HENRY FIELDING'S USE OF SATIRE
by
KEITH JOHN MEAGHER
B . A . , The U n i v e r s i t y of
B r i t i s h Columbia,
1964
A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF ARTS
in the
Department
of
E n g l i sh
We a c c e p t
t h i s t h e s i s as conforming to
required standard
r
THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
September,
1966
the
In presenting t h i s t h e s i s i n p a r t i a l f u l f i l m e n t of the requirements
f o r an advanced degree at the U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia,, I agree
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study,
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Department of
The U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia
Vancouver 8 , Canada
•
i i
Abstract
Henry F i e l d i n g ' s Use of
Poet, playwright,
journalist,
duced a s t r i k i n g v a r i e t y of works
Satire
and n o v e l i s t , Henry F i e l d i n g p r o in h i s l i t e r a r y
p o r t i o n o f t h e s e works a r e f i l l e d w i t h s a t i r e .
career.
The numerous f a r c e s ,
b u r l e s q u e s and comedies F i e l d i n g produced as a d r a m a t i s t
for
t h e i r appeal on the s o c i a l ,
A large
l i t e r a r y and p o l i t i c a l
relied
heavily
s a t i r e they c o n -
tained.
The i r o n y and d e r i s i o n
in these works was d i r e c t e d a t s p e c i f i c
elements
in h i s s o c i e t y which F i e l d i n g f e l t m e r i t e d e x p o s u r e .
was t h a t of the Augustan s a t i r i s t
r i d i c u l i n g the f o l l y
His pose
he w i t n e s s e d
around him.
F i e l d i n g ' s f i r s t attempts at p r o s e were a l s o s a t i r i c a l , w i t h many
o f the t a r g e t s
the same as those he had a t t a c k e d in h i s p l a y s .
However,
the n a t u r e o f h i s s a t i r e began to change, to take on moral o v e r t o n e s as
he began to c o n c e n t r a t e on l a r g e r , more fundamental
man and h i s r e l a t i o n to s o c i e t y .
tained s a t i r e
fully
Jonathan W i l d , F i e l d i n g ' s most s u s -
in the Augustan manner, i s the f i r s t o f h i s works
r e v e a l the a u t h o r ' s p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h moral
In t h i s
problems c o n c e r n i n g
i s s u e s of h i s day.
s a t i r e F i e l d i n g ' s concern is w i t h the p r i n c i p l e s t h a t govern
human b e h a v i o u r and the whole q u e s t i o n of good and e v i l
T h i s type of moral s a t i r e
is c a r r i e d further
in man's n a t u r e .
in Joseph Andrews and Tom
Jones where F i e l d i n g s e t s out not o n l y to r i d i c u l e s o c i e t y ' s
but a l s o to p o r t r a y a way o f
man.
He i s no l o n g e r the s a t i r i s t
of good and e v i l .
c o n c e n t r a t i n g on the e v i l
its
in s o c i e t y ,
intricate
blendings
Even in h i s comic n o v e l s , h o w e v e r , F i e l d i n g never
c o m p l e t e l y abandoned the r o l e o f s a t i r i s t ,
o f the s a t i r e
follies,
l i f e as a norm o f b e h a v i o u r f o r the common
f o r as n o v e l i s t he must p o r t r a y s o c i e t y w i t h a l l
that
to
and i t
i s the changing n a t u r e
in h i s works as he s w i t c h e d from d r a m a t i s t
I d i s c u s s in t h i s
thesis.
to
novelist
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter
I
11
Page
Introduction
A Writer of
1
'Dramatick
The A u t h o r ' s
Satire'
10
Farce
The Tragedy of
Tragedies
Pasqu i n
I II
The Miscel1 a n l e s
33
" E s s a y on N o t h i n g "
"Some PAPERS P r o p e r to be Read
b e f o r e the R
1 Society"
IV
V
Jonathan W i l d
50
Sat i r i s t to Novel i s t
70
A d i s c u s s i o n of Shame1 a , Joseph
Andrews, Tom J o n e s , and Amel i a .
VI
Conclusion
102
Introduction
Henry F i e l d i n g i s best known as a u t h o r of the two comic m a s t e r p i e c e s , Joseph Andrews and Tom J o n e s .
His r e p u t a t i o n as a novel i s t
w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d , but h i s s t a n d i n g as a s a t i r i s t
A l a r g e p o r t i o n of h i s w r i t i n g s
remains h a z i l y d e f i n e d .
i s now n e g l e c t e d by the general
reading
p u b l i c who p r e f e r h i s n o v e l s to h i s d r a m a t i c works o r h i s essays
which h i s r o l e as s a t i r i s t
i s most e v i d e n t .
is
in
However, F i e l d i n g ' s e x -
p e r i e n c e as a d r a m a t i s t and a w r i t e r of prose s a t i r e p r o v i d e d v a l u a b l e
training
for h i s eventual
r o l e as a n o v e l i s t .
In a l l
i n c l u d i n g h i s comic n o v e l s , s a t i r e p l a y s a prominent
From a t e c h n i c a l v i e w p o i n t ,
ground can be seen throughout
evidence of
his novels.
h i s major w o r k s ,
part.
F i e l d i n g ' s d r a m a t i c back-
Their masterful
c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n s , and the sense one has of the n a r r a t o r ' s
trol,
r e v e a l the a u t h o r ' s e a r l y t r a i n i n g .
to the s p i r i t
found
in a l l
o f the w o r k s , f o r t h e r e
the a u t h o r ' s w r i t i n g s .
plots,
their
complete c o n -
But the s i m i l a r i t i e s
go d e e p e r ,
i s the same d e s i r e to
instruct
This i n s t r u c t i v e nature
usually
manifests
itself
in the s a t i r e the works c o n t a i n .
F i e l d i n g experimented
c o n t i n u a l l y w i t h form, but h i s b a s i c s u b j e c t m a t t e r ,
c a l l e d h i s moral p o s i t i o n ,
remained u n a l t e r e d .
and what may be
He was a c i v i c - m i n d e d
w r i t e r , a man p r e o c c u p i e d w i t h the s o c i e t y around him.
He was a product
of h i s a g e , a p e r f e c t example of the Augustan i d e a l of the p u b l i c man.
As such a l l
h i s works were e s s e n t i a l l y concerned w i t h c o n t r a s t i n g
p o s s i b i l i t i e s t h a t e x i s t e d f o r man as a r a t i o n a l
t h a t he a c t u a l l y committed.
p a r t i c u l a r l y on the misuse of
b e i n g w i t h the
He a t t a c k e d v i c e in a l l
reason — f a l s e t a s t e s
the
folly
its forms, focussing
in l e a r n i n g ,
the
abuse of knowledge - - any d e p a r t u r e from what was g e n e r a l l y a c c e p t e d as
the norm o f d e c e n t , r e s p o n s i b l e humanity.
was an end in i t s e l f ,
the u l t i m a t e
it
i n t e n t i o n of the a r t i s t .
is f r e q u e n t l y
And in the n o v e l s , as in Tom
remains an i n t e g r a l
p a r t of the work even
used f o r the sake of the comic e f f e c t
the f i e r c e r q u a l i t i e s of formal
and l a c k s
satire.
P a s s i n g from the damning i n d i c t m e n t of Jonathan W i l d to the
ful
warmth and humour of Tom Jones would seem to o f f e r a study
posites.
One i s formal
e p i c poem in p r o s e . "
r a d i c a l one.
delight-
in o p -
s a t i r e , the o t h e r a " c o m i c romance," or a " c o m i c
However, the s p i r i t
F i e l d i n g ' s comic n o v e l s .
t i s t and s a t i r i s t
satire
the exposure and r i d u c u l e of s a t i r i c t a r g e t s was
Jones f o r example, s a t i r e
though
In h i s e a r l y w r i t i n g s
of s a t i r e pervades even
The change t h a t F i e l d i n g underwent from drama-
to n o v e l i s t
was n e i t h e r a p a r t i c u l a r l y
He grew i n t o the n o v e l i s t ' s
sudden nor a
r o l e w i t h lengthy works
like
A Journey From Th i s Wor1d to the Next and Jonathan W i l d , and in so d o i n g
g e n t l y shrugged o f f
the s t r i c t e r
c o n f i n e s of formal
s a t i r e without ever
3
c o m p l e t e l y abandoning the r o l e of s a t i r i s t .
the novel a l l o w e d him, F i e l d i n g c o u l d
d i d best — weave h i s
intricate
With the g r e a t e r
indulge h i m s e l f
freedom
in the t h i n g s he
p l o t s , provide lengthy,
d e t a i l e d de-
s c r i p t i o n of c h a r a c t e r , and lead h i s reader i n t o s u r p r i s e a f t e r
p r i s e — and s t i l l
pound a moral
s a t i s f y h i s d e s i r e to w r i t e i n s t r u c t i v e l y ,
sur-
to e x -
doctrine.
Joseph And rews, Tom J o n e s , and Amelia r e p r e s e n t a more compreh e n s i v e statement of F i e l d i n g ' s a l r e a d y w e l l e s t a b l i s h e d views on
and human n a t u r e .
They a r e a l l
e s s e n t i a l l y moral w o r k s , but
it
life
is
in
the two comic n o v e l s t h a t F i e l d i n g most o f t e n employs s a t i r e as an i n strument
in h i s ' m o r a l i z i n g . '
Ame1ia,
his last novel,
a n g r i e s t s o c i a l comment F i e l d i n g makes, but
least s a t i r i c a l .
satiric
indictment
it
is, paradoxically,
The b i t t e r n e s s of Amel ia is f a r
of Jonathan W i l d .
emerges as a t h r e a t e n i n g
i s the s e v e r e s t ,
removed from
In the l a t t e r , the
satanic figure,
his
the
highwayman-hero
one who i s so c o m p l e t e l y
evil
t h a t he must be h a t e d , yet one so cunning and d e c e p t i v e t h a t he must
be f e a r e d and even a d m i r e d .
Jonathan W i l d i s b r i l l i a n t
suggests a somewhat more f r u s t r a t e d
in s e n t i m e n t a l
fashion.
s a t i r e , Amelia
F i e l d i n g lamenting s o c i e t y ' s e v i l s
It would seem t h a t , w i t h each novel he w r o t e ,
F i e l d i n g drew f u r t h e r away from the pure s a t i r e t h a t marked h i s
works and c l o s e r to a form o f moral
The t r a n s f o r m a t i o n
the a r t i s t ' s
to n o v e l i s t
involves a s h i f t
A change of focus o c c u r s .
l o n g e r emphasizes s o l e l y the e v i l
the f o l l y
didacticism.
from s a t i r i s t
perspective.
earlier
in h i s s o c i e t y .
in
The a u t h o r no
The s a t i r i s t
exposes
he w i t n e s s e s around him, the n o v e l i s t adds new dimensions
until
the exposure of v i c e becomes o n l y p a r t o f a much l a r g e r p l a n t h a t
involves a portrayal
instructive
o f good as w e l l as e v i l .
satire
is c e n t r a l
However, because the
to the n o v e l i s t ' s p u r p o s e ,
can view F i e l d i n g ' s n o v e l s as h a v i n g a s a t i r i c
In h i s n o v e l s , F i e l d i n g
is no l e s s
farces or his s a t i r i c a l
is r a d i c a l l y d i f f e r e n t .
The s a t i r i s t
core.
i n t e n t upon p o i n t i n g out man's
shortcomings and e x p o s i n g h y p o c r i s y in a l l
his p o l i t i c a l
I t h i n k one
i t s forms than he was
essays.
in
His a p p r o a c h , however,
s i n g l e s out h i s t a r g e t s and s e t s
out to d e s t r o y them w i t h any means a t h i s d i s p o s a l , the n o v e l i s t ,
the o t h e r hand, i s not c o n f i n e d to d e s c r i b i n g the e v i l
in h i s
on
society,
he can be as l i b e r a l
w i t h h i s p r a i s e as w i t h h i s c r i t i c i s m .
One modern
view of the s a t i r i s t
is t h a t he p r e s e n t s the reader w i t h the
evil,
blowing
i t s u g l i n e s s in an attempt to convey the
threat
it
up in a l l
he f e e l s
the s a t i r i s t
be.
it
r e p r e s e n t s to s o c i e t y .
i m p l i e s what the a l t e r n a t i v e ,
For F i e l d i n g , and f o r w r i t e r s
By c o n c e n t r a t i n g on the
the norm o f b e h a v i o u r ,
It
It
had i t s
d e s i r e d by any man w i t h the power and the w i l l
roots
in
Chris-
l i f e as an end to be
to r e a s o n .
s a t i r e t h i s norm is i m p l i e d o r s t a t e d more than
trated.
In Jonathan W i l d t h i s
rivetted
on the e v i l
the l i s t s
should
and was based on laws d i c t a t e d by n a t u r e and by r e a s o n .
proposed a r e f i n e d , c u l t u r e d , d i g n i f i e d way of
In formal
evil
o f the e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y on the
w h o l e , t h i s norm was remarkably c o n s i s t e n t .
trian tradition
terrifying
i s the c a s e .
personified
illus-
The r e a d e r ' s a t t e n t i o n
in W i l d h i m s e l f .
The H e a r t f r e e s
in w h i t e armour, so to speak, but they a r e
is
enter
representative
f i g u r e s o f good, used o n l y to emphasize the thorough e v i l
of the h i g h -
5
wayman.
The norm i s i m p l i e d r a t h e r than p o r t r a y e d — somewhere between
the p o l e s t h a t H e a r t f r e e and W i l d r e p r e s e n t l i e s the d e s i r e d norm of
b e h a v i o u r f o r the common man.
The s a t i r i s t ' s way is to f o c u s on the
e v i l which he i s t r y i n g to warn h i s readers o f .
frightening
image of the l u r k i n g d a n g e r .
method in h i s n o v e l s .
He p r e s e n t s a v i v i d ,
F i e l d i n g d e p a r t s from
For here the a u t h o r g i v e s us as h i s
this
central
f i g u r e s c h a r a c t e r s l i k e Parson Adams o r Tom Jones who a r e themselves
m i x t u r e s of good and e v i l , and t h e r e f o r e more than s y m b o l i c f i g u r e s .
In t h e i r a d v e n t u r e s , Adams and Tom c o n s t a n t l y come in c o n t a c t w i t h
f o r c e s of good as w e l l as e v i l , a l l o w i n g the n a r r a t o r
to p o r t r a y
b l e s s i n g s of the former as w e l l as reveal the u g l i n e s s of the
the
latter.
What i s p r e s e n t e d i s not the s a t i r i s t ' s w o r l d of b l a c k and w h i t e ,
the m u l t i - c o l o u r e d w o r l d of the n o v e l i s t .
but
In F i e l d i n g ' s n o v e l s i t
not an i m p l i e d norm, but an i l l u s t r a t e d one, i t
i s not s t a t e d ,
it
is
is
p o r t r a y e d through example.
