Tom Jones - Revision history

WikiSysop at 14:49, 21 June 2017

2017-06-21T14:49:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:49, 21 June 2017
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	Full title: ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling''. Novel by [[Henry Fielding]], first published in 1749.		Full title: ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling''. Novel by [[Henry Fielding]], first published in 1749.

			== Genre ==

	“Henry Fielding´s ''Tom Jones'' is both one of the great comic masterpieces of English literature and a major force in the development of the novel form.” (Nestvold) ''Tom Jones'' was first published in 1749 when the [[Novel\|novel]] as a genre was only beginning to be recognized. The novel ''[[Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady\|Clarissa]]'' by [[Samuel Richardson]] appeared only a year before, and for the most part in intellectual circles prose fiction was not considered a worthy pursuit. The sanctioned genres of the first half of the eighteenth century were verse and drama (ibid).		“Henry Fielding´s ''Tom Jones'' is both one of the great comic masterpieces of English literature and a major force in the development of the novel form.” (Nestvold) ''Tom Jones'' was first published in 1749 when the [[Novel\|novel]] as a genre was only beginning to be recognized. The novel ''[[Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady\|Clarissa]]'' by [[Samuel Richardson]] appeared only a year before, and for the most part in intellectual circles prose fiction was not considered a worthy pursuit. The sanctioned genres of the first half of the eighteenth century were verse and drama (ibid).

WikiSysop at 14:48, 21 June 2017

2017-06-21T14:48:19Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:48, 21 June 2017
Line 1:		Line 1:
	Full title: ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling''. Novel by Henry Fielding first published in 1749.		Full title: ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling''. Novel by [[Henry Fielding]], first published in 1749.

			“Henry Fielding´s ''Tom Jones'' is both one of the great comic masterpieces of English literature and a major force in the development of the novel form.” (Nestvold) ''Tom Jones'' was first published in 1749 when the [[Novel\|novel]] as a genre was only beginning to be recognized. The novel ''[[Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady\|Clarissa]]'' by [[Samuel Richardson]] appeared only a year before, and for the most part in intellectual circles prose fiction was not considered a worthy pursuit. The sanctioned genres of the first half of the eighteenth century were verse and drama (ibid).

			Other novelists still followed the seventeenth-century tradition of claiming their fiction was fact, or at least that their tales were moral tracts. They emphasized the instructional rather than the fictional aspect. Fielding was the first major novelist who did not try to convince his readers that what they were reading is actually real (ibid). Fielding tried to define and explain this new genre in the introductory chapters preceding the individual books in ''Tom Jones''. He calls it a “heroical, historical prosaic poem” (IV,1) or a “prosaic-comi-epic writing” (V,1). (ibid) “In defining the novel as an epic genre, Fielding emphasized its function in presenting a broad picture of an era, but one, unlike verse epic, in which primarily the weaknesses of humanity are put on display.”(ibid) According to Fielding, the appropriate subject of the novel is human nature rather than ghosts and fairies. For him there is no space to introduce the supernatural. He rather follows the rules of probability (ibid).
			According to Nestvold, ''Tom Jones'' contains many conventional narrative elements as ostensibly picaresque form, inserted narrative and the discovery of true identity. Fielding was influenced by drama, his former working field. He began his career as a playwright, a journalist, and a lawyer. He accidentally became a novelist, because of the closure of some of the theatres in London after the Licensing Act of 1737 (Chu). The influence of drama on Fielding´s novels was in formal structural elements and the most obvious influence on ''Tom Jones'' was the intricacies of the plot, which are the typical confusions of comedy (Nestvold).

	“Henry Fielding´s ''Tom Jones'' is both one of the great comic masterpieces of English literature and a major force in the development of the novel form.” (Nestvold) ''Tom Jones'' was first published in 1749 when the novel as a genre was only beginning to be recognized. The novel ''Clarissa'' by Samuel Richardson appeared only a year before, and for the most part in intellectual circles prose fiction was not considered a worthy pursuit. The sanctioned genres of the first half of the eighteenth century were verse and drama (ibid).		== The Characters in Tom Jones ==

