer and fight out the situation.

Art as a theme:

The novel is artistic. It is women in such a way that at the end of many chapters there is a future hint – what would happen next is hinted. The author skillfully warns us that he would omit a scene. No vulgar action is mentioned. He prevents us from suspending ourselves from any disbelief and waiting for the narration ahead.

SOCIAL REALISM IN TOM JONES:

·         Rural Life

·         The City life of London

·         Female characters

·         Educational Institutes

·         Politics

·         Religion

·         Hero of the Novel

NOW I EXPLAIN ALL SOCIAL REALISM IN DETAIL…………

Rural Life:-

Hennery’s countryside life is narrow world. People are found gossiping here. Here, we find prude Mrs. Deboradh Wilkins, shrew Mr. Partiridge, champion Mrs. Western conquer Molly Seagrim, poverty, vanity, affection, malice, intrigue as they do in big cities. The novel thus shows real people of society of villagers in England in Henry’s time.

 The City life of London:-

Man of hill shows the condition of London dwellers before Tom reaches there. The life of London’s is degenerated. Lady Bellaston, Lord Fellamar, nigh tangle are all city breed. They have no virtues. They lead immoral life fielding also tells us that despite entertainments, the life is dull and monotonous.

 Female characters:-

A woman if lost chastity was considered to be a fallen woman. Lord Fellamar was persuaded into the belief that it would be easy for him to marry Sophia, a virtue as woman after having rated her. Women like Mrs. Waters, Lady Bellaston, Mrs. Honor, Mrs. Western, and Mrs. Deborah are characterized as if they are real social characters.

Educational Institutes:-

Tom and Blifil are not exposed to public school as squire Allworthy believed them to be corrupted. It show how healthy people of society engaged private tutors for their children or words. The treatment of doctors and lawyers are shown in different cases. Doctor told that Allworthy would die but he didn’t during illness. Later on lawyer is shown corrupt. Fielding here depicts corrupt people of society that was reality.

Politics:-

In 1745 army was really sent northwards to combat the rebels. It in Tom who wanted to join the army. Again when Sophia was at an inn. She is mistaken for Prince Charlie’s mistress. The above incidents give political scenario of Fielding’s age.

Religion:-

The incident where Molly Seagrim wearing Sophia’s beautiful dress goes to Church and being slowly starts quarrel refers to the pompous people going to Church who were not real followers of Christ. They were not interested in preaching but mongering.

Hero of the Novel:-

Fielding’s here himself is conventional. He is a hero chosen from common man. He has human weakness like any man of that comp temporary society. He is an ordinary noble but weak man. His impulses are good but unrestrained. He is honest brave and generous but weak willed.

Conclusion:-

Fielding was a writer for the theater before he was a novelist and one of the strongest impressions that the reader gets from ‘Tom Jones’  is that of dramatic handling of scene and act : the sharp silhouetting of characters and their grouping in such a manner as to avoid any confusions, even in so populous a drama. Tom Jones (1749) is rightly regarded as Fielding’s greatest work and one of the first and most influential of English novels. At the center of one of the most ingenious plots in English fiction stands a hero whose actions were in 1749, as shocking as they are funny today.


Sources: Net and text