As a d r a m a t i s t ,
however, F i e l d i n g ' s concern was w i t h the e v i l
not w i t h p o r t r a y i n g an a l t e r n a t i v e
his novels.
itself,
to the e v i l as he was l a t e r to do in
In h i s d r a m a t i c c a r e e r and in h i s f i r s t attempts at prose
Fielding utilized all
the t o o l s of the s a t i r i s t ' s
f a r c e s and b u r l e s q u e s enjoyed immense s u c c e s s .
trade.
His e a r l y
In The A u t h o r ' s
Farce
and The Tragedy of T r a g e d i e s , F i e l d i n g r i d i c u l e d the t a s t e s o f a
f a s h i o n a b l e s o c i e t y which was l a v i s h i n g both i t s time and p r a i s e on
frivolous entertainments.
Pantomine, t u m b l i n g e x h i b i t i o n s , and
Italian
opera were among the d i v e r s i o n s most l o u d l y applauded by the beau monde.
The young d r a m a t i s t was a l i g n i n g h i m s e l f w i t h w r i t e r s
l i k e Dryden and
6
Pope and Gay in waging a war a g a i n s t d u l l n e s s as d i s p l a y e d in d e c l i n i n g
literary
s t a n d a r d s and f a l s e t a s t e s .
His c o n c e r n , as had been t h a t of
the famous S c r i b l e r u s C1ub(1713)> was w i t h the general misuse o f r e a s o n .
His p l a y s depended l a r g e l y on the contemporaneity o f the s a t i r e
contained for
their
success.
f o r they were w r i t t e n
they
They were w i t t y and s h a r p l y s a t i r i c a l ,
in a c r i t i c a l
a g e , one in which s o c i a l
habits
were p e r p e t u a l l y s a t i r i z e d and l i t e r a t u r e c o n s t a n t l y c r i t i c i z e d .
of the s a t i r e o f the e a r l y p l a y s was d i r e c t e d a t the l i t e r a r y
particularly
a t the hack w r i t e r s
Much
scene,
of Grub S t r e e t .
In P a s q u i n F i e l d i n g found a new f o r t e — p o l i t i c a l
satire.
He had
i nt roduced pol 11 i ca1 s a t i re in the ea r 1 i e r Don Qu i xote i n Engl and w i t h
f a v o u r a b l e r e s u l t s , but s t i l l
expectation.
As in h i s o t h e r p o l i t i c a l
expose the c o r r u p t i o n
like all
the r e c e p t i o n of P a s q u i n exceeded a l l
f a r c e s F i e l d i n g s e t out
t h a t e x i s t e d in the Walpole a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ,
villains,
but o f a l l
it
the t a r g e t
i s no l o n g e r one v i l l a i n but
all
i s not j u s t the c o r r u p t i o n and g r a f t of one government,
governments.
When F i e l d i n g turned t o p r o s e he c o n t i n u e d w r i t i n g
Many of h i s t a r g e t s
w i t h new forms,
in a s a t i r i c
remained the same, but he began to experiment
the p e r s o n a , e p i s t l e s , dream v i s i o n s , mock s c h o l a r s h i p ,
b u r l e s q u e c r i t i c i s m , mock encomia and numerous o t h e r s .
works
but
good s a t i r e F i e l d i n g ' s i r o n i c denouncement becomes u n i v e r s a l
in i t s a p p l i c a t i o n u n t i l
vein.
to
Several of
his
in t h i s p e r i o d were c a s t in the mold o f L u c i a n , and many were not
u n l i k e the essays of
general t o n e .
S w i f t both in the p o l i s h o f t h e i r p r o s e and in
In t h i s p e r i o d a l s o F i e l d i n g began w r i t i n g moral
essays
7
on s u b j e c t s t h a t were t o become major themes
moralist
in him began to emerge a l o n g s i d e the
Jonathan W i l d r e p r e s e n t s a c u r i o u s
It
in h i s n o v e l s , and the
satirist.
landmark
is a c u l m i n a t i o n of the type o f formal
in F i e l d i n g ' s
satire
he had been w r i t i n g
in h i s p l a y s and e s s a y s , and a t the same time i t
t h a t look forward
represents
to h i s c a r e e r as n o v e l i s t .
F i e l d i n g ' s most s u s t a i n e d formal
h e r o , emerges as a t h r e a t to any s o c i e t y .
politician,
the c u t t h r o a t businessman
career.
c o n t a i n s many elements
C e r t a i n l y Jonathan W i l d
satire.
He is the
in f a c t ,
W i l d , the
anti-
'great man ,
the
1
he is any person
who has r i s e n to power by t r a m p l i n g on the r i g h t s and f e e l i n g s of
He is the m a n i p u l a t o r ,
the man who p l a y s w i t h human l i v e s as i f
designed s p e c i f i c a l l y f o r
nothing
h i s own u s e .
i s the source o f h i s s t r e n g t h ,
to cope w i t h j u s t such an inhuman p r o d u c t
Jonathan W i l d
purpose
is r e m i n i s c e n t o f
Yet in s p i t e o f t h i s ,
p o i n t forward
and i t
that
is r e l e n t l e s s , b i t t e r s a t i r e .
in the work t h a t
is s o c i e t y ' s
i s so
frightening.
Most o b v i o u s among
i s F i e l d i n g ' s use o f the m o c k - h e r o i c .
it
is
He had of
in the s t o r y
W i l d t h a t one sees F i e l d i n g u s i n g the e p i c s i m i l e and i n f l a t e d
t h a t he was l a t e r
satires.
in Jonathan W i l d which
course made use o f t h i s d e v i c e in Tom Thumb, but
novels.
inability
S w i f t ' s most powerful
t h e r e a r e elements
w i t h some o f the same e f f e c t
His very
There is a s i n g l e n e s s o f
to Joseph Andrews and Tom J o n e s .
these s i m i l a r i t i e s
they were
The f e e l i n g s of o t h e r s mean
to him f o r he is concerned w i t h W i l d and W i l d a l o n e .
immorality
others.
of
language
to use them in h i s comic
8
With Joseph Andrews F i e l d i n g adopted a new mode of w r i t i n g .
What
began as a r e a c t i o n to R i c h a r d s o n ' s Pamela e v o l v e d i n t o a unique
form
of moral s a t i r e which F i e l d i n g couched in what he termed a 'mock e p i c
poem in p r o s e ' .
His r o l e
i s no l o n g e r s t r i c t l y
t h a t of s a t i r i s t ,
as n o v e l i s t he must be a f a r more g e n i a l e n t e r t a i n e r .
for
In h i s comic
n o v e l s the s a t i r e f u n c t i o n s f o r the sake o f the comedy r a t h e r than
the s a t i r i c e f f e c t
alone.
character p o r t r a i t s ,
This is p a r t i c u l a r l y
but even when the
true
itself
i s b e i n g c a l l e d to t a s k
f o r s i n s committed, much of the s t i n g of the s a t i r e
laughter are s t i l l
in the case of
i s s u e s a r e l a r g e r , when F i e l d i n g
is a t t a c k i n g a g r e a t e r e v i l , when s o c i e t y
because echoes of
for
ringing
i s removed s i m p l y
in the r e a d e r ' s e a r s .
It
i s good-«natured s a t i r e w i t h the exposure and the r i d i c u l e c a r r i e d out
in the most c o n g e n i a l f a s h i o n .
satire
is o f t e n
reduced to a p l a y f u l
pervades these n o v e l s .
tender.
However, even though the b i t e of
n i p , the s p i r i t
of s a t i r e
still
The a r c h - v i l l a in remains the h y p o c r i t e , the p r e -
P r i d e and v a n i t y
s i n g l e d out and unmasked.
in a l l
It
their
f o o l i s h forms a r e
is d e l i g h t f u l
continually
to t r a c e the e x p o s u r e , to
see j u s t how deep F i e l d i n g ' s u n d e r s t a n d i n g of human n a t u r e
His s a t i r i c t a r g e t s
the
remained remarkably c o n s t a n t throughout
penetrated.
his career,
in keeping w i t h h i s f i r m moral v i e w s .
It
is my i n t e n t i o n
to d i s c u s s a number o f
c e n t r a t i n g on the s a t i r e they c o n t a i n .
F i e l d i n g ' s works, con-
As a d r a m a t i s t and a w r i t e r
e s s a y s F i e l d i n g deserves to be ranked as a s k i l l e d s a t i r i s t ,
this
reader a t
of
and to
l e a s t , Jonathan W i l d remains one of the f i e r c e s t , most
s u c c e s s f u l l y s u s t a i n e d s a t i r e s of the p e r i o d .
In t r a c i n g F i e l d i n g ' s
9
c a r e e r from s a t i r i s t
to n o v e l i s t
it
p o s i t i o n the t a l e of W i l d o c c u p i e s .
is i n t e r e s t i n g
It
to note the
i s the best of h i s
unique
formal
s a t i r e s and at the same time
it
latent
When F i e l d i n g turned to the novel he r e -
power as a n o v e l i s t .
mained a s a t i r i s t
at heart.
s a t i r e , and the u l t i m a t e
rather
than s a t i r i c ,
A l t h o u g h he was no l o n g e r w r i t i n g
effect
still
c o n t a i n s many foreshadowings of
his
formal
of h i s two e p i c s o f the road was comic
t h e s e n o v e l s were f i l l e d
with
instructive
s a t i r e c a l c u l a t e d towards d e s c r i b i n g o r e s t a b l i s h i n g a mode of moral
conduct.
A W r i t e r of
'Dramatick
Henry F i e l d i n g began h i s l i t e r a r y
Satire
1
c a r e e r as a d r a m a t i s t .
His
comedies, f a r c e s , b u r l e s q u e s , and b a l l a d operas would be s u f f i c i e n t
secure him a p o s i t i o n
in E n g l i s h l e t t e r s
even i f
f a t e had not
steered
him towards the n o v e l s on which most of h i s p o p u l a r fame i s based.
the n i n e - y e a r span from 1728 u n t i l
to
the L i c e n s i n g Act c u t s h o r t
In
his
d r a m a t i c c a r e e r in 1737, F i e l d i n g produced twenty-odd p l a y s , many of
which,
1 i k e Don Q,u i xote
immense p o p u l a r i t y .
i n Eng 1 and , Tom Thumb or Pasqu i n , enjoyed
He i s the s i n g l e most important
t h e a t e r of the 1730 s.
1
politics
is b r i s k and
F i e l d i n g d i s p l a y e d the a g e ' s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c concern w i t h
and f a s h i o n , and w i t h the general s t a t e o f s o c i e t y
to c u l t u r e — p a r t i c u l a r l y
of
With h i s v i g o r o u s s t y l e he r e c o r d s London
e s p e c i a l l y t h a t of the beau monde, in language t h a t
captivating.
literature.
in the
The contemporaneity of h i s p l a y s makes them
i n v a l u a b l e s o c i a l documents.
life,
figure
All
in
the much f e a r e d d e g e n e r a t i o n of the
h i s comedies of f a s h i o n a b l e l i f e and h i s
regard
standards
political
11
and t h e a t r i c a l
burlesques r e f l e c t
many f r a i l t i e s
and v i c e s .
h i s concern w i t h s o c i e t y and
its
In the b u r l e s q u e s of The A u t h o r ' s F a r c e , Tom Thumb, Pasqu i n , and
The H i s t o r i c a l
R e g i s t e r , F i e l d i n g c r e a t e d a genre f o r
genre which he cal.led ' D r a m a t i c k S a t i r e .
performed on March 30, 1730.
1
himself,
The A u t h o r ' s
the
Farce was f i r s t
It was h i s t h i r d d r a m a t i c attempt^ and
gave many h i n t s of the a u t h o r ' s
l a t e n t power as a s a t i r i s t .
By h i s
c h o i c e of the pseudonymn " S c r i b l e r u s S e c u n d u s , " F i e l d i n g i n d i c a t e d
satirical
and S w i f t ,
took i t
d e s i g n , f o r he was p l a y f u l l y
his
a s s o c i a t i n g h i s name w i t h Pope
the founders of the famous S c r i b l e r u s Club whose members
upon themselves to r i d i c u l e
The p l a y
is d i v i d e d
a young p l a y w r i g h t ,
s o c i a l and l i t e r a r y
i n t o two p a r t s ,
abuses.
the f i r s t p o r t r a y s
the l o t
L u c k l e s s , who is dependent upon t h e a t r i c a l
of
managers
and b o o k s e l l e r s f o r h i s l i v e l i h o o d , and the second p a r t , "The P l e a s u r e s
of the Town," d e p i c t s the r e h e a r s a l of a d r a m a t i c e n t e r t a i n m e n t
c u l i n g the amusements of the f a s h i o n a b l e w o r l d .
h i s s o c i e t y , more than a n y t h i n g e l s e ,
public censure, for
of
It was the t a s t e
the f a s h i o n a b l e e n t e r t a i n m e n t
The drama — a t
least
o f the day c o n s i s t e d
in the hands o f w r i t e r s
F i e l d i n g — shared w i t h n o n - d r a m a t i c
Following L£ve_jj]_Sevej^^
of
t h a t F i e l d i n g was h o l d i n g up to
I t a l i a n o p e r a , f a r c e s , pantomines, t u m b l i n g e x h i b i t i o n s
tragedies.
ridi-
l i t e r a t u r e the e a r l y
and bombastic
l i k e Gay and
eighteenth-
and The Temple Beau
(1730).
12
c e n t u r y d i s p o s i t i o n towards s a t i r e , and t h e r e was no b e t t e r
show up the a b s u r d i t i e s and f r i v o l o u s
entertainments
w i t h the stage than on the stage i t s e l f .
was one of c u l t u r a l
o b v i o u s than
The f a c t
being a s s o c i a t e d
d e c l i n e and t h a t t h i s d e g e n e r a t i o n was nowhere more
in the l i t e r a t u r e
and drama p o p u l a r w i t h the s o c i a l
t h a t these s p e c t a c l e s , the puppet shows and pantomines,
o b j e c t of h i s a t t a c k
in The A u t h o r ' s
many a r t i s t s
elite.
for
F i e l d i n g ' s o u t r a g e and the
Farce.
Because o f t h e i r
t h e s e d i s p l a y s were taken up by the t h e a t r i c a l
business ventures.
to
F i e l d i n g f e a r e d t h a t h i s age
example, were so p o p u l a r , was the cause f o r
literary
place
popularity,
managers s t r i c t l y
No concern was shown f o r a r t i s t i c m e r i t .
as good
However,
r e g i s t e r e d a l o u d , c l e a r p r o t e s t a g a i n s t t h i s d e c l i n e of
s t a n d a r d s , and F i e l d i n g ' s p r o t e s t s were as a r t i c u l a t e
On o p e n i n g , the p l a y had as i t s
immediate s a t i r i c a l
targets
Cibber and Robert W i l k s , both actor-managers of Drury Lane.
v i s e d v e r s i o n a change was made in the s u b s t i t u t i o n
as any.