	Other novelists still followed the seventeenth-century tradition of claiming their fiction was fact, or at least that their tales were moral tracts. They emphasized the instructional rather than the fictional aspect. Fielding was the first major novelist who did not try to convince his readers that what they were reading is actually real (ibid). Fielding tried to define and explain this new genre in the introductory chapters preceding the individual books in ''Tom Jones''. He calls it a “heroical, historical prosaic poem” (IV,1) or a “prosaic-comi-epic writing” (V,1). (ibid) “In defining the novel as an epic genre, Fielding emphasized its function in presenting a broad picture of an era, but one, unlike verse epic, in which primarily the weaknesses of humanity are put on display.”(ibid) According to Fielding, the appropriate subject of the novel is human nature rather than ghosts and fairies. For him there is no space to introduce the supernatural. He rather follows the rules of probability (ibid).
	According to Nestvold ''Tom Jones'' contains many conventional narrative elements as ostensibly picaresque form, inserted narrative and the discovery of true identity. Fielding was influenced by drama, his former working field. He began his career as a playwright, a journalist, and a lawyer. He accidently became a novelist, because of the closure of some of the theatres in London after the Licensing Act of 1737 (Chu). The ~~influence of drama on Fielding´s novels was~~ in ~~formal structural elements and the most obvious influence on ''~~Tom Jones~~'' was the intricacies of the plot, which are the typical confusions of comedy (Nestvold).~~

	~~'''The Characters in Tom Jones~~		In his writing Fielding does not try to create utterly good or evil characters; instead he simply depicts them as what they are: human beings (Chu). According to Rexroth, Fielding is constructing a character to demonstrate a thesis and that thesis is humanity (675). The novel is not about showing an ideal character, but to show a human character with all its flaws. “He writes about human nature as it is, instead of showing us how it ought to be.” (Chu) For Fielding human nature consists of good and evil (ibid). He had to combat the expectations of his days that required novels to be morally written. And so he created characters that were contrasting the predominant characters of the novels in his days, which were too good to be true, like [[Pamela]] or Clarissa (ibid).
	~~'''~~
	In his writing Fielding does not try to create utterly good or evil characters; instead he simply depicts them as what they are: human beings (Chu). According to Rexroth Fielding is constructing a character to demonstrate a thesis and that thesis is humanity (675). The novel is not about showing an ideal character, but to show a human character with all its flaws. “He writes about human nature as it is, instead of showing us how it ought to be.” (Chu) For Fielding human nature consists of good and evil (ibid). He had to combat the expectations of his days that required novels to be morally written. And so he created characters that were contrasting the predominant characters of the novels in his days, which were too good to be true, like Pamela or Clarissa (ibid).
	“Not unlike any of us, Tom Jones, the protagonist, is rather human. He sometimes errs, but is essentially good.[…] Undeniably, his impulsive and affectionate nature gets him involved in many of his problems. But, at the same time, his actions are basically governed by benevolence and generosity.”(ibid)		“Not unlike any of us, Tom Jones, the protagonist, is rather human. He sometimes errs, but is essentially good.[…] Undeniably, his impulsive and affectionate nature gets him involved in many of his problems. But, at the same time, his actions are basically governed by benevolence and generosity.”(ibid)
	Fielding frequently uses the method of contrasting pairs to manage his huge cast of characters: Tom is opposed to Blifil, Sophia to Molly and later Lady Bellaston, and Allworthy to Squire Western. The same technique is used with the minor characters: the tutors of Tom and Blifil are Thwackum, representing blind respect for authority, and Square, representing abstract ethics (Nestvold).		Fielding frequently uses the method of contrasting pairs to manage his huge cast of characters: Tom is opposed to Blifil, Sophia to Molly and later Lady Bellaston, and Allworthy to Squire Western. The same technique is used with the minor characters: the tutors of Tom and Blifil are Thwackum, representing blind respect for authority, and Square, representing abstract ethics (Nestvold).

