Paper 2 The Neoclassical Literature

Name : Sejal N. Solanki 

Roll No. : 36

Semester : 1.

Batch : 2019 - 2021

Enrollment No. : 2069108420200037

Email : sejal.solanki3107@gmail.com

Class : M.A. Sem : 1

Paper : 2. ( The Neoclassical Literature )

Topic : Tom Jones by Henry Fielding. ( Summary)

Submitted by Dr. Dilip Barad 

    Department of English 

Maharaja Krishnakumar singhji Bhavnagar University.

Word Count : 1288.

Tom Jones written by Henry Fielding

Introduction of Writer…

Tom Jones written by a famous writer Henry Fielding. Henry Fielding (22 April 1707 – 8 October 1754) was an English novelist and dramatist known for his rich, earthy humour and satirical prowess, and as the author of the picaresque novel Tom Jones. Additionally, he holds a significant place in the history of law enforcement, having used his authority as a magistrate to found (with his half-brother John) what some have called London's first police force, the Bow Street Runners. His younger sister, Sarah, also became a successful writer.

Introduction of Novel.

The first edition of The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling was published in London on February 28, 1749, by Andrew Miller. A second edition, containing numerous revisions, appeared later that year. A third edition was published in 1750.

Tom Jones written in Three ( 3 ) parts. It is a satire on society and laugh on tradition and behaviour. In this book Writer wrote such a great work. The Novel Tom Jones deal with the life of Tom. Major themes of the Novel are Tom's love , villainy of some people , hypocrisy and Human nature. 

On an inherited estate in Somerset shire in southwestern England, Squire Allworthy lives comfortably in a magnificent Gothic mansion with his spinster sister Bridget. Allworthy had been married to a beautiful woman who bore him three children, all of whom died in infancy. Their mother then followed them to the grave. The squire does not intend to remarry. If Bridget marries and bears a child, it would become the squire's heir. She has time, for she is still in her thirties.

Henry fielding made Tom’s character as became ambiguity.  The novel “Tom Jones” was combination of comedy and moral judgment. Fielding use of language as irony. We know that literary meaning of the world and how they constructed of life in social construction. We see the gentle man may not mean the same in connotation significance. The structure of the novel “Tom Jones” is Irony of Form”.  The novel was narrated as third person narration. Tom character is good and bad both the side. And every action has dual meaning in the novel form need for ironic. It should be simple and supportive. It is for our psychological mind and an ethical pleasure. It is a virtual history or memory created by a literary artist with the perception of real world experience.  How tom Jones was reflected England society and youth represented them. He was rebellions younger man and sent mental man as a satire and realistic novel. Mrs. Water role was servant. Tom was relation with bridge. So called social morality is the result of irony in the novel. Sophia was loved her father and how she became good to tom. She was recognized and clear them. Jenny is happy and given good things to Tom. He was love them his aunt Jenny. Jenny and Mrs. Water was vital role in tom’s life.  Here we see that generation gap and how society represented them. Tom falls to play his role as power a responsible brother and lack of decisive power. How his human nature to time life it's become you. We see our self to become tom. Tom misjudgment fails to understand human nature. Mr.Allworthy and Mrs. Allworthy play vital of Tom s life. We see that Sophia love tom but here we see that Tom affair with many girls. He was respected to women but not evil of the Jones family.

Mrs. Allworthy: I knew!  I have faults, but ingratitude to you is not one of them. I never can nor shall forget your goodness, which lawn I have very little deserved…

              Here we see that tom becomes good to Allworthy family. He was rich but not any child to them. That’s why tom became a member of this family. Many a time jenny is match making of many characters. Tom’s basic goodness must either arise from innate qualities or be learned. Allworthy natural love of justice and his coolness of temper. In that case, we see that Allworthy given to improper trial by tom. When dinner was over, and servants departed Mr.allworthy began to harangue. He set him and a long speech to tom.

                In the novel we say that Tom is innocent child but society given to bad thing to Tom’s life. How nobility of heart and to be birth in found tom character. Fielding is creating reality of social, morality, political and economical consenter in novel. Fielding given to moral lesson and use “I” and “My” as may be Reader. But in perhaps the reader may wonder why lady Ballston.  Who in Sophia heart hatred. she should be so desirous of promoting a match which was so much to interest of young woman. Tom Jones makes us laugh at our own weakness in this novel.

One evening, upon his return from a three-month business trip in London, the squire discovers an infant soundly sleeping in his bed and summons his housekeeper, Mrs. Deborah Wilkins, to care for it until the squire gets a nurse for the child. Mrs. Wilkins speculates that the child was born of a neighborhood "hussy" who ought to be punished severely.

Faugh! how it stinks!" she says. "It doth not smell like a Christian."

                     She recommends that the squire place it in a basket and take it to the local church. But he has already grown fond of the little chap.

                              

At breakfast the next day, Allworthy informs his sister of the find. She exhibits compassion for the child but not for the mother, whom she refers to as an "audacious harley," "wicked jade," and "vile strumpet." After concluding that none of their virtuous servant girls could be impugned in the matter, the Allworthys charge Mrs. Wilkins with learning the identity of the mother. The housekeeper secures the help of a friend, an elderly matron who knows her way around the neighborhood.    

It is not long before they fix their suspicion on a young girl named Jenny Jones, the servant of a schoolmaster, Mr. Partridge. She is unlike other girls her age, surrounded by the schoolmaster's books, she has educated herself and even learned Latin from her master. The suspicions of the two women intensify when they recall that Jenny had spent time in the Allworthy home tending Miss Bridget during an illness.

When Mrs. Wilkins summons her, she confesses her guilt. Squire Allworthy, a magistrate, tells the girl that the law empowers him to punish her. However, he merely upbraids her for her immoral conduct, then informs her that he will rear the child in his home and provide for it in a way that she cannot. When he asks her to identify the father, she says honor and “religious vows" prevent her from doing so. Allworthy sends her to Little Eddington, a town a day's journey away, to protect her from wagging tongues. Neighbors then aim their gossip at Allworthy, suggesting that he fathered the child. He is, of course, innocent of the charge.

   So we can say that Tom represent to youth. And society becomes wild of them, there are so bad to people them. Fielding use to satire and comic sconce in novel to may be his styles of writing. Tom character was good and bad but at the end he became moral and   religious person.