Col l e y
In the
re-
of T h e o p h i l u s C i b b e r
f o r W i l k s — a change which must have added much in the way of comic
enjoyment,
for
F i e l d i n g ' s a u d i e n c e seemed to l i k e n o t h i n g more than
s e e i n g the C i b b e r s r i d i c u l e d .
and a t times even b i t t e r ,
it
l a r g e r purpose of the s a t i r e .
While such treatment
still
was q u i t e
personal
rose above mere abuse to s e r v e the
As one c r i t i c
points
out.
They (the C i b b e r s ) a r e made to s e r v e a s y m b o l i c f u n c t i o n s i m i l a r
to t h a t served l a t e r by Col ley C i b b e r in the r e v i s e d Dune i a d ,
they a r e types o f the t h e a t e r manager, the d i c t a t o r o f d r a m a t i c
a r t in t h a t time of l i t e r a r y d e p r a v i t y , a t once p e r c e p t i v e
judges o f the p u b l i c t a s t e and h e a d s t r o n g , v a i n t y r a n t s who
13
p r i d e themselves on c a p r i c i o u s c o n d u c t .
The f a c t t h a t the C i b b e r s were w e l l
the s a t i r e ' s
known to the audience heightened
immediate a p p e a l , but on the l a r g e r s c a l e they were s t o c k
v i l l a i n s , j u s t as young L u c k l e s s , the
sented a t y p i c a l
v i c t i m of t h e i r
impoverished p l a y w r i g h t ,
repre-
villainy.
Witmore admonishes L u c k l e s s f o r a t t e m p t i n g to be a w r i t e r
in such
an a g e ;
S'death!
in an age of l e a r n i n g and t r u e p o l i t e n e s s , when a
man might succeed by h i s m e r i t , t h e r e would be some e n c o u r a g e ment.
But now, when p a r t y and p r e j u d i c e c a r r y a l l b e f o r e them,
when l e a r n i n g i s d e c r i e d , w i t not u n d e r s t o o d , when the t h e a t r e s
a r e puppet-shows, and the comedians b a l l a d - s i n g e r s , when f o o l s
lead the town, would a man t h i n k to t h r i v e by h i s w i t
If
thou must w r i t e , w r i t e nonsense, w r i t e o p e r a s , w r i t e H u r l o thrumbos, s e t up an o r a t o r y and preach nonsense, and you may
meet w i t h encouragement enough. Be p r o f a n e , be s c u r r i l o u s ,
be immodest...3
7
The angry Witmore c o n t i n u e s in t h i s v e i n , a t t a c k i n g in h i s
s o l d i e r s , p h y s i c i a n s , l a w y e r s , c o u r t i e r s , and f l a t t e r i n g
damns the p r a c t i c e of patronage by t e l l i n g L u c k l e s s i t
t o succeed in l e t t e r s
all
in such an age;
"If
outburst
poets.
He
i s the o n l y way
thou w i l t , w r i t e a g a i n s t
these r e a s o n s , get a p a t r o n , be pimp t o some w o r t h l e s s man of
John L o f t i s , Comedy and S o c i e t y from Congreve to F i e l d i n g
quality,
(Stanford
U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1959), p. 4 0 .
3
The A u t h o r ' s F a r c e , The Complete Works o f Henry F i e l d i n g , e d .
W i l l i a m E. Henley (New Y o r k , 1902), V I I I , 204, A c t I, v. - A l l F i e l d i n g
c i t a t i o n s w i l l be taken from the Henley e d i t i o n w i t h the e x c e p t i o n of
r e f e r e n c e s to the P r e f a c e to the M i s e e l 1 a n i e s in my d i s c u s s i o n of
Jonathan W i l d .
14
w r i t e p a n e g y r i c s on him, f l a t t e r him w i t h as many v i r t u e s as he has
v i c e s " ( V I I I,
205).
L u c k l e s s s attempts
to s o l i c i t
1
justification
for
the
introduction
Here, a l o n g w i t h the d e v a s t a t i n g
as the M a r p l a y s , t h e r e
a publisher provide
of scenes from l i t e r a r y
the c o n c e p t i o n of
literary
the
c o n c e p t i o n , h e l d in the p l a y by
degeneracy.
is a c o n t r i b u t i n g
With c h a r a c t e r s
Dash, Q u i b b l e and B l o t p a g e , F i e l d i n g p r o v i d e s a comical
supplied
To these c h a r a c t e r s
in the q u i c k e s t ,
possible.
Greek m o t t o e s ,
of the S p e c t a t o r , a l l
literature
like
factor
Bookweight,
rendering
i s a commodity
but not n e c e s s a r i l y most e f f i c i e n t ,
of
to be
manner
L a t i n m o t t o e s , even second-hand mottoes
out
a r e m a r k e t a b l e goods to be bought and s o l d a c c o r d i n g
to the law o f s u p p l y and demand. F i e l d i n g a t t a c k s
jocular
bookseller.
l i t e r a t u r e as a commodity w i t h a
both the b o o k s e l l e r and the t h e a t e r managers,
the hack w r i t e r .
Street.
i s a d e s c r i p t i o n o f a b o o k s e l l e r ' s shop w i t h
marketable v a l u e , suggesting that t h i s
to the p r e v a i l i n g
Grub
r i d i c u l e of the C i b b e r s , who appear
s e v e r a l hacks busy a t t a s k s a s s i g n e d by t h e i r m a s t e r ,
Fielding protests
dramatic
in a s l i g h t l y
f a s h i o n than Pope those people who buy books merely f o r
Compare P o p e ' s Moral Essay
more
show.
IV;
His Study! w i t h what A u t h o r s i s i t s t o r ' d ?
In Books, not A u t h o r s , c u r i o u s is my L o r d ,
To a l l t h e i r dated Backs he t u r n s you round,
These A l d u s p r i n t e d , those Du S u e i l has bound.
Lo Some a r e V e l l o m , and the r e s t as good
For a l l h i s L o r d s h i p knows, but they a r e Wood.
(133-138)
E p i s t l e s to Several Persons (Moral E s s a y s ) , - Twickenham e d i t i o n , e d .
F. W. Bateson (London, 1951), pp. 145-146. C i t a t i o n s from Pope in my
paper a r e to t h i s e d i t i o n .
15
Bookweight, as a s e l l e r of books< and one who knows the m a r k e t ' s
trends,
i s e x p l i c i t about the k i n d of books t h a t s e l l and those t h a t do n o t ;
Give me a good handsome l a r g e volume, w i t h a f u l l p r o m i s i n g
t i t l e - p a g e a t the head of i t , p r i n t e d on a good paper and l e t t e r ,
the whole w e l l bound and g i l t , and I ' l l warrant i t s s e l l i n g —
You have the common e r r o r of a u t h o r s , who t h i n k people buy
books to read — No, n o , books a r e o n l y bought to f u r n i s h
l i b r a r i e s , as p i c t u r e s and g l a s s e s , and beds and c h a i r s , are
f o r o t h e r rooms.
(VI I, 221, Act I I , v)
F i e l d i n g has genuine fun w i t h the C i b b e r s w h i l e a t the same time
p o i n t i n g out the t h r e a t
art.
Marplay j u n i o r
such p e o p l e r e p r e s e n t to the s t a n d a r d s of
t e l l s us what t h e i r
role
his
in t h i s whole b u s i n e s s
of s t a g e and drama i s ;
My f a t h e r and I, s i r , are a c o u p l e of p o e t i c a l t a i l o r s ; when
a> p l a y i s brought u s , we c o n s i d e r i t as a t a i l o r does h i s
c o a t , we cut i t , s i r , we cut i t , and l e t me t e l l you,we have
the e x a c t measure of the town, we know how to f i t t h e i r t a s t e .
(VI I, 207, A c t I, v i )
We a r e made t o v i s u a l i z e t h i s pompous young a s s , Marplay j u n i o r ,
h i s v a n i t y and s i l l i n e s s , b o a s t i n g o f h i s one " s m a l l s a l l y
Parnassus,"
" a s o r t of f l y i n g
M a r p l a y ' s one attempt
leap o v e r H e l i c o n " ( V I I I,
had been damned by the c r i t i c s
in a l l
into
207).
Young
so he w i s e l y
to more rewarding p u r s u i t s . The scene between f a t h e r and son is
turned
filled
w i t h a good-natured but e x t r e m e l y p e r s o n a l a t t a c k on the h a p l e s s p a i r .
Marplay s e n i o r r e f u s e s to a c c e p t L u c k l e s s ' s p l a y not because of any
particular fault
to h i s " p a s s i o n s "
i t may p o s s e s s , but because t h e r e
in i t .
t i o n e d about the p l a y .
is n o t h i n g " c o e r c i v e "
Moreover, he "confesses to h i s son when q u e s -
16
It may be a very good o n e , f o r aught I know;
s i n c e the town w i l l not r e c e i v e any of mine,
none from any o t h e r .
I'll
keep them to t h e i r
(VIII,
With a l l
but I am r e s o l v e d
they s h a l l have
old diet.
215, A c t I I , i i)
the s u r f a c e l a u g h t e r and g a i e t y of the f a r c e t h e r e
the danger of m i s s i n g , o r a t
tones t h a t accompany i t .
l e a s t of s h r u g g i n g o f f ,
is
the s e r i o u s o v e r -
Here the m a l i c i o u s r e a s o n i n g behind
this
p a i r ' s a c t i o n s , t o g e t h e r w i t h the s e l f i s h n e s s r e v e a l e d in t h e i r
keeping
back a u t h o r s who show any m e r i t , a r e the e v i l s the s a t i r i s t
is
at.
The d r a m a t i c
The s a t i r i c e f f e c t
d e r i v e s from the s i t u a t i o n
itself.
image i s t h e r e , a l i v e , on s t a g e b e f o r e the a u d i e n c e .
and d e f l a t i o n of the
image, as w e l l as the exposure of the
and h y p o c r i s y t h a t 1 i e beneath the s u r f a c e of
a r e a c c o m p l i s h e d through d i a l o g u e and a c t i o n .
is usually b l a t a n t l y
from the f i n a l
whole s i t u a t i o n
role
undercutting
foulness
things-as-they-seem-to-be,
The irony and the
o b v i o u s , but the l a c k of s u b t l e t y does not
effect.
The p l a y
detract
the s e r i o u s n e s s of
the
satirist's
i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a l i g h t n e s s of
but even w i t h i t s d e c e i v i n g a i r of b a n t e r ,
implications
satire
As the s e r i o u s is reduced to the a b s u r d ,
takes on s u g g e s t i o n s of the r i d i c u l o u s and the
is f u l f i l l e d .
author's
The
pointing
tone,
the
i s never doubted.
The puppet show, "The P l e a s u r e s o f the Town," i s a d r a m a t i z a t i o n
of the major theme of the Dune i a d .
Luckless t e l l s
is the e l e c t i o n of an a r c h - p o e t , o r , as o t h e r s c a l l
to the Goddess of Nonsense"(VI I I,
228).
us " t h e c h i e f b u s i n e s s
him, a poet
Those c o n t e n d i n g f o r
1 a u r e a t e s h i p , Don T r a g e d i o , S i r F a r c i c a l Comic, Dr. O r a t o r ,
laureate,
the
Signior
Opera, and Monsieur P a n t o n i n e , a r e p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n s o f the r u l i n g London
pleasures.
L i k e Pope, a l t h o u g h w i t h l e s s e m p h a s i s , F i e l d i n g a l l u d e s
in d i a l o g u e to the i n c r e a s i n g prominence o f Nonsense (or Dulness) as
the e x t e n s i o n o f the p l e a s u r e s of the b u s i n e s s community t o the f a s h i o n a b l e end o f town;
Fair
"My l o r d mayor has shortened the time o f Bartholomew
in S m i t h f i e l d , " e x p l a i n s a poet to a b o o k s e l l e r , " a n d so they a r e
r e s o l v e d to keep i t a l l the y e a r round a t the o t h e r End o f the town"
( V I I I , 235).
The p o s i t i o n o f a r c h - p o e t o r poet l a u r e a t e
by the ghost o f S i g n i o r O p e r a .
is ultimately
filled
Queen Nonsense — l i k e a l l o t h e r
foolish
women — i s enamoured w i t h Opera and r e s o l v e d t h a t he s h a l l have the
crown.
The i m p l i c a t i o n
ments may b e , t h e r e
i s t h a t absurd as some o f the o t h e r
i s r e a l l y no c o n t e s t .
the p o s i t i o n b e s i d e Queen Nonsense.
A i r XX
entertain-
Opera i s most e n t i t l e d
M r s . Novel s i n g s h i s v i c t o r y song.
Away each meek p r e t e n d e r f l i e s ,
Opera thou hast gained the p r i z e .
Nonsense g r a t e f u l s t i l l must own,
That thou best s u p p o r t ' s t her t h r o n e .
( V I I I , 252)
The ending of the p l a y b u r l e s q u e s a l l happy endings wrought
i m p o s s i b l e chance and c o i n c i d e n c e .
through
A f t e r the r e h e a r s a l of the puppet-
show we r e t u r n to the s t o r y o f L u c k l e s s and H a r r i e t ,
formality.
to
but i t
is only a
The reader suddenly becomes aware t h a t he has not l e f t the
realm o f Nonsense a t a l l but has o n l y moved to another p a r t o f her k i n g dom... In a w h i r l w i n d o f d i s c o v e r y i t
is revealed that Luckless is a c t u a l l y
the long l o s t p r i n c e o f Bantam, who had o n l y been t r a c e d by the ' l u c k i e s t '
chance.
At t h i s
of h i s f a t h e r ,
t i m e l y moment a message a r r i v e s announcing the death
the k i n g , so L u c k l e s s i s now Henry I,
K i n g of Bantam.
18
But i t
does not end t h e r e .
Punch, one of the a c t o r s of the puppet-show
r e v e a l s t h a t he i s "no common f e l l o w , " t h a t he i s in r e a l i t y Mrs. Moneywood's son and the p r i n c e of B r e n t f o r d .
this
Mrs. Moneywood, the Queen of
land o f B r e n t f o r d , had been f o r c e d to f l e e w i t h her c h i l d r e n when
the k i n g was o v e r t h r o w n .
T h i s makes H a r r i e t p r i n c e s s of B r e n t f o r d . Even
J o a n , who is d i s c o v e r e d to be P u n c h ' s w i f e ,
daughter.