	~~'''~~The Plot~~'''~~		== The Plot ==

	The neatly constructed plot reflects a basic eighteenth-century faith in the order of the world (Nestvold). It is highly symmetrical in design. One can see neo-classical elements in it, especially if you use Hilles theory, which compares the structure of the plot to an architectural figure and describes it as shaped like a Palladian mansion (788). This is an abstract thought, but if you look at it as an architectural figure it may become clearer. This figure has the architectural shape of a mansion with its two wings and the central building.		The neatly constructed plot reflects a basic eighteenth-century faith in the order of the world (Nestvold). It is highly symmetrical in design. One can see neo-classical elements in it, especially if you use Hilles theory, which compares the structure of the plot to an architectural figure and describes it as shaped like a Palladian mansion (788). This is an abstract thought, but if you look at it as an architectural figure it may become clearer. This figure has the architectural shape of a mansion with its two wings and the central building.
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	''Tom Jones'' is divided into eighteen books which can be redivided into three parts with six books each. The first six books are set in Somerset(the left wing of the mansion) and give the cause of the action: Tom´s open, sensual nature; the conflict with Blifil; the misunderstanding with Squire Allworthy; Tom´s love for Sophia and their separation. The next six are set in the open road (the central building) and contain both consequences of the first six and the incidents and details which will bring about a resolution. The last six are set in London (the right wing of the building) and plunge Tom into disastrous circumstances through his actions and get him out of them again (Hilles/Nestvold).This symmetry is characteristic for the early eighteenth century as one can see in its architecture and gardens. Fielding combines traditional neo-classical norms and aesthetics with a new literary genre.		''Tom Jones'' is divided into eighteen books which can be redivided into three parts with six books each. The first six books are set in Somerset(the left wing of the mansion) and give the cause of the action: Tom´s open, sensual nature; the conflict with Blifil; the misunderstanding with Squire Allworthy; Tom´s love for Sophia and their separation. The next six are set in the open road (the central building) and contain both consequences of the first six and the incidents and details which will bring about a resolution. The last six are set in London (the right wing of the building) and plunge Tom into disastrous circumstances through his actions and get him out of them again (Hilles/Nestvold).This symmetry is characteristic for the early eighteenth century as one can see in its architecture and gardens. Fielding combines traditional neo-classical norms and aesthetics with a new literary genre.

	~~'''~~The moral double standard		== The moral double standard ==
	~~'''~~

	The moral assumptions exhibited in the novel are frankly sexist by today´s standards. “The characterization of Tom Jones displays a tolerance for virile young manhood: he is a sensual youth, easily succumbing to temptation of a sexual nature. This tolerance does not work the other way around, however; the heroine Sophia is virginal and pure, while the women who indulge in sensual pleasures are either tramps like Molly or hypocrites like Lady Bellaston.” (Nestvold) Fielding creates a moral double standard where the hero can be sensual and have affairs and still gets a happy ending whereas the female heroine has to be chaste and moral. His frank acceptance of male sensuality was regarded by many contemporaries with disapproval (ibid), because novels had to be moral.		The moral assumptions exhibited in the novel are frankly sexist by today´s standards. “The characterization of Tom Jones displays a tolerance for virile young manhood: he is a sensual youth, easily succumbing to temptation of a sexual nature. This tolerance does not work the other way around, however; the heroine Sophia is virginal and pure, while the women who indulge in sensual pleasures are either tramps like Molly or hypocrites like Lady Bellaston.” (Nestvold) Fielding creates a moral double standard where the hero can be sensual and have affairs and still gets a happy ending whereas the female heroine has to be chaste and moral. His frank acceptance of male sensuality was regarded by many contemporaries with disapproval (ibid), because novels had to be moral.

Pankratz at 17:33, 22 January 2010

2010-01-22T17:33:57Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:33, 22 January 2010
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	'''Bibliography'''		'''Bibliography'''

	~~'''~~Chu, Charles S.J.~~'''~~: Artifice of Moral Teaching in Fielding´s Tom Jones. http://ir.lib.au.edu.tw/dspace/bitstream/987654321/55/1/019704173180.pdf		Chu, Charles S.J.: "Artifice of Moral Teaching in Fielding´s Tom Jones". http://ir.lib.au.edu.tw/dspace/bitstream/987654321/55/1/019704173180.pdf

	~~'''~~Hilles, Frederick W.~~'''~~: Art and Artifice in Tom Jones. In: Henry Fielding Tom Jones. A Critical Edition. The Authoritative Text. Contemporary Reactions. Criticism. 2nd Edition.Sheridan Baker (ed.). The University of Michigan.1995.p.786-800.		Hilles, Frederick W.: "Art and Artifice in Tom Jones". In: ''Henry Fielding Tom Jones. A Critical Edition. The Authoritative Text. Contemporary Reactions. Criticism.'' 2nd Edition. Sheridan Baker (ed.). The University of Michigan.1995. 786-800.

