TOM JONES
A great classic of English Literature belonging to the Augustan/Neo-Classical Age(1700-1798), ‘Tom
Jones’ (1749) is about an impetuous youth who makes a series of imprudent decisions, on account of helping others, but unfortunately to his own detriment. As Achilles who had a vulnerable heel the protagonist of this novel has a weakness too i.e. he is drawn to women like a moth to fire.
This novel has some of the most delectable tongue in cheek humor ever devised by the wit of man. The tongue-in-cheek humor perhaps emanating from the writer’s self-consciousness about his effort to replicate classical models of literature, as was the vogue in literary community then, however there is a distinct effort to move away from the highly stilted, superficial, stylized writing of the early 18th century. Consequently, Fielding’s writing resonates with ideals of liberty, equality, humanity and democracy.
In one of his several introductory prefaces Fielding calls this novel a piece of ‘prosai-comi-epic writing’. Fielding can’t resist parodying Dr. Donne and Sir John Suckling’s romantic style, for eg: in Book 4, chapter 9 he describe the meeting of Jones and Sophia in the vein of a romantic novel where the rosy cheeked maiden waits for her lover and suddenly on the arrival of Mr. Western her face wears a pallor of deathly white. Another instance of Fielding’s sharp tongue-in-cheek mildly sarcastic humor is found in Book 6, chapter 10 where he informs us about the egalitarian politeness of the country folks in the use of the expression ‘kiss my a_ _’ employed on the spur of the moment during bouts of anger but not meant to be taken literally. On the other hand this is a request that gentlemen in cities frequently ask of their inferiors without reciprocating the favor. Sycophancy in cities has seldom been described more wittily than this.
The eponymous hero of the novel betrays signs of generosity and gallantry even as a child. At age 14 he proved his loyalty to the gamekeeper by taking the canning in place of his friend. Tom is a poster boy for chivalrous love however the disastrous consequences of his actions act as a reality check on chivalry stretched too far. Tom is torn between his natural aggressive streak and the Christian tenet of love and brotherhood. He mentions this in his conversation with the lieutenant in Book 7, chapter 14. Upon thinking Fitzpatrick to be dead Tom gives us a sense of his supreme morality and character when he pronounces himself guilty even if the law would find him otherwise.
Mr. Allworthy is dignity personified. He devoted his life to worthy causes like philanthropy and helping the needy. He brought Tom up as his own son and made no distinction between Tom and his nephew Blifil. He is a man of equanimity and is not in pursuit of avarice. When Mr. Western proposes the marriage of Sophia to Blifil, Allworthy is not overjoyed at the expectation of a windfall. Through the characterization of Allworthy Fielding celebrates the spirit of logic and reason of the age as a reaction to the profligacy of the Restoration age. Allworthy represents acceptance of good sense and reasonableness of the Augustan age as opposed to the mysticism and visionary sentimentalism of the Puritans.
Mr. Western is a boisterous, coarse, egotistical, adventure loving man. He listens to his daughter’s every whim and fancy but keeps her on a tight leash. He wants her to marry the man of his choice i.e. a wealthy man. Mrs. Western (Mr. Western’s sister) is a pseudo-intellectual who having read some amount of literature and political/war histories thinks she is well equipped to understand the psyche of people in general. Blifil to use a clichéd term is a teacher’s pet who tries to impress his masters- Thwackum and Square. Blifil’s villainy is of a rather sinister variety. He wants Sophia for the wrong reasons and his hatred for Tom doesn’t let up even when he learns that Tom is his brother. Thwackum and Square represent the cant of the age which Augustan/Neo-Classical writers like Pope found abhorrent. Nightingale is a town fop akin to the present day metro-sexual man, albeit of a superior quality-witty, genteel, generous and somewhat effeminate.
In Book 12, chapter 5 Fielding takes a dig at the inchoate knowledge of the bourgeoisie about art . Fielding here possibly sees the futility of aspirations of upward mobility of the bourgeoisie. Fielding knows that the rarefied air up there can be stifling. The Gypsy king makes a scathing remark about the Western world when he says that civilized people are out to rob each other. Fielding condemns the practice of marriage for the purpose of acquiring wealth as being similar to prostitution. The theme of morality in this novel has a distinct Christian tenor; for eg: The man of the hills says that Christian teachings make objects of divine love while heathen Greek philosophy for human admiration. Jones in Book 17, chapter 9 says that he has faith in God’s providence and he awaits his fate in prison.
The reader cannot keep a straight face after every misfortune that falls on the hero, or after every calamity that besieges the tapestry of humanity, or after a particularly shocking revelation of a dark human trait. Fielding has succinctly summed up his purpose for writing this novel-“To laugh mankind out of their favorite follies and vices.”