It
i s the h a p p i e s t o f a l l
of one b i g happy r o y a l f a m i l y .
the p l a y
itself
and a l l
happy endings w i t h everyone p a r t
The p 1 a y - w i t h i n - t h e - p l a y merges w i t h
i s nonsense.
a f i t t i n g c l i m a x f o r the s a t i r e .
finds herself a king's
The p r e p o s t e r o u s e n d i n g p r o v i d e s
What i s i m p l i e d
i s t h a t the t a s t e s of
s o c i e t y a r e no l e s s p r e p o s t e r o u s than the p l a y ' s ending and the
of Nonsense i s the r u l i n g c o u r t of the day.
more than the e n t e r t a i n m e n t s
satirist.
It
It
court
is the a u d i e n c e even
themselves t h a t d e s e r v e s the censure o f
is they whom he a t t a c k s
the
in h i s p r o l o g u e .
L i k e the tame a n i m a l s designed f o r show,
You have your cues to c l a p , as they to bow,
Taught to commend, your judgements have no s h a r e ,
By chance you guess a r i g h t , by chance you e r r .
( V I I I , 193)
With The A u t h o r ' s Farce F i e l d i n g committed h i m s e l f to a r o l e he
was never r e a l l y to abandon, t h a t o f s o c i a l s a t i r i s t .
m i l d l y s u c c e s s f u l , but
to
it
i n d i c a t e d the d i r e c t i o n
The p l a y was o n l y
Fielding's talents
were
take.
The Tragedy of Traqed ies o r The L i f e and Death of Tom Thumb the
Great
is F i e l d i n g ' s most s u c c e s s f u l b u r l e s q u e of h e r o i c t r a g e d y .
play is f i l l e d with f l o r i d d i c t i o n ,
The
i m p o s s i b l e p l o t s and s i t u a t i o n s
that
19
a r e pregnant w i t h v i o l e n c e , superhuman c h a r a c t e r s , and l o f t y
all
of which a r e v u l g a r i z e d and exaggerated to a b s u r d i t y .
sentiments,
Tom Thumb
was a t f i r s t performed a l o n g w i t h The A u t h o r ' s F a r c e , but u l t i m a t e l y
became much more s u c c e s s f u l .
As the brunt of the s a t i r e was d i r e c t e d
a t the type o f h e r o i c drama c u l t i v a t e d
their
followers,
torical
thrusts
by Dryden, Banks and Lee and
the p l a y d i d not r e l y q u i t e so h e a v i l y on l o c a l
f a c t as d i d h i s p o l i t i c a l
v e h i c l e of the a t t a c k ,
satires.
but F i e l d i n g s t i l l
his-
The parody was the main
was a b l e to get
in a few
a t h i s c o n t e m p o r a r i e s t h a t had n o t h i n g to do w i t h t h e i r
of h e r o i c
it
writing
tragedy.
In h i s o r i g i n a l
p r e f a c e to the tragedy F i e l d i n g a g a i n made C i b b e r
one o f h i s v i c t i m s by p r a i s i n g h i m s e l f
(as author)
and h i s a c t o r s , and
then t h r o w i n g " l i t t l e Tom Thumb on the town" j u s t as the poet
laureate
had thrown The Provoked Husband a t the f e e t of her M a j e s t y . " '
In
a l t e r e d e d i t i o n of
1731> H. S c r i b l e r u s Secundus makes use i n s t e a d of
the l e a r n e d s t y l e of Dr. B e n t l e y and P r o f e s s o r Burmann o f Leyden.
preface i t s e l f
the
i s a m a s t e r p i e c e of s a t i r e and humor.
The persona
The
first
remarks on the d i v i d e d o p i n i o n c o n c e r n i n g the m e r i t o f the p l a y ;
W h i l s t some p u b l i c l y a f f i r m e d t h a t no author c o u l d produce
so f i n e a p i e c e but Mr. P
, o t h e r s have w i t h as much vehemence i n s i s t e d t h a t no one c o u l d w r i t e a n y t h i n g so bad but Mr.
F
(IX, 7)
I,
W i l b u r L. C r o s s , The H i s t o r y o f Henry F i e l d i n g (New Haven, 1918),
90.
20
He mentions t h a t the tragedy had
at
Amsterdam where i t was
Thumb, and
sense
presented
In t h i s work we
and
p l a y f u l n e s s and
i c o n i c p r e f a c e t h a t was
The Author's
reasons
H.
Scriblerus
of h i s s a t i r e .
Secundus t e l l s
f o r h i s w r i t i n g the p r e f a c e .
duty aroused
and
Farce.
in t h i s
by the f i r s t
the second,
he t e l l s
The
first
There
i s the r e s u l t
is a
new
not found
in
us t h a t t h e r e are
is out of a sense
" s u r r e p t i t i o u s copy" t h a t had
us,
begin
humor t h a t a r e so much a p a r t of
F i e l d i n g ' s most mature works —
control
applause
s i l e n t a t t e n t i o n which
a t a deep t r a g e d y " ( I X , 7 ) .
the sheer exuberance and
great
under the t i t l e o f Mynheer Vander
r e c e i v e d with " t h a t reverent and
becometh an audience
to
been c e l e b r a t e d with
two
of
been p u b l i s h e d ,
of
knowing myself more capable of doing j u s t i c e to our Author
than any o t h e r man, as I have given myself more p a i n s to a r r i v e
at a thorough understanding of t h i s l i t t l e p i e c e , having f o r
ten years t o g e t h e r read n o t h i n g e l s e , in which time, I t h i n k ,
I may modestly presume, with the he'lp of my E n g l i s h d i c t i o n a r y ,
to comprehend a l l the meaning of every word in i t .
(IX,
8)
He
ignores the q u e s t i o n as to whether o r not
written
by
Shakespeare, except
the p i e c e was
originally
to remark p o i n t e d l y t h a t i f i t had
been
the work of such an eminent hand, i t s m e r i t would have been c o n s i d e r a b l y
g r e a t e r with many of the age who
"an
to
implicit
defend
accuracy,
ment and
for
faith
buy
and
commend what they
in the author o n l y " ( l X , 9 ) .
the tragedy a g a i n s t a l l a t t a c k s .
the essence o f the tragedy
diction.
credibility
But
h i s defense
itself,
The
read
narrator
from
proceeds
He p r a i s e s i t s h i s t o r i c a l
the c h a r a c t e r s , the
serves o n l y to undermine any
the p l a y might have possessed.
Typical
sentichances
of t h i s d i s a s t r o u s
21
p r o c e s s a r e h i s remarks about t r a g e d y .
"What can be so proper
for
tragedy as a s e t of b i g sounding w o r d s , so c o n t r i v e d t o g e t h e r as to
convey no meaning? which
lime of L o n g i n u s . " ( I X ,
I s h a l l one day o r o t h e r prove to be the s u b 12)
S c r i b l e r u s damns h i m s e l f and the p l a y w i t h e v e r y s e n t e n c e .
attempts a t p r a i s e have e x a c t l y the o p p o s i t e e f f e c t .
about the
His
He t e l l s us
author;
He is very r a r e l y w i t h i n s i g h t through the whole p l a y , e i t h e r
r i s i n g h i g h e r than the eye of your u n d e r s t a n d i n g can s o a r ,
o r s i n k i n g lower than i t c a r e t h to s t o o p .
(IX, 12)
The p r e f a c e s e t s the tone f o r the whole s a t i r e .
Using a device popular
w i t h s a t i r i s t s of a l l a g e s , F i e l d i n g makes h i s persona a prime t a r g e t
for
the s a t i r i c a t t a c k .
In t h i s way he i n t r o d u c e s the a u d i e n c e to
the
atmosphere of the r i d i c u l o u s b e f o r e even e n t e r i n g the p l a y p r o p e r .
H.
S c r i b l e r u s Secundus i s the t y p i c a l
hack w r i t e r , a man who d i s p l a y s the
f a l s e l e a r n i n g , p r e t e n s i o n and pomposity t h a t the s a t i r i s t
The p e r s o n a s bland l a c k of s e n s i t i v i t y
1
detests.
i s c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the
product
of Grub S t r e e t t h a t F i e l d i n g , a l o n g w i t h S w i f t and Pope, f e l t was l o w e r i n g
the s t a n d a r d s of the 1 i t e r a t u r e
T u r n i n g to the p l a y
of the day.
i t s e l f , we f i n d from b e g i n n i n g to end a r i c h
s u c c e s s i o n of b u r l e s q u e d e c l a m a t i o n s , h e r o i c o u t b u r s t s of t r a g i c
tender p a s s i o n , and mock h e r o i c s i m i l e s .
or
For almost e v e r y l i n e of
this
F i e l d i n g r e f e r s u s , through the mock p e d a n t i c n o t e s , to a passage in
some h e r o i c tragedy w e l l
known to the p l a y g o e r s of h i s t i m e . The opening
22
l i n e s spoken by Doodle and Noodle a r e i n d i c a t i v e o f what
From the f i r s t
birth-day
ridiculous
i s to
follow.
images of the sun " l i k e a beau in a new
s u i t " and n a t u r e wearing her " u n i v e r s a l
grin," until
the
v i s i o n of K i n g , Queen, Huncamunca, N o o d l e , Doodle and C l e o r a a l l
" s c a t t e r ' d and o ' e r t h r o w n "
stand a chance.
note o f madness to the whole performance.
is l i t e r a r y
laughter.
the f a c t
i s enough t o add a
The s u g g e s t i o n t h a t
things
becomes f a c t when Noodle r e p l i e s : " T h i s d a y , 0
Mr. Doodle, i s a day /
It
lying
l i k e a pack of c a r d s , the h e r o i c does not
The s i n g l e use of the word " g r i n "
a r e f a r from normal
final
Indeed! — A day, we never saw b e f o r e .
s l a p s t i c k w i t h the
immediate e f f e c t
In t h i s c a s e , however, the l a u g h t e r
t h a t we r e a l i z e t h a t a f r i g h t e n i n g l y
being
11
18)
incredulous
stems p a r t i a l l y
thin line
(IX,
from
i s drawn here
between the realm o f the absurd and t h a t of real i t y .
F i e l d i n g makes fun of a l l
the c o n v e n t i o n s of h e r o i c t r a g e d y .
His
h e r o , Tom Thumb, i s more than m o r t a l ; he is possessed of a "mountainous
soul."
He is a f e r o c i o u s w a r r i o r whose name is used by the g i a n t
to f r i g h t e n
c h i l d r e n — but o f c o u r s e i t
of these h e r o i c a t t r i b u t e s
language i t s e l f
dramatist
i m p o s s i b l e to r e c o n c i l e any
w i t h the p i g m y - s i z e d Thumb.
t h a t the b u r l e s q u e i s most s k i l f u l l y
v u l g a r i z e s every noble sentiment
on w i t h h i l a r i o u s
all
is
results.
the wrong v i r t u e s .
It
is in
handled.
the
The
he can p o s s i b l y lay h i s hands
S i m i l a r l y h i s c h a r a c t e r s a r e possessed of
Queen D o l l a l l o l a
c e p t i o n one might have of a t r a g i c
is f a r
heroine.
removed from any c o n -
When she weeps, t e a r s gush
down her " b l u b b e r ' d c h e e k s , / L i k e a s w o l ' n g u t t e r " ( l X ,
speaks, vulgar sentiments
nurses
issue f o r t h .
21), when she
She emerges as a c r u d e , o v e r - s e x e d ,
m i d d l e - a g e d female who wanders about the c o u r t
toxication.
tinually
Her predominant c h a r a c t e r i s t i c
in a s t a t e o f
i s her l u s t .
semi-in-
She c o n -
swoons over Tom Thumb, and she has o n l y envy f o r G l u m d a l c a ,
the c a p t i v e Queen of G i a n t s , who had to leave twenty husbands b e h i n d .
D o l l a l l o l a ' s s e n t i m e n t s on t h i s
l a s t o c c a s i o n are f a r from those e x -
pected o f a Queen — even one who t i p p l e s :
Oh! happy s t a t e of g i a n t i s m — where husbands
L i k e mushrooms grow, w h i l s t h a p l e s s we a r e f o r c e d
To be c o n t e n t , nay, happy t h o u g h t , w i t h one.
( I X , 26, A c t I I , i i i)
When D o l l a l l o l a weighs her v i r t u e
virtue
the l i g h t e r
o f the two.
to 1 i v e w i t h o u t her v i r t u e
l e f t a widow.
a g a i n s t Tom Thumb she f i n d s
Knowing i t
her
to be as i m p o s s i b l e f o r
her
as w i t h o u t Tom, she can o n l y hope to be
F i e l d i n g p l a c e s her regal wishes in a h a r s h e r
setting
when he compares her dilemma and proposed s o l u t i o n to t h a t of a whore
s e t l o o s e to walk the s t r e e t s a g a i n a f t e r a sentence in B r i d e w e l l !
When the K i n g f e e l s a sudden p a i n w i t h i n h i s b r e a s t
Glumdalca he does not know i f
cholick."
in the presence of
i t a r i s e s from love " o r o n l y the w i n d -
Huncamunca, the p r i n c e s s loved by both Tom Thumb and G r i z z l
is a s u i t a b l e o f f s p r i n g
for
such p a r e n t s .
A f t e r m a r r y i n g her "Thummy"
she i s eager to p o i n t out to G r i z z l e t h a t " a m a i d , l i k e me, Heaven
f o r m ' d at l e a s t f o r t w o " ( l X ,
"at
5 3 ) , and the emphasis we gather
i s on the
least."
F i e l d i n g achieves his s a t i r i c e f f e c t
in a m u l t i t u d e
of ways.
Fre
q u e n t l y he surrounds a noble sentiment w i t h u t t e r nonsense and by c o n trast
a c h i e v e s the d e s i r e d e f f e c t
of the r i d i c u l o u s .
Another d e v i c e
24
he uses i s to b u i l d to a
o r phrase t h a t
state
of s u b l i m i t y and then add a f i n a l
i s enough to t o p p l e the whole c o n s t r u c t i o n .
word
Possibly
the most s u c c e s s f u l d e v i c e F i e l d i n g employs i s t h a t of j u x t a p o s i n g
sublime w i t h the v u l g a r .
slowly
inflating
t o the common.
Thumb;
The e f f e c t
his
He begins
in e l e v a t e d b e a u t i f u l
best
illustrate
this
of the sudden s h i f t
point;
from the l o f t i n e s s o f the f i r s t p a r t
its
latter
part
is to shock the
i n t o an awareness o f the a b s u r d i t y o f the s i t u a t i o n .
incongruous as the noble s e n t i m e n t s
the u n f o r t u n a t e
and bloody c l o s e .