	~~'''~~Nestvold, Ruth~~'''~~: Henry Fielding´s The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling. http://www.ruthnestvold.com/tomjones.htm		Nestvold, Ruth: "Henry Fielding´s ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling''". http://www.ruthnestvold.com/tomjones.htm

	~~'''~~Rexroth, Kenneth~~'''~~: Tom Jones. In: Henry Fielding Tom Jones. A Critical Edition. The Authoritative Text. Contemporary Reactions. Criticism. 2nd Edition.Sheridan Baker (ed.). The University of Michigan.1995.p.675-677.		Rexroth, Kenneth: "Tom Jones". In: ''Henry Fielding Tom Jones. A Critical Edition. The Authoritative Text. Contemporary Reactions. Criticism''. 2nd Edition. Sheridan Baker (ed.). The University of Michigan.1995. 675-677.

Pankratz at 17:32, 22 January 2010

2010-01-22T17:32:08Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:32, 22 January 2010
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	~~== Henry Fielding´s~~ ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling		Full title: ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling''. Novel by Henry Fielding first published in 1749.
	'' ==

	“Henry Fielding´s ''Tom Jones'' is both one of the great comic masterpieces of English literature and a major force in the development of the novel form.”(Nestvold) ''Tom Jones'' was first published in 1749 when the novel as a genre was only beginning to be recognized. The novel ''Clarissa'' by S. Richardson appeared only a year before, and for the most part in intellectual circles prose fiction was not considered a worthy pursuit. The sanctioned genres of the first half of the eighteenth century were verse and drama (ibid).

	Other novelists still followed the seventeenth century tradition of claiming their fiction was fact, or at least that their tales were moral tracts. They emphasized the instructional rather than the fictional aspect. Fielding was the first major novelist who did not try to convince his readers that what they were reading is actually real (ibid). Fielding tried to define and explain this new genre in the introductory chapters preceding the individual books in ''Tom Jones''. He calls it a “heroical, historical prosaic poem” (IV,1) or a “prosaic-comi-epic writing” (V,1). (ibid) “In defining the novel as an epic genre, Fielding emphasized its function in presenting a broad picture of an era, but one, unlike verse epic, in which primarily the weaknesses of humanity are put on display.”(ibid) According to Fielding, the appropriate subject of the novel is human nature rather than ghosts and fairies. For him there is no space to introduce the supernatural. He rather follows the rules of probability (ibid).
	According to Nestvold ''Tom Jones'' contains many conventional narrative elements as ostensibly picaresque form, inserted narrative and the discovery of true identity. Fielding was influenced by drama, his former working field.He began his career as a playwright, a journalist, and a lawyer. He accidently became a novelist, because of the closure of the theatres in London (Chu). The influence of drama on Fielding´s novels was in formal structural elements and the most obvious influence on ''Tom Jones'' was the intricacies of the plot, which are the typical confusions of comedy (Nestvold).		“Henry Fielding´s ''Tom Jones'' is both one of the great comic masterpieces of English literature and a major force in the development of the novel form.” (Nestvold) ''Tom Jones'' was first published in 1749 when the novel as a genre was only beginning to be recognized. The novel ''Clarissa'' by Samuel Richardson appeared only a year before, and for the most part in intellectual circles prose fiction was not considered a worthy pursuit. The sanctioned genres of the first half of the eighteenth century were verse and drama (ibid).

			Other novelists still followed the seventeenth-century tradition of claiming their fiction was fact, or at least that their tales were moral tracts. They emphasized the instructional rather than the fictional aspect. Fielding was the first major novelist who did not try to convince his readers that what they were reading is actually real (ibid). Fielding tried to define and explain this new genre in the introductory chapters preceding the individual books in ''Tom Jones''. He calls it a “heroical, historical prosaic poem” (IV,1) or a “prosaic-comi-epic writing” (V,1). (ibid) “In defining the novel as an epic genre, Fielding emphasized its function in presenting a broad picture of an era, but one, unlike verse epic, in which primarily the weaknesses of humanity are put on display.”(ibid) According to Fielding, the appropriate subject of the novel is human nature rather than ghosts and fairies. For him there is no space to introduce the supernatural. He rather follows the rules of probability (ibid).
			According to Nestvold ''Tom Jones'' contains many conventional narrative elements as ostensibly picaresque form, inserted narrative and the discovery of true identity. Fielding was influenced by drama, his former working field. He began his career as a playwright, a journalist, and a lawyer. He accidently became a novelist, because of the closure of some of the theatres in London after the Licensing Act of 1737 (Chu). The influence of drama on Fielding´s novels was in formal structural elements and the most obvious influence on ''Tom Jones'' was the intricacies of the plot, which are the typical confusions of comedy (Nestvold).

	'''The Characters in Tom Jones		'''The Characters in Tom Jones
	'''		'''
	In his writing Fielding does not try to create utterly good or evil characters; instead he simply depicts them as what they are: human beings (Chu). According to Rexroth Fielding is constructing a character to demonstrate a thesis and that thesis is humanity (675). The novel is not about showing an ideal character, but to show a human character with all its flaws. “He writes about human nature as it is, instead of showing us how it ought to be.” (Chu) For Fielding ~~the~~ human nature consists of good and evil (ibid). He had to combat the expectations of his days that required novels to be morally written. And so he created characters that were contrasting the predominant characters of the novels in his days, which were too good to be true, like Pamela or Clarissa (ibid).		In his writing Fielding does not try to create utterly good or evil characters; instead he simply depicts them as what they are: human beings (Chu). According to Rexroth Fielding is constructing a character to demonstrate a thesis and that thesis is humanity (675). The novel is not about showing an ideal character, but to show a human character with all its flaws. “He writes about human nature as it is, instead of showing us how it ought to be.” (Chu) For Fielding human nature consists of good and evil (ibid). He had to combat the expectations of his days that required novels to be morally written. And so he created characters that were contrasting the predominant characters of the novels in his days, which were too good to be true, like Pamela or Clarissa (ibid).
	“Not unlike any of us, Tom Jones, the protagonist, is rather human. He sometimes errs, but is essentially good.[…] Undeniably, his impulsive and affectionate nature gets him involved in many of his problems. But, at the same time, his actions are basically governed by benevolence and generosity.”(ibid)		“Not unlike any of us, Tom Jones, the protagonist, is rather human. He sometimes errs, but is essentially good.[…] Undeniably, his impulsive and affectionate nature gets him involved in many of his problems. But, at the same time, his actions are basically governed by benevolence and generosity.”(ibid)
	Fielding frequently uses the method of contrasting pairs to manage his huge cast of characters: Tom is opposed to Blifil, Sophia to Molly and later Lady Bellaston, and Allworthy to Squire Western. The same technique is used with the minor characters: the tutors of Tom and Blifil are Thwackum, representing blind respect for authority, and Square, representing abstract ethics (Nestvold).		Fielding frequently uses the method of contrasting pairs to manage his huge cast of characters: Tom is opposed to Blifil, Sophia to Molly and later Lady Bellaston, and Allworthy to Squire Western. The same technique is used with the minor characters: the tutors of Tom and Blifil are Thwackum, representing blind respect for authority, and Square, representing abstract ethics (Nestvold).
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	'''The Plot'''		'''The Plot'''

	The neatly constructed plot reflects a basic eighteenth century faith in the order of the world (Nestvold). It is highly symmetrical in design. One can see neo-classical elements in it, especially if you use Hilles theory~~. He tries to compare~~ the structure of the plot to an architectural figure and describes it as shaped like a Palladian mansion (788). This is an abstract thought, but if you look at it as an ~~architectual~~ figure it may become clearer. This figure has the architectural shape of a mansion with its two wings and the central building.		The neatly constructed plot reflects a basic eighteenth-century faith in the order of the world (Nestvold). It is highly symmetrical in design. One can see neo-classical elements in it, especially if you use Hilles theory, which compares the structure of the plot to an architectural figure and describes it as shaped like a Palladian mansion (788). This is an abstract thought, but if you look at it as an architectural figure it may become clearer. This figure has the architectural shape of a mansion with its two wings and the central building.