In h i s g r i e f
it
The imagery i s as
themselves.
over the l o s s of h i s mighty w a r r i o r
the w o r l d "
( I X , 70') •
is i m p l i e d , to the w o r s t
follows a triumphantly
This
imaginable d i s a s t e r .
absurd c l i m a x in which everyone i s k i l l e d ,
tragedies.
the
i s the worst
v i d i n g the audience w i t h a b l o o d - b a t h s u p e r i o r to t h a t found
g o r i e s t of h e r o i c
reader
l a w y e r s , p a r s o n s , and p h y s i c i a n s l o o s e , /
impose o n , and to k i l l
imaginable e n d ,
of
demise of Thumb the tragedy draws to a q u i c k
k i n g decrees t h a t they " L e t
To r o b ,
abruptness
Whisper ye winds t h a t Huncamunca's mine,
Echoes r e p e a t , t h a t Huncamunca's mine!
The d r e a d f u l b u s i n e s s of the war is o ' e r ,
And b e a u t y , heavenly b e a u t y ! crowns my t o i l s !
I've thrown the bloody garment now a s i d e
And hymeneal sweets i n v i t e my b r i d e .
So when some chimney-sweeper a l l the day
Hath through dark paths pursued the sooty way,
At n i g h t , to wash h i s hands and f a c e he f l l e s ,
And in h i s t ' o t h e r s h i r t w i t h h i s B r i c k d u s t a l i e s .
(IX, 29, A c t I,
iii)
the passage to the commonness of
After
language,
image, and then descends w i t h s t a r t l i n g
An example w i l l
the
There
pro-
in the
25
In the b u r l e s q u e t h e r e would appear to be two b a s i c l e v e l s to
satire.
The most o b v i o u s l e v e l
itself.
Fielding ridicules
i s the b u r l e s q u e o f h e r o i c
in a d e l i g h t f u l l y
tragedy
humorous manner a l l
the
c o n v e n t i o n s t h a t were being abused by the t r a g e d i a n s of h i s e r a .
object of his s a t i r e
formed
is p r i m a r i l y
the
The
h e r o i c tragedy as i t was being p e r -
in London at t h a t t i m e , and the p l a y b u r l e s q u e s d i r e c t l y
than f o r t y h e r o i c and p s e u d o - c l a s s i c t r a g e d i e s .
more
His s a t i r i c e f f e c t
is
a c h i e v e d by g i v i n g mock h e r o i c treatment to the most u n h e r o i c c o u r s e
o f events
flowing
imaginable.
He d i s t o r t s
heroic sentiment, juxtaposes
language w i t h the v u l g a r and o b s c e n e , and i n c o n g r u o u s l y
images drawn from o p p o s i t e p o l e s , a l l
more s e r i o u s i m p l i c a t i o n s
level
to the s a t i r e .
w i t h wonderful
links
dexterity.
The
beneath h i s b a n t e r i n g tone p r o v i d e a second
The " t r a g e d y "
r e p r e s e n t s a grave comment on
F i e l d i n g ' s s o c i e t y and on the f r a i l t i e s
idolization, false virtue,
high
all
of
i t s members.
emerge as t a r g e t s
Pride,
foolish
in what i s e s s e n t i a l l y
an a t t a c k on the t a s t e s o f the age.
In 1736 F i e l d i n g had formed "The Great M o g u l ' s Company of
Comedians" and had taken the L i t t l e Theater in the Haymarket.
In
Pasqu i n, A Dramat i ck Sat i re On the T i m e s , h i s f i r s t p l a y produced
there,
he r e t u r n e d
in
to the p o l i t i c a l
England (1733).
s a t i r e he had w r i t t e n
in Don Q u i x o t e
The e l e c t i o n scenes in the e a r l i e r p l a y had met w i t h
such a p p l a u s e t h a t F i e l d i n g no doubt f e l t a whole new f i e l d
B. M. J o n e s , Henry F i e l d i n g , N o v e l i s t and M a g i s t r a t e
1933), p. 51.
for
the
(London,
26
exercise of his powers of s a t i r e had opened up — and it had.
He p r o - ,
ceeded to make use of the L i t t l e Theater as a platform for the prosecution of a vigorous p o l i t i c a l campaign against the ministry.
Both Pasqu in and The Hi s t o r i c a l ReqisterQ 737) contain nea r1y as
much s o c i a l ,
literary
and theatrical
s a t i r e as they do p o l i t i c a l
Again the beau monde, the London society with a l l
is hit by the author.
The sheer f r i v o l i t y
its f o l l i e s and v i c e s ,
and inanity of the l i f e of
a London beau, as well as French fashions and the whole art of
conversation, are handled with contempt.
satire.
polite
Such common practices as
keeping and gaming — or rather the commonness of such practices — are
s i m i l a r i l y held up to r i d i c u l e .
particularly
the town's
The fervor for
Italian opera and
idolization of F a r i n e l l i , a celebrated
male soprano, receives special attention
Fielding is at his f u l l
from F i e l d i n g .
strength as a dramatist
in Pasqu in.
range is greater than ever before and with the additional
of p o l i t i c a l
Italian
His
attraction
s a t i r e the play takes on a sparkle and vivacity that ranks
it high among his dramatic productions.
The author again uses the
device of the piay-within-the-play,
this time revolving the action
around the rehearsal of two plays;
the f i r s t a comedy called "The
E l e c t i o n , " and the second a tragedy called "The L i f e and Death of Common
Sense."
As their
and l i t e r a r y
t i t l e s would indicate they are e s s e n t i a l l y p o l i t i c a l
satires at their core, with a generous helping of social
satire spread over the whole as a kind of f r o s t i n g .
"The Election" consists of a series of humorous scenes in which
27
the f l a g r a n t
and open b r i b e r y at e l e c t i o n s and the shameless
of f a s h i o n a b l e l i f e
comedy.
are s a t i r i z e d .
Bribery
immorality
is the major theme of
The scenes e x p o s i n g the c o r r u p t i o n
the
t h a t r i d d l e d e l e c t i o n s were
so c o m p l e t e l y s u c c e s s f u l the O p p o s i t i o n suggested t h a t the p l a y should
be a c t e d in every borough b e f o r e the e l e c t i o n s to warn the people a g a i n s t
the b r i b e r y
t h a t took p l a c e .
The s a t i r e
i t were.
7
These scenes are comical and
lively.
is never very s u b t l e , but the comedy would not succeed
However, even in these scenes in which F i e l d i n g was
c u l i n g the m i n i s t r y ,
Col l e y C i b b e r .
he does not pass up an o p p o r t u n i t y
In the scene w i t h Lord P l a c e ,
Sack, say y o u
2 voter.
Place.
Poet!
No m a t t e r
2 voter.
Place.
I am no p o e t ,
that, you'll
I c a n ' t make v e r s e s .
be a b l e to make o d e s .
what are
those
7
F a i t h , s i r , I c a n ' t t e l l what they a r e , but I
know you may be q u a l i f i e d f o r the p l a c e w i t h o u t
P
°
e
t
'
(XI,
184, Act
B r i b e r y and c o r r u p t i o n a r e the o r d e r of the day.
Ibid.,
too, I don't
clothes
the c e l l a r ,
devilish
Odso, you s h a l l be p o e t - l a u r e a t e .
7
Odes, my l o r d !
3
p. 51.
either
court;
no, my L o r d ,
for
at
Colonel Promise and
2 voter.
My L o r d , I should l i k e a p l a c e at c o u r t
much c a r e what i t i s , p r o v i d e d I wear f i n e
and have something to do in the k i t c h e n o r
I own I s h o u l d l i k e t h e - . c e l l a r , f o r I am a
l o v e r of s a c k .
^
Place.
ridi-
to j i b e
s e v e r a l v o t e r s , Lord P l a c e promises to p r o v i d e f o r them a l l ,
in customs, e x c i s e o r the
if
II,
being
,)
F i e l d i n g was having
fun w i t h h i s s u b j e c t m a t t e r ,
sobering
but the l a u g h t e r does not e r a s e the
i m p l i c a t i o n s o f many o f the s c e n e s .
The i m m o r a l i t y
of f a s h i o n a b l e s o c i e t y and the t a s t e s o f
t h e a t e r - g o i n g w o r l d a r e prime t a r g e t s
for
d e s i r e to have her husband a g a i n in o f f i c e
the s a t i r i s t .
the
Mrs. Mayoress's
i s based s o l e l y on her w i s h
g
t o get out o f the c o u n t r y and back to the p l e a s u r e s of London.
is seconded in t h i s
o f the day.
to the c i t y ;
by her daughter who m a n i f e s t s a l l
the p o p u l a r
Miss Mayoress e x p r e s s e s her reasons f o r w a n t i n g
" t h e n we s h a l l
She
to
return
see F a r i b e l l y , the s t r a n g e man-woman t h a t
they say i s w i t h c h i l d , and the f i n e p i c t u r e s o f M e r l i n ' s cave a t
p l a y - h o u s e s , and the r o p e - d a n c i n g and the tumbl i n g " ( X I , 179, A c t
There i s a g r e a t deal o f
tastes
rancor d i s p l a y e d
F a r i n e l l i and what he r e p r e s e n t e d .
the
I I , i) .
in F i e l d i n g ' s a t t a c k on
N e a r l y ten y e a r s l a t e r
in the True
P a t r i o t we f i n d Mr. Adams r e m a r k i n g ;
T h i s o p e r a , I am i n f o r m e d , i s a d i v e r s i o n in which a p r o d i g i o u s
sum o f money, more than i s to be c o l l e c t e d out o f twenty p a r i s h e s ,
is l a v i s h e d away on f o r e i g n eunuchs and p a p i s t s , v e r y s c a n d a l o u s to be s u f f e r e d at any t i m e , e s p e c i a l l y a t a season
when both war and famine hang o v e r our h e a d s . 9
There would seem to be two f o r c e s o p e r a t i n g behind F i e l d i n g ' s d i s l i k e .
In h i s n o v e l s F i e l d i n g c o n t i n u e s to a s s o c i a t e good w i t h c o u n t r y
l i f e and e v i l w i t h the c i t i e s , e s p e c i a l l y London. His h e r o e s , Joseph
and Fanny and Tom and S o p h i a , f o r example, a r e rewarded by a l i f e o f
ease and contentment in the c o u n t r y .
9
No. 13, Tuesday, J a n . 2 8 , 1746.
29
f i r s t a r e the reasons e v i d e n t
in Mr. Adam's comments, which a r e
w i t h the whole q u e s t i o n o f a r t and c u l t u r e ,
natural,
but s e c o n d l y , t h e r e
healthy masculine d i s t a s t e for t h i s
p e r s o n , a d i s t a s t e t h a t makes i t s e l f
The a u t h o r
type of
obvious
in a l l
is a
fawning,efferninate
his
writings.
r i d i c u l e s the s o c i a l f o l l i e s of h i s s o c i e t y
natured f a s h i o n .
linked
in good-
Lord P l a c e comments on Miss M a y o r e s s ' s remarkable
breeding — r e f l e c t e d
in her good t a s t e — and t e l l s
her she w i l l
no
doubt be much admired
in the beau monde and soon taken i n t o keeping by
some man of q u a l i t y .
F o r , he s a y s ,
every one now k e e p s , and i s k e p t , t h e r e a r e no such t h i n g as
m a r r i a g e s n o w - a - d a y s , u n l e s s merely S m i t h f i e l d c o n t r a c t s , and
t h a t f o r the support of f a m i l i e s , but then the husband and
w i f e both take i n t o keeping w i t h i n a f o r t n i g h t .
( X I , 180, A c t I I , i)
We d i s c o v e r t h a t t h e r e a r e s e v e r a l " r e p u t a b l e "
t r a d e s which people of
f a s h i o n may p r a c t i s e , " s u c h as gaming, i n t r i g u i n g ,
in d e b t , " and a l l
w i t h o u t f e a r of punishment.
v o t i n g and
running
Mrs. Mayoress c a r e f u l l y
e x p l a i n s to her q u e s t i o n i n g daughter t h a t " p e o p l e a r e punished
d o i n g naughty t h i n g s ,
for
but people of q u a l i t y a r e never p u n i s h e d ,
f o r e they never do any naughty t h i n g s "
(Act
II,
there-
i).
The second p a r t of the p l a y , F u s t i a n ' s t r a g e d y ,
"The L i f e and
Death of Common S e n s e , " has as i t s main theme a c o n s p i r a c y a g a i n s t
Common Sense.
of
The v i l l a i n s
in t h i s
i n s u r r e c t i o n a r e the
r e l i g i o n and the l e a r n e d p r o f e s s i o n s of
representatives
law and m e d i c i n e .
c o n s p i r a t o r s p r e f e r Queen Ignorance to Queen Common Sense as
sovereign.
F i e l d i n g uses t h i s a l l e g o r y to s a t i r i z e the
These
their
inordinate
30
c l a i m s s e t up by the c h u r c h , to expose the
t h a t the e x i s t i n g
practised
laws countenanced,and to r i d i c u l e
in the name o f medical s c i e n c e .
allegorical
than the puppet-show
the D u n c i a d .
the quackery
T h i s tragedy
in The A u t h o r ' s
p a r t i c u l a r i z e d and more b i t t e r .
Sense by Ignorance
i n e q u a l i t i e s and h a r d s h i p s
Farce,
is more
it
is
i s a g a i n b a s i c a l l y the same theme as is found
the c o n f l i c t i n g demands of sound c r i t i c a l
in
terms the problem w i t h which
F i e l d i n g as a p r o f e s s i o n a l man o f the t h e a t e r was always
confronted;
sense and p o p u l a r
F i e l d i n g chose to s a t i r i z e the t a s t e s of h i s s o c i e t y r a t h e r
taste.
than c o n -
W r i t i n g a t a time "when nonsense, d u l n e s s , lewdness,
and a l l manner of p r o f a n e n e s s and i m m o r a l i t y "
on the s t a g e " ( X I , 2 0 1 , A c t
to r i d i c u l e
less
The i n v a s i o n of the realm of Common
It a l s o r e v e a l s in e x p l i c i t
form to them.
starkly
III,
i),
were " d a i l y
the author attempted
the f a s h i o n a b l e e n t e r t a i n m e n t s
o f h i s day by
practised
to h o l d up
satirizing
them.
In the t r a g e d y Common Sense is ousted by Ignorance.
her f a l l
in terms t h a t a n t i c i p a t e
She
interprets
the f o u r t h book of P o p e ' s Dune i a d ;
Henceforth a l l things s h a l l topsy-turvy t u r n ,
P h y s i c k s h a l l k i l l , and Law e n s l a v e the w o r l d ;
C i t s s h a l l t u r n beaus, and t a s t e I t a l i a n songs
W h i l e c o u r t i e r s a r e s t o c k - j o b b i n g in the c i t y .
P l a c e s , r e q u i r i n g l e a r n i n g and g r e a t p a r t s ,
H e n c e f o r t h s h a l l a l l be h u s t l e d in a h a t ,
And drawn by men d e f i c i e n t in them b o t h .
( X I , 224, A c t V, i)
The tone
is l i g h t e r ,
the language rougher, but the
the same as those of the Dune i a d , though a d m i t t e d l y ,
implications
are
Pope c r e a t e s more
of a f e e l i n g o f h o r r o r a t the p r o s p e c t o f the r e i g n of Dulness than
does F i e l d i n g .
Much of the s a t i r e of Pasqu i n i s d i r e c t e d a t the t h e a t e r .
ridiculous plots,
the s i l l y m i s t a k e s t h a t o c c u r in the r e h e a r s a l s —
such as Queen Common Sense a p p e a r i n g as her ghost b e f o r e
h e r s e l f - - the c o n s t a n t h a g g l i n g of T r a p w i t ,
t h e s e are a l l
p a r t of the a u t h o r ' s
of the s t a g e .
comments of
plays
F u s t i a n , the a u t h o r ,
a t t a c k on pantomine,
F u s t i a n and S n e e r w e l 1 ,
humorous a t t a c k on the p r a c t i c e s
b u r l e s q u e the a b s u r d i t i e s o f
Italian opera, doctors,
in the s o c i e t y around him.
f o r the f i r s t
f o r drawing a f u l l
His p o l i t i c a l
time in t h i s
house.
in a l l
The
l a w y e r s , Grub S t r e e t ,
never-failing
interest
s a t i r e , which blossomed
p l a y , was more than j u s t a means
F i e l d i n g showed a d i s t a s t e f o r f a l s e
their
forms and he c o n s i d e r e d i t
damnable when such h y p o c r i s y m a n i f e s t e d
itself
Pasqu i n was the b e g i n n i n g of the end f o r
The Walpole a d m i n i s t r a t i o n
heroic
the same reasons as Tom Thumb.
and even the Royal S o c i e t y , r e v e a l the a u t h o r ' s
and a f f e c t a t i o n
killing
The mock h e r o i c s of the tragedy accompanied by the
in the same manner and f o r
really
The
pride
even more
in s o - c a l l e d " g r e a t men.
F i e l d i n g as a
regarded him as the c h i e f s a t i r i s t
dramatist.
for
the
O p p o s i t i o n and was u n d e r s t a n d a b l y d i s t u r b e d by h i s a t t a c k s .
Previous
attempts
leaving
to l i c e n s e the a c t i n g of p l a y s had f a i l e d , however,
the p l a y w r i g h t s w i t h a f a l s e sense of s e c u r i t y , ' ^
F i e l d i n g was a t
the
In 1733 more than one u n s u c c e s s f u l attempt had been made to t e s t
the l e g a l i t y o f p e r f o r m i n g p l a y s w i t h o u t a l i c e n s e .
In the same y e a r
a b i l l to r e g u l a t e p l a y h o u s e s was i n t r o d u c e d in the House of Commons
and d e f e a t e d .
In 1 7 3 5 . S i r John Barnard i n t r o d u c e d a s i m i l a r b i l l
w h i c h , w h i l e supported by W a l p o l e , was i g n o r e d .
32
time the
l e a d i n g f i g u r e o f the London s t a g e , a man a t the peak o f
dramatic career.
His d e d i c a t i o n to the publ i c in The H i s t o r i c a l
For the Year 1736 c o n t a i n e d p r o p o s a l s f o r e n l a r g i n g the L i t t l e
redecorating
i t and b r i n g i n g
in a new, b e t t e r
his
Register
Theater,
company o f a c t o r s .
The
same d e d i c a t i o n c o n t a i n e d a l s o an i r o n i c foreshadowing of the f a t e
was soon to b e f a l l
that
him;
If n a t u r e hath g i v e n me any t a l e n t s a t r i d i c u l i n g v i c e and
i m p o s t u r e , I s h a l l not be i n d o l e n t , nor a f r a i d of e x e r t i n g
them, w h i l e the l i b e r t y of the p r e s s and stage s u b s i s t s ,
t h a t i s t o s a y , w h i l e we have any l i b e r t y l e f t among u s .
( X I , 237)
This l i b e r t y
a bill
(author
was taken away.
On May 20, 1737, Walpole
introduced
to regu1 a t e pi a y h o u s e s , u s i n g a pi ay c a l 1 ed The Golden Rump
unknown), which had come i n t o h i s hands through one G i f f a r d ,
proprietor
potential
of the L i n c o l n ' s
threat
went through a l l
on June 21st.
Inn F i e l d s T h e a t r e , as an example of
o f u n l i c e n s e d p l a y s to the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n .
its
The
the
bill
stages in l e s s than t h r e e weeks and became law
As a r e s u l t a l l
t h e a t e r s except those a t Covent Garden
and Drury Lane were c l o s e d and F i e l d i n g ' s d r a m a t i c c a r e e r was o v e r .
The Mi s e e l 1 an i es
Fielding's f i r s t significant
venture
in prose was The Champ i o n .
T h i s newspaper p r o v i d e d him w i t h more freedom f o r h i s s a t i r i c
than had the s t r i c t e r
c o n f i n e s of the drama.
attacks
F i e l d i n g adopted the
persona of C a p t a i n H e r c u l e s V i n e g a r — in f a c t he c r e a t e d a whole
of V i n e g a r s j u s t as S t e e l e had c r e a t e d the B i c k e r s t a f f s
family
in The T a t l e r
— and in t h i s way he was a b l e to c o n t i n u e h i s a t t a c k on W a l p o l e , the
Cibbers,
and a l l
Italian
O p e r a , c u r r e n t t a s t e s and t r e n d s of f a s h i o n a b l e s o c i e t y ,
the quacks and mountebanks he had r i d i c u l e d
in h i s p l a y s .
The
Champ ion p r o v i d e d the a u t h o r w i t h a p e r f e c t means f o r d e a l i n g w i t h
s o c i e t y ' s f o l l i e s and w i t h both the v i r t u e s and v i c e s i n h e r e n t
nature.
It
s t a r t e d F i e l d i n g w r i t i n g on themes t h a t were to form a b a s i c
p a r t of h i s f i c t i o n
f o r the r e s t of h i s c a r e e r .
Issues o n l y touched
h i s f a r c e s and b u r l e s q u e s became t o p i c s f o r the e s s a y i s t .
poverty,
in human
in
Charity,
goodness as opposed to g r e a t n e s s , became subj*ects f o r moral
essays t h a t began to appear w i t h h i s p o l i t i c a l
a l l e g o r i e s and h i s c o n -
34
t i n u e d s p o r t w i t h the C i b b e r s o f h i s s o c i e t y .
J u s t as h i s
c a r e e r had p r o v i d e d him w i t h i n v a l u a b l e t r a i n i n g
the n o v e l , so too these f i r s t v e n t u r e s
garded as a major
p o r t i o n of t h e i r
date.
fiction.
in t h r e e volumes in 1743, can be r e -
landmark in F i e l d i n g ' s c a r e e r .
out one year a f t e r
f o r the w r i t i n g of
in prose p r o v i d e d the germs o f
what were to develop i n t o b a s i c themes of h i s
The Mi seel 1 an i e s , p u b l i s h e d
A l t h o u g h they came
the p u b l i c a t i o n of Joseph Andrews, a
contents
dramatic
significant
is assumed to have been composed a t an e a r l i e r
They can be seen as the product o f h i s t r a n s i t i o n a l
p e r i o d be-
tween the c a r e e r s of d r a m a t i s t and n o v e l i s t .
In the M i s e e l 1 a n i e s t h e r e
satirist.
It
i s in t h i s wonderful
longer n a r r a t i v e s
assortment o f poems, essays and
This F i e l d i n g is cast
S w i f t and he o f t e n w r i t e s
satirist's
for
trade.
the s k i l l
t u a l l y any l i t e r a r y
recognizable
in the mold o f L u c i a n and
s a t i r e purely for s a t i r e ' s sake.
He demands
w i t h which he handles the d e v i c e s of
the
F r e q u e n t l y he adopts a persona who i s as gl ib and
c o n v i n c i n g as S w i f t ' s modest p r o j e c t o r , ^
poetry
F i e l d i n g the
t h a t we see a s i d e o f F i e l d i n g not always
in h i s comic w o r k s .
our a d m i r a t i o n
is ample e v i d e n c e o f
situation
s u s t a i n i n g h i s p o i s e in
vir-
in which he c a r e s to p l a c e h i m s e l f .
In
F i e l d i n g experimented w i t h epigrams and mock e p i t a p h s , w i t h
parody and b u r l e s q u e , w i t h the s a t i r i c e p i s t l e and the s a t i r i c
allegory,
" A Modest P r o p o s a l , " The Prose Works of Jonathan S w i f t , e d . Temple
S c o t t (London, 1905), v o l . V I I . ' In t h i s p r o p o s a l the p r o j e c t o r l a y s out
a p l a n f o r s o l v i n g I r e l a n d ' s problems t h a t i s r a t i o n a l , c o n v i n c i n g , and
u n b e l i e v a b l y h o r r i b l e . - C i t a t i o n s from S w i f t in my t e x t a r e to the
Temple S c o t t e d i t i o n .
35
and he even attempted
to w r i t e v e r s e e s s a y s , m i x i n g s a t i r e and
direct
2
statement
in the manner o f Pope.
burlesque c r i t i c i s m ,
diatribes,
In h i s prose he used e p i s t l e s ,
dream v i s i o n s , mock encomia, e s s a y s ,
mock s c h o l a r s h i p , b u r l e s q u e h i s t o r y ,
satiric
effect.
To i l l u s t r a t e
satire
1 anies;
the s k i l l
w i t h which F i e l d i n g i s c a p a b l e of
"An Essay on N o t h i n g " and "Some PAPERS Proper to be Read
1 Society."
Here the author
in e s s a y s t h a t a r e d e c i d e d l y
F i e l d i n g ' s " E s s a y on N o t h i n g "
of s a t i r i c w r i t i n g .
gizes " n o t h i n g . "
notably
The s u b j e c t
by John W i l m o t ,
pretentious
ridicules
is a d e l i g h t f u l l y
executed p i e c e
had been t r e a t e d
b e f o r e , perhaps most
E a r l of R o c h e s t e r , in a poem e n t i t l e d
a new t w i s t .
in a l o g i c a l ,
t h a t " n o t h i n g " not o n l y e x i s t s , but t h a t
form of s a t i r e was not new w i t h F i e l d i n g ,
w i t h an a n c i e n t t r a d i t i o n behind
it.
Upon
A d o p t i n g the persona of a
s e e n , t a s t e d , s m e l l e d , f e l t , and l o v e d , h a t e d , o r f e a r e d .
oration
satiric
Swiftian.
l o g i c i a n , F i e l d i n g s e t s out to prove
o r d e r e d argument
his
Cast in the form of an encomium, the essay e u l o -
Noth i n g , but F i e l d i n g g i v e s i t
ticular
handling
I propose f i r s t to d i s c u s s two s h o r t e r p i e c e s from h i s Mi s e e l -
B e f o r e the R
targets
and d i a l o g u e to a c h i e v e h i s
it
well-
can be
This
par-
i t was in f a c t
one
The encomium was o r i g i n a l l y
an
in the e p i d e i c t i c mode which e u l o g i z e d a p e r s o n , p l a c e o r
thing
a c c o r d i n g to a f a i r l y c o n s i s t e n t form w h i l e employing a c o n v e n t i o n a l
H. K. M i l l e r ,
p.
273.
Essays on F i e l d i n g ' s M i s c e l l a n i e s ( P r i n c e t o n ,
1961),
s e t o f r e l e v a n t arguments.
tatious
in i t s formal
essay r e s t s
It was meant to be i m p r e s s i v e and o s t e n -
treatment of the s u b j e c t .
The beauty of F i e l d i n g '
in the manner in which i t adheres to a l l
the demands o f
form w h i l e a t the same time r i d i i c u l ing the a r r o g a n t nonsense t h a t many
contemporary a u t h o r s were p a s s i n g o f f
as l e a r n e d t r e a t i s e s .
The a u t h o r ' s parody of the s e r i o u s encomium f u n c t i o n s on t h r e e
distinct
levels.
On the s u r f a c e t h e r e
the s u b j e c t of " n o t h i n g . "
tone.
The next l e v e l
is the p a n e g y r i c i t s e l f
on
T h i s is n e a t l y p r e s e n t e d in a forma 1 , e r u d i t e
i s the s a t i r e p r o p e r , the
i m p l i e d meaning t h a t
is
in e v e r y statement about " n o t h i n g " and which i s d i r e c t l y a p p l i c a b l e to
contemporary v a l u e s .
T h i s second l e v e l f u s e s w i t h the f i r s t
m a t t e r o f f o r m , f o r the framework
(the
rhetorical
devices proper
the s e r i o u s encomium) c o n t r i b u t e s to the s a t i r i c e f f e c t
the f a i t h f u l n e s s w i t h which the s a t i r i s t
is f o u n d .
f o l l o w s the r u l e s .
It
is
i f e v e r , does, for
ironic
Swift
the
But i f one can agree w i t h the s u g -
g e s t i o n t h a t one of the g r e a t c o n t r i b u t i o n s
I b i d . , p.
T h i s i s something t h a t
in S w i f t the n a r r a t o r wears the mask o f
adversary p r a c t i c a l l y throughout.
in
satire
The t h i r d l e v e l can be seen when the a u t h o r drops h i s
to the a u d i e n c e .
of
is being
t h a t much of the p l e a s u r e to be d e r i v e d from the
pose and speaks d i r e c t l y
seldom,
to
by v i r t u e
r e c o g n i t i o n of the form and the subsequent awareness of what
done w i t h i t
in the
F i e l d i n g made to the novel
302.
T h i s d i s c u s s i o n i s based on d i v i s i o n s suggested by M i l l e r .