	Tom Jones is divided into eighteen books which can be redivided into three parts with six books each. The first six books are set in Somerset(the left wing of the ~~mension~~) and give the cause of the action: Tom´s open, sensual nature; the conflict with Blifil; the misunderstanding with Squire Allworthy; Tom´s love for Sophia and their separation. The next six are set in the open road (the central building) and contain both consequences of the first six and the incidents and details which will bring about a resolution. The last six are set in London (the right wing of the building) and plunge Tom into disastrous circumstances through his actions and get him out of them again (Hilles/Nestvold).~~(I am sorry, I wanted to include a diagram but I could not.)~~This symmetry is characteristic for the early eighteenth century as one can see in its architecture and gardens. Fielding combines traditional neo-classical norms and ~~esthetics~~ with a new literary genre.		''Tom Jones'' is divided into eighteen books which can be redivided into three parts with six books each. The first six books are set in Somerset(the left wing of the mansion) and give the cause of the action: Tom´s open, sensual nature; the conflict with Blifil; the misunderstanding with Squire Allworthy; Tom´s love for Sophia and their separation. The next six are set in the open road (the central building) and contain both consequences of the first six and the incidents and details which will bring about a resolution. The last six are set in London (the right wing of the building) and plunge Tom into disastrous circumstances through his actions and get him out of them again (Hilles/Nestvold).This symmetry is characteristic for the early eighteenth century as one can see in its architecture and gardens. Fielding combines traditional neo-classical norms and aesthetics with a new literary genre.

	'''The moral double standard		'''The moral double standard
	'''		'''

	The moral assumptions exhibited in the novel are frankly sexist by today´s standards. “The characterization of Tom Jones displays a tolerance for virile young manhood: he is a sensual youth, easily succumbing to temptation of a sexual nature. This tolerance does not work the other way around, however; the heroine Sophia is virginal and pure, while the women who indulge in sensual pleasures are either tramps like Molly or hypocrites like Lady Bellaston.”(Nestvold) Fielding creates a moral double standard where the hero can be sensual and have ~~affaire~~ and still gets a happy ending whereas the female ~~heroin~~ has to be chaste and moral. His frank acceptance of male sensuality was regarded by many contemporaries with disapproval (ibid), because novels had to be moral.		The moral assumptions exhibited in the novel are frankly sexist by today´s standards. “The characterization of Tom Jones displays a tolerance for virile young manhood: he is a sensual youth, easily succumbing to temptation of a sexual nature. This tolerance does not work the other way around, however; the heroine Sophia is virginal and pure, while the women who indulge in sensual pleasures are either tramps like Molly or hypocrites like Lady Bellaston.” (Nestvold) Fielding creates a moral double standard where the hero can be sensual and have affairs and still gets a happy ending whereas the female heroine has to be chaste and moral. His frank acceptance of male sensuality was regarded by many contemporaries with disapproval (ibid), because novels had to be moral.

	'''Bibliography'''		'''Bibliography'''

A.schmitz: Created page with '== Henry Fielding´s ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling '' == “Henry Fielding´s ''Tom Jones'' is both one of the great comic masterpieces of English literature and a maj…'

2010-01-20T12:52:53Z

Created page with '== Henry Fielding´s ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling '' == “Henry Fielding´s ''Tom Jones'' is both one of the great comic masterpieces of English literature and a maj…'

New page

== Henry Fielding´s ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling
'' ==

“Henry Fielding´s ''Tom Jones'' is both one of the great comic masterpieces of English literature and a major force in the development of the novel form.”(Nestvold) ''Tom Jones'' was first published in 1749 when the novel as a genre was only beginning to be recognized. The novel ''Clarissa'' by S. Richardson appeared only a year before, and for the most part in intellectual circles prose fiction was not considered a worthy pursuit. The sanctioned genres of the first half of the eighteenth century were verse and drama (ibid).

Other novelists still followed the seventeenth century tradition of claiming their fiction was fact, or at least that their tales were moral tracts. They emphasized the instructional rather than the fictional aspect. Fielding was the first major novelist who did not try to convince his readers that what they were reading is actually real (ibid). Fielding tried to define and explain this new genre in the introductory chapters preceding the individual books in ''Tom Jones''. He calls it a “heroical, historical prosaic poem” (IV,1) or a “prosaic-comi-epic writing” (V,1). (ibid) “In defining the novel as an epic genre, Fielding emphasized its function in presenting a broad picture of an era, but one, unlike verse epic, in which primarily the weaknesses of humanity are put on display.”(ibid) According to Fielding, the appropriate subject of the novel is human nature rather than ghosts and fairies. For him there is no space to introduce the supernatural. He rather follows the rules of probability (ibid).
According to Nestvold ''Tom Jones'' contains many conventional narrative elements as ostensibly picaresque form, inserted narrative and the discovery of true identity. Fielding was influenced by drama, his former working field.He began his career as a playwright, a journalist, and a lawyer. He accidently became a novelist, because of the closure of the theatres in London (Chu). The influence of drama on Fielding´s novels was in formal structural elements and the most obvious influence on ''Tom Jones'' was the intricacies of the plot, which are the typical confusions of comedy (Nestvold).