37
was the c o u p l i n g of the t e c h n i q u e o f the persona w i t h t h a t o f
straight-forward
the
n a r r a t o r and e x p o s i t o r , t e a c h i n g w r i t e r s o f E n g l i s h
5
fiction
to assume and remove the mask a t w i l l ,
then
I think
it
r e a s o n a b l e to a p p l y the same argument to these s h o r t e r w o r k s .
no reason f o r
f e e l i n g t h a t the a u t h o r ' s
satiric effect,
satirist
rather,
i s making.
i n a t i o n o f the essay
In h i s
the
s t r e n g t h e n s the p o i n t
to i l l u s t r a t e
the
t h i s by a c l o s e r exam-
itself.
introduction
t h a t so few w r i t e r s
try
I see
i n t r u s i o n d e t r a c t s from
I would s u g g e s t , i t
I will
is
to the paper the author s t a t e s h i s
have endeavoured to e l a b o r a t e on t h i s
subject of " n o t h i n g . "
surprise
particular
He w r i t e s ;
But whatever the r e a s o n , c e r t a i n i t i s , t h a t except a hardy
w i t in the r e i g n of C h a r l e s II none e v e r hath dared to w r i t e
on t h i s s u b j e c t ; I mean o p e n l y and avowedly, f o r i t must be
c o n f e s s e d , t h a t most o f our modern a u t h o r s , however f o r e i g n
the m a t t e r which they endeavour to t r e a t may seem a t t h e i r
f i r s t s e t t i n g o u t , they g e n e r a l l y b r i n g the work to t h i s in
the e n d .
(XIV, 309)
In t h i s passage can be found the t h r e e
i s the p o l i t e ,
formal
introduction
person w r i t i n g
the t r e a t i s e
l e v e l s r e f e r r e d to above.
demanded o f the form.
is a l s o revealed.
There
The type of
He is a man p u f f e d w i t h
h i s own importance and almost condescending w i t h h i s "none hath e v e r
dared to w r i t e on t h i s
subject."
I t h i n k we have to see the persona
E l e a n o r N. Hutchens, Irony in Tom Jones ( U n i v e r s i t y of Alabama
P r e s s , 1965), p. 1^9.
38
as b e i n g in many r e s p e c t s s i m i l a r to the hack w r i t e r
Tub.
The l a t t e r
of A T a l e of a
i s a p r o d u c t o f Grub S t r e e t , a man w i l l i n g
h i s pen t o a b s o l u t e l y a n y t h i n g — even n o t h i n g .
man r e p r e s e n t s a d e f i n i t e
threat
m a i n t a i n c e r t a i n s t a n d a r d s in i t s
To the s a t i r i s t
to a s o c i e t y t h a t
literature.
this
is s t r i v i n g
to
In F i e l d i n g , as
in
S w i f t and Pope, we f i n d moral d e c l i n e equated w i t h c u l t u r a l
w i t h the hack w r i t e r s
to t u r n
decline
r i d i n g the c r e s t of the wave of degeneracy.
S w i f t ' s hack w r i t e r
i s a n o t a b l e example o f someone who has
w r i t t e n on " n o t h i n g , " f o r he ends up w r i t i n g on t h i s s u b j e c t a t
c o n c l u s i o n o f the T a l e .
the
He is a l s o q u i t e e x p l i c i t about h i s reasons
f o r doing so;
I am now t r y i n g an experiment very f r e q u e n t among modern
a u t h o r s , which i s to w r i t e upon n o t h i n g , when the s u b j e c t is
u t t e r l y e x h a u s t e d , to l e t the pen s t i l l move o n , by some c a l l e d
the ghost o f w i t , d e l i g h t i n g t o walk a f t e r the death of i t s
body.
( S w i f t , I, 142)
The n a r r a t o r o f The T a l e of a Tub i s a u n i f y i n g f a c t o r
r e p r e s e n t s a t a r g e t o f much of the s a t i r e .
world manifests
itself
in t h a t he
The whole insane Tubbian
in t h i s p r o d u c t o f Grub S t r e e t .
It
i s a mad
w o r l d o f d i s t o r t e d v a l u e s , f i l l e d w i t h mountebanks and f o o l s a l l
their
p a r t s on t h e i r
itinerant
stages.
F i e l d i n g ' s persona r e p r e s e n t s an e q u a l l y v i l l a i n o u s t h r e a t
society.
L i k e the a u t h o r of the Ta1e he too is the o b j e c t o f
a t t a c k and a u n i f y i n g f e a t u r e o f the s a t i r e .
to
the
He i s the o s t e n t a t i o u s ,
a r r o g a n t pedant p r e t e n d i n g to g r e a t wisdom and knowledge.
the a u t h o r drops h i s
acting
i r o n i c pose and speaks d i r e c t l y
At
times
to the a u d i e n c e .
At such p o i n t s
it
i s not the hack s p e a k i n g any l o n g e r , but
h i m s e l f d i r e c t i n g a s a t i r i c barb a t h i s c o n t e m p o r a r i e s .
into direct
the s a t i r e .
comment never s t r i k e
It
o c c a s i o n s and i t
is d i f f i c u l t
to d i s c e r n the s h i f t
is t h i s very a m b i g u i t y
t h a t g i v e s z e s t to the whole
in e a r n e s t o r when he is
switches targets
it
He wrote w i t h a thorough grounding
vein
others
s u i t s h i s purpose he drops
the mask and p i c k s up a n o t h e r s a t i r i c d e v i c e , t h a t of
is a f e a t u r e of F i e l d i n g ' s s a t i r e t h a t
is
in the s a t i r i c
from h i s persona t o
among h i s c o n t e m p o r a r i e s — so whenever
This
himself.
sense o f the l u d i c r o u s t h a t the reader
to a c c e p t a t f a c e v a l u e a n y t h i n g he w r i t e s
Fielding frequently
in
in tone on many
i s the persona s p e a k i n g and when the a u t h o r
He has such a d e l i g h t f u l
hesitant
These l a p s e s
the reader as being out o f p l a c e
game o f t r y i n g to d e c i d e when F i e l d i n g i s
m o c k i n g , when i t
Fielding
ironic
commentary
is not emphasized enough.
in the works of the g r e a t
writers.
He knew the r u l e s , the forms and the c o n v e n t i o n s and u t i l i z e d
them
f o r h i s own p u r p o s e s .
The a u t h o r of the Essay proceeds to lay out h i s t r e a t i s e
manner b e f i t t i n g a s e r i o u s encomium.
in such a l o g i c a l p r e s e n t a t i o n ,
in a
In h i s f i r s t s e c t i o n , as p r o p e r
he d i s c u s s e s the " A n t i q u i t y
of
Nothing"
T h i s i s very p l a i n l y to be d i s c o v e r e d in the f i r s t pages, and
sometimes b o o k s , of a l l general h i s t o r i a n s , and i n d e e d , the
study o f t h i s important s u b j e c t f i l l s up the whole l i f e of an
a n t i q u a r y , i t being always at the bottom of h i s i n q u i r y , and
i s commonly a t l a s t d i s c o v e r e d by him w i t h i n f i n i t e l a b o u r
and p a i n s .
(xiv, 310-311)
W i t h i n the framework of h i s mock eulogy F i e l d i n g comments
neatly,
40
politely,
and d e s t r u c t i v e l y on a number of
shared w i t h many w r i t e r s
particularly
intellectual
of the age a d i s t a s t e f o r
when i t m a n i f e s t e d
itself
abuses.
Fielding
the misuse o f
in p r e t e n s i o n .
learning,
Many of h i s c o n -
t e m p o r a r i e s , a n t i q u a r i e s and h i s t o r i a n s among them, must have
struck
him as b e i n g employed a t t u r n i n g out sheer nonsense, w a s t i n g v a l u a b l e
effort
in the p u r s u i t o f v a i n
recognition.
The second s e c t i o n , " O f the Nature of N o t h i n g , " f u r t h e r
trates
the l e a r n e d , o r d e r l y a s p e c t s of the t r e a t i s e .
outlines
in c o n v i n c i n g tones h i s p l a n o f
illus-
The n a r r a t o r
attack;
I s h a l 1 . . . p r o c e e d to show, f i r s t , what n o t h i n g i s , s e c o n d l y ,
I s h a l l d i s c l o s e the v a r i o u s k i n d s o f n o t h i n g , a n d , l a s t l y
s h a l l prove i t s g r e a t d i g n i t y , and t h a t i t is the end o f
everything.
(XIV, 311)
There c o u l d be no c l e a r e r statement of purpose f o r an
tenuous s u b j e c t .
The n a r r a t o r
is c o n f i d e n t .
admittedly
He p r o v i d e s the
reader
w i t h e l a b o r a t e comparisons t h a t emphasize the p o i n t s he i s making;
For i n s t a n c e , when a b l a d d e r i s f u l l of w i n d , i t i s f u l l of
s o m e t h i n g , but when t h a t i s l e t o u t , we a p t l y s a y , t h e r e i s
n o t h i n g in i t .
The same may be as j u s t l y a s s e r t e d of a man as
of a bladder.
However w e l l he may be bedaubed w i t h l a c e , o r
w i t h t i t l e , y e t i f he have not something in him, we may p r e d i c t
the same o f him as of an empty b l a d d e r .
( X I V , 312)
Here a g a i n F i e l d i n g g l i d e s smoothly from one s a t i r i c t a r g e t
There is f i r s t
the s a t i r e aimed a t the p e r s o n a .
This
another.
is inherent
the form and the language which i s m e c h a n i c a l , p r e t e n t i o u s
E x p r e s s i o n s l i k e "we a p t l y
to
s a y " g i v e the paper the formal
in
rhetoric.
a i r of a
41
l e a r n e d document w h i l e a t the same time t h i n g s a r e e x p l a i n e d
in the
s i m p l e s t , commonest t e r m s .
F i e l d i n g mixes l o f t y purpose w i t h com-
pletely
in o r d e r to emphasize the r i d i c u l o u s .
incongruous
have a d i r e c t
nothing
imagery
comment from F i e l d i n g h i m s e l f as w e l l
i f a man has
in him, r e g a r d l e s s of h i s f i n e r y and h i s t i t l e s ,
as an empty
We
he i s the same
bladder.
The t h i r d and f i n a l
Endeavour to Prove t h a t
s e c t i o n , "Of the D i g n i t y o f N o t h i n g , and an
it
is the End as w e l l as the B e g i n n i n g o f
T h i n g s , " r e p r e s e n t s the brunt of F i e l d i n g ' s s a t i r i c a t t a c k .
It
all
is
here we f i n d e x p r e s s e d most c l e a r l y h i s d i s t a s t e f o r a s u b s e r v i e n c e to
mere empty t i t l e s .
He d e s p i s e d the
idea o f p a y i n g r e s p e c t to a man not
f o r what he i s but f o r who he i s — f o r q u a l i t i e s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h h i s
title,
not f o r any t h a t he may in f a c t p o s s e s s .
following
F i e l d i n g uses
s y l l o g i s m to prove the e x i s t e n c e of the d i g n i t y
of
the
nothing;
The r e s p e c t p a i d to men on account of t h e i r t i t l e s is p a i d
a t l e a s t to the supposal of t h e i r s u p e r i o r v i r t u e s and
a b i l i t i e s , o r i t i s p a i d to n o t h i n g .
But when a man is a n o t o r i o u s knave o r f o o l , i t i s i m p o s s i b l e
t h e r e should be any such s u p p o s a l .
The c o n c l u s i o n is a p p a r e n t .
(XIV, 316)
This
i s the same type of chop l o g i c t h a t S w i f t ' s modest p r o j e c t o r
Here, as the w r i t e r proceeds to prove the d i g n i t y
o n l y the persona but e v e r y h y p o c r i t e , a l l
they a r e n o t ,
of " n o t h i n g , "
those who p r e t e n d to
come under d e v a s t a t i n g a t t a c k .
uses.
not
something
The persona c o n t i n u e s ;
Now t h a t no man i s ashamed of e i t h e r paying o r r e c e i v i n g t h i s
r e s p e c t I wonder n o t , s i n c e the g r e a t importance of n o t h i n g
seems, I t h i n k , to be p r e t t y a p p a r e n t ; but t h a t they should
kl
deny the D e i t y w o r s h i p p e d , and endeavour to r e p r e s e n t
as s o m e t h i n g , i s more worthy r e p r e h e n s i o n .
(XIV, 316)
nothing
The mask of the persona i s dangl ing around the a u t h o r ' s neck a t
point.
this
T h i s i s F i e l d i n g g i v i n g vent to h i s f e e l i n g s c o n c e r n i n g the
c o r r u p t i o n , d e c e i t , " v u l g a r w o r s h i p and a d u l a t i o n " t h a t goes on in
the c o u r t s and c i t i e s .
passages.
He almost abandons h i s t r e a t i s e
in these
He r e v e a l s h i s concern w i t h the " g r e a t man" of
society;
The most a s t o n i s h i n g i n s t a n c e of t h i s r e s p e c t , so f r e q u e n t l y
p a i d t o n o t h i n g , i s when i t i s p a i d ( i f I may so e x p r e s s mys e l f ) to something l e s s than n o t h i n g , when the person who
r e c e i v e s i t i s not o n l y v o i d of the q u a l i t y f o r which he i s
r e s p e c t e d , but is in r e a l i t y n o t o r i o u s l y g u i l t y of the v i c e s
d i r e c t l y o p p o s i t e to the v i r t u e s whose a p p l a u s e he r e c e i v e s .
T h i s i s , i n d e e d , the h i g h e s t degree of n o t h i n g , o r ( i f I may
be a l l o w e d the w o r d ) , the n o t h i n g e s t of a l l n o t h i n g s .
(XIV, 316)
F i e l d i n g is p r o t e s t i n g a s o c i e t y
in which " g r a v i t y ,
canting,
blustering,
o s t e n t a t i o n , pomp, and such l i k e , " a r e c o n t i n u a l l y m i s t a k e n f o r
true
v i r t u e s such as "wisdom, p i e t y , magnanimity, c h a r i t y , and t r u e
great-
ness."
all
It
is a world
in which the f o r m e r , the p r e t e n d e r s , a r e g i v e n
the honour and r e v e r e n c e due the
latter.
The e n d i n g of t h i s mock encomium p r o v i d e s the h a r s h e s t note o f
all.
In such a s o c i e t y t h e r e
Good w i l l
is no reward, even f o r the
c o n t i n u e to l o s e o u t , e v i l
virtuous.
to p r o s p e r .
The v i r t u o u s , w i s e , and l e a r n e d , may then be unconcerned a t
a l l the charges o f m i n i s t e r i e s and of government, s i n c e they
may be w e l l s a t i s f i e d , t h a t w h i l e m i n i s t e r s of s t a t e a r e rogues
t h e m s e l v e s , and have i n f e r i o r k n a v i s h t o o l s to b r i b e and r e ward, t r u e v i r t u e , wisdom, l e a r n i n g , w i t , and i n t e g r i t y ,
w i l l most c e r t a i n l y b r i n g t h e i r p o s s e s s o r s - - n o t h i n g .
(XIV, 319)
43
The f i n a l
ironic twist effectively
F i e l d i n g b u i l d s towards a c l i m a x ,
negates what
immediately precedes • i_t
i n t r o d u c e s a ray of hope in the murky
w o r l d he has p o r t r a y e d , then o b l i t e r a t e s w i t h t h a t unexpected " n o t h i n g "
which i s the reward of good as w e l l as e v i l
values.