'''The Characters in Tom Jones
'''
In his writing Fielding does not try to create utterly good or evil characters; instead he simply depicts them as what they are: human beings (Chu). According to Rexroth Fielding is constructing a character to demonstrate a thesis and that thesis is humanity (675). The novel is not about showing an ideal character, but to show a human character with all its flaws. “He writes about human nature as it is, instead of showing us how it ought to be.” (Chu) For Fielding the human nature consists of good and evil (ibid). He had to combat the expectations of his days that required novels to be morally written. And so he created characters that were contrasting the predominant characters of the novels in his days, which were too good to be true, like Pamela or Clarissa (ibid).
“Not unlike any of us, Tom Jones, the protagonist, is rather human. He sometimes errs, but is essentially good.[…] Undeniably, his impulsive and affectionate nature gets him involved in many of his problems. But, at the same time, his actions are basically governed by benevolence and generosity.”(ibid)
Fielding frequently uses the method of contrasting pairs to manage his huge cast of characters: Tom is opposed to Blifil, Sophia to Molly and later Lady Bellaston, and Allworthy to Squire Western. The same technique is used with the minor characters: the tutors of Tom and Blifil are Thwackum, representing blind respect for authority, and Square, representing abstract ethics (Nestvold).

'''The Plot'''

The neatly constructed plot reflects a basic eighteenth century faith in the order of the world (Nestvold). It is highly symmetrical in design. One can see neo-classical elements in it, especially if you use Hilles theory. He tries to compare the structure of the plot to an architectural figure and describes it as shaped like a Palladian mansion (788). This is an abstract thought, but if you look at it as an architectual figure it may become clearer. This figure has the architectural shape of a mansion with its two wings and the central building.

Tom Jones is divided into eighteen books which can be redivided into three parts with six books each. The first six books are set in Somerset(the left wing of the mension) and give the cause of the action: Tom´s open, sensual nature; the conflict with Blifil; the misunderstanding with Squire Allworthy; Tom´s love for Sophia and their separation. The next six are set in the open road (the central building) and contain both consequences of the first six and the incidents and details which will bring about a resolution. The last six are set in London (the right wing of the building) and plunge Tom into disastrous circumstances through his actions and get him out of them again (Hilles/Nestvold).(I am sorry, I wanted to include a diagram but I could not.)This symmetry is characteristic for the early eighteenth century as one can see in its architecture and gardens. Fielding combines traditional neo-classical norms and esthetics with a new literary genre.

'''The moral double standard
'''

The moral assumptions exhibited in the novel are frankly sexist by today´s standards. “The characterization of Tom Jones displays a tolerance for virile young manhood: he is a sensual youth, easily succumbing to temptation of a sexual nature. This tolerance does not work the other way around, however; the heroine Sophia is virginal and pure, while the women who indulge in sensual pleasures are either tramps like Molly or hypocrites like Lady Bellaston.”(Nestvold) Fielding creates a moral double standard where the hero can be sensual and have affaire and still gets a happy ending whereas the female heroin has to be chaste and moral. His frank acceptance of male sensuality was regarded by many contemporaries with disapproval (ibid), because novels had to be moral.

'''Bibliography'''

'''Chu, Charles S.J.''': Artifice of Moral Teaching in Fielding´s Tom Jones. http://ir.lib.au.edu.tw/dspace/bitstream/987654321/55/1/019704173180.pdf

'''Hilles, Frederick W.''': Art and Artifice in Tom Jones. In: Henry Fielding Tom Jones. A Critical Edition. The Authoritative Text. Contemporary Reactions. Criticism. 2nd Edition.Sheridan Baker (ed.). The University of Michigan.1995.p.786-800.

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