It
in t h i s
s o c i e t y of
false
i s a s o c i e t y in which goodness is seldom rewarded but
g r e a t n e s s of a Jonathan W i l d (or a Walpole)
is revered.
It
the
is an age
in which the c o r r u p t p r o s p e r , d e c e i t and fawning a r e the o r d e r of
the
d a y , and in which a l e a r n e d t r e a t i s e can be p r e s e n t e d on " n o t h i n g . "
The s t r a i g h t - f a c e d s i n c e r i t y and u n c r i t i c a l
n a i v e t e of
parody o f the P h i l o s o p h i c a l T r a n s a c t i o n s is r e m i n i s c e n t o f
"Modest P r o p o s a l . "
logical,
Fielding's
Swift's
The paper is r e a s o n e d , a c a d e m i c , and e x t r e m e l y
the persona of the v i r t u o s o
is maintained
throughout.
To t u r n to S w i f t f o r a moment, we see h i s economic p r o j e c t o r as
a man who views e v e r y t h i n g
in terms of money, one whose v a l u e s a l l
come equipped w i t h p r i c e t a g s .
Yet the b a s i c element of the s a t i r e
is
the c o m p e l l i n g c o n c l u s i o n — how can you d i s a g r e e w i t h a person whose
s o l e d e s i r e i s to b e n e f i t mankind by h i s p r o p o s a l ?
f o r t h h i s argument
The p r o j e c t o r
in s i n c e r e , p e r s u a s i v e t o n e s .
As to my own p a r t , having turned my thoughts f o r many y e a r s
upon t h i s important s u b j e c t , and m a t u r e l y weighed the s e v e r a l
schemes o f o t h e r p r o j e c t o r s I have always found them g r o s s l y
mistaken in t h e i r computation.
It is t r u e a c h i l d , j u s t
dropped from i t s dam, may be supported by her m i l k f o r a
s o l a r y e a r w i t h l i t t l e o t h e r n o u r i s h m e n t , a t most not above
two s h i l l i n g s , which the mother may c e r t a i n l y g e t , or the
v a l u e in s c r a p s , by her l a w f u l o c c u p a t i o n of b e g g i n g , and i t
i s e x a c t l y a t one y e a r o l d t h a t I propose to p r o v i d e f o r them,
in such a manner, a s , i n s t e a d of b e i n g a charge upon t h e i r
p a r e n t s , o r the p a r i s h , o r w a n t i n g food and raiment f o r the
sets
r e s t of t h e i r l i v e s , they s h a l l , on the c o n t r a r y , c o n t r i b u t e
to the f e e d i n g and p a r t l y to the c l o t h i n g o f many thousands.
( S w i f t , VI I, 2 0 8 )
It
i s a c o m p e l l i n g , l o g i c a l argument developed step by step in c o l d ,
inhuman t e r m s .
Shock, h o r r o r ,
d i s b e l i e f mix w i t h c r e d i b i l i t y
yield
a grotesque e f f e c t .
It
projector
i s s a t i r i z i n g , the type o f reason t h a t can argue
that Swift
is the type of
to
reason d i s p l a y e d by h i s economic
such an inhuman, h o r r i b l e a c t through to
its conclusions.
F i e l d i n g uses much the same t e c h n i q u e
scientific
report.
in h i s parody o f
His persona i s the v i r t u o s o ,
the
the man of s c i e n c e ,
one who p r e s e n t s a paper on the E n g l i s h g u i n e a , o r CHRYSIPUS, w i t h a l l
the s i n c e r i t y expected of the t r u e s c i e n t i s t .
p o s a l " the argument
As in the "Modest P r o -
is c o n v i n c i n g l y developed.
F i e l d i n g is careful
f o l l o w the o r d e r of t o p i c s p r o p e r to a b i o l o g i c a l
g i v e s a d i a g r a m , then f o l l o w s
and i t s
of
general h a b i t a t ,
to c l a s s i f y
reproduction,
The s a t i r e d e r i v e s
its
i t and g i v e s an account
he conducts experiments
i t and then a r r i v e s a t c o n c l u s i o n s c o n c e r n i n g i t s
habitat.
he f i r s t
the s i z e and s p e c i e s of the CHRYSIPUS
he attempts
i t s motion and methods of
report:
to
with
l i f e c y c l e and l o c a l
form from the work p a r o d i e d , a s c i e n t i f i c
r e p o r t by Abraham Trembley, a d i s t i n g u i s h e d Swiss n a t u r a l i s t
and F e l l o w
of the Royal S o c i e t y .
in November,
T r e m b l e y ' s paper had been c o n t r i b u t e d
1 7 ^ 2 , t o the P h i l o s o p h i c a l T r a n s a c t ion of the Royal S o c i e t y .
with experiments
It
dealt
in the r e g e n e r a t i o n of f r e s h water p o l y p s and c r e a t e d
a s e n s a t i o n in the s c i e n t i f i c w o r l d .
J u s t how much F i e l d i n g knew o r
cared about s c i e n c e i s unknown, but from h i s remarks in h i s
we assume he shared S w i f t ' s view of the v i r t u o s o ' s a c t i v i t i e s
writings
-~ a
45
waste of the
intellect
on t r i v i a l
things.
T r e m b l e y ' s paper p r o v i d e d
F i e l d i n g w i t h a p e r f e c t means of a t t a c k i n g
Royal
in a j e s t i n g f a s h i o n
the
S o c i e t y w h i l e at the same time making a s e r i o u s comment on
m i s e r s and a v a r i c e and the c o r r u p t i o n
t h a t seems to a s s o c i a t e
itself
w i t h excess w e a l t h .
Here as in the " E s s a y on N o t h i n g " where the p a n e g y r i c on " n o t h i n g "
was enjoyed f o r
r i v e d from the
the CHRYSIPUS.
i t s own s a k e , the f i r s t
response i s the p l e a s u r e d e -
i n c o n g r u i t i e s o f the s i n c e r e , s c i e n t i f i c account o f
The second l e v e l
i s the
i m p l i e d s a t i r e , f o r the parody
p r o v i d e s the means by which to d e r i d e much l a r g e r
The humor so e s s e n t i a l to t h i s
tone of the v i r t u o s o ' s
report.
It
follies.
type o f s a t i r e emerges in
is w i t h a c r e d u l i t y
the
born out
of
f a s c i n a t i o n w i t h the m y s t e r i e s of s c i e n c e t h a t the n a r r a t o r
reports
many o f h i s f i n d i n g s ,
readers
will
never d o u b t i n g f o r a moment t h a t
share h i s amazement a t the marvels u n v e i l e d .
his
He is c a r e f u l
a n a l y z e s i m i l a r c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s of the P o l y p u s and CHRYSIPUS and
so d o i n g he uncovers some remarkable
to
in
differences;
i t (the CHRYSIPUS) d i f f e r s from the Polypus in the consequence,
f o r i n s t e a d of making the INSECT i t s p r e y , i t becomes i t s e l f
a prey to i t , and i n s t e a d of c o n v e y i n g an i n s e c t t w i c e as
l a r g e as i t s own mouth i n t o i t , in i m i t a t i o n of the P o l y p u s ,
the poor CHRYSIPUS i s i t s e l f conveyed i n t o the LOCULUS o r
pouch of an INSECT a thousand times as l a r g e as i t s e l f .
(XV, 67)
W. L. C r o s s , The H i s t o r y o f Henry F i e l d i n g (New Haven, 1918),
391.
I,
46
The s c i e n t i s t
d i s p l a v s complete
indifference
d e p o s i t s the " p o o r CHRYSIPUS" in i t s pouch.
d e r i v e s from t h i s
It
is a l l
speak of man as a bug, but not f o r
Much o f
It
is the
the a t t a c k
that
effect
image and the very
r i g h t f o r the n a r r a t o r
him to f a i l
indifference
that
Much o f the s a t i r i c
c o m b i n a t i o n of m a n - a s - i n s e c t
i n t e r e s t e d n e s s of the s p e a k e r .
v u l s i o n or f e a r .
to the " i n s e c t "
to show s u i t a b l e
disto
re-
hurts.
i s d i r e c t e d at F i e l d i n g ' s o l d enemy, P e t e r
W a l t e r , who is d i s g u i s e d as P e t r u s G u a l t e r u s .
T h i s famous
becomes the m i s e r l y P e t e r Pounce in Joseph Andrews.
v i r t u o s o enabled the author
to k i l l
usurer^
Making him the
two b i r d s w i t h one s t o n e ;
he c o u l d
have h i s fun w i t h the Royal S o c i e t y and at the same time conduct a
s h a r p l y s a t i r i c a t t a c k on a v a r i c e and m i s e r s .
h i s r o l e of n a i v e r e c o r d e r ,
he t e l l s
Gualterus
is p e r f e c t
in
us;
A CHRYSIPUS by the s i m p l e c o n t a c t of my own f i n g e r , has so
c l e a r l y a t t a c h e d i t s e l f to my hand, t h a t by the j o i n t and
i n d e f a t i g a b l e l a b o u r of s e v e r a l of my f r i e n d s , i t c o u l d by
no means be s e v e r e d , o r made to q u i t i t s h o l d .
(XV, 68)
We a g a i n r e c e i v e a double
scientist,
studying,
whom i t
image.
One i s t h a t of G u a l t e r u s the
amazed a t the remarkable q u a l i t i e s
the o t h e r
of t h i s o b j e c t
learned
he i s
i s P e t e r W a l t e r , a d e s p i c a b l e m i s e r , a man from
is i m p o s s i b l e , even f o r f r i e n d s ,
to e x t r a c t
a s i n g l e guinea.
P e t e r W a l t e r i s a l s o mentioned f r e q u e n t l y in P o p e ' s v e r s e ; Mora 1
Essay I I I , 1ine 123, Sat i re I I , i i , 1ine 166, Dialogue I I of Ep i l o q u e
to the S a t i r e s , 1ine 58.
It
i s the l a t t e r
It
of
image t h a t a r o u s e s our
is i n e v i t a b l e
contempt.
in such a thorough experiment t h a t the q u e s t i o n
reproduction should a r i s e .
on t h i s a s p e c t , the a i r of
cloak a deeper, darker
The ingenuousness of the man's
innocence w i t h which i t
intent
in the humorous.
is d e l i v e r e d , helps
The l e a r n e d P e t r u s
us t h a t he " n e v e r observed any t h i n g l i k e the common animal
among the CHRYSIPI.
report
tell
copulation"
His f i r s t attempts a t b r e e d i n g them f a i l e d because
he used o n l y two s u b j e c t s and these would not produce a complete
CHRYSIPUS.
B u t , undaunted, he c o n t i n u e d to e x p e r i m e n t ;
Upon t h i s , I t r i e d a hundred of them t o g e t h e r , by whose m a r v e l ous union (whether i t be, t h a t they mix t o t a l , l i k e those
heavenly s p i r i t s mentioned by M i l t o n , o r by any o t h e r p r o c e s s
not y e t r e v e a l e d to human w i t ) they were found in the y e a r ' s
end to produce t h r e e , f o u r , and sometimes f i v e complete
CHRYSIPI.
(XV, 68)
It
is a c h i l d - l i k e f a s c i n a t i o n t h a t the s c i e n t i s t d i s p l a y s as he h i n t s
a t the many wonderful m y s t e r i e s of
The q u e s t i o n o f
but f o r t u n a t e l y ,
i n c e s t p r e o c c u p i e d the l e a r n e d man f o r
incestuous or otherwise.
The s i n c e r i t y of
confinement to proper form a i d in compounding the
a b s u r d i t y of the whole r e p o r t .
Coupling a l o g i c a l ,
p r e s e n t a t i o n with preposterous subject matter
This
awhile,
he t e l l s u s , not one o f h i s experiments y i e l d e d any
t r a c e s of c o p u l a t i o n ,
and the s t r i c t
nature.
i s what the s a t i r i s t
strives
results
tone
utter
straight-forward
in the
ridiculous
for.
F i e l d i n g never l o s e s s i g h t of the r e p o r t he is p a r o d y i n g ,
often
q u o t i n g from the j o u r n a l
atmosphere.
itself
in o r d e r t o m a i n t a i n a s c i e n t i f i c
The language of G u a l t e r u s ' s paper is as l e a r n e d as t h a t
of the o r i g i n a l .
In d i s c u s s i n g the " d i v i s i o n and s u b d i v i s i o n of
our
CHRYSIPUS" he p o i n t s out t h a t "we a r e f o r c e d to proceed in q u i t e a
different
manner, namely by the m e t a b o l i c o r m u t a t i v e ,
s h y s t i c or d i v i s i v e . "
The b i o l o g i c a l
terminology
not by the
s e r v e s two p u r p o s e s ,
i t keeps the r e p o r t on a s c i e n t i f i c p l a n e and i t a g a i n emphasizes the
fact
t h a t the CHRYSIPUS i s possessed of animal c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s ,
vegetable.
The CHRYSIPI do not m u l t i p l y
eel 1 - d i v i s i o n
not
by a n y t h i n g so s i m p l e as
— they a r e l i v i n g organisms and must be s t u d i e d as s u c h .
The i m p l i c a t i o n
i s t h a t , through our d e i f i c a t i o n o f m a t e r i a l
wealth,
money has become more than a s i m p l e convenience d e s i g n e d f o r man's
use,
it
has taken on q u a l i t i e s of a l i v i n g organism and p l a y s a major
role
in the a f f a i r s o f men, a r o l e t h a t
is mystical
and powerful
and
uncontrollable.
The s a t i r e becomes more i n t e n s e as the essay draws to a c l o s e and
the v i r t u o s o
lists
author points out,
some of the v i r t u e s of the CHRYSIPUS.
is r e c o r d e d , but a l l
o t h e r a n i m a l s and v e g e t a b l e
He f i r s t mentions the amazing power the CHRYSIPUS p o s s e s s .
When a s i n g l e one i s s t u c k on to the f i n g e r
for a f u l l
the
h i s s u b j e c t exceeds " n o t o n l y the P o l y p u s , of which
not one s i n g l e v i r t u e
whatever."
Here,
hour, nay, w i l l
i t on d e s i r e s ,
and a g a i n ,
it w i l l
"make a man t a l k
make him say whatever the person who s t i c k s
i f you d e s i r e s i l e n c e ,
stop the most l o q u a c i o u s t o n g u e . "
it w i l l
as
effectually
It does upon o c c a s i o n happen t h a t
o n e , o r two o r t h r e e o r even twenty guineas a r e not s u f f i c i e n t ,
but
if
h3
you a p p l y the proper number they " s e l d o m o r never f a i l
Every man has h i s p r i c e .
of
success."
F i e l d i n g c o n s t a n t l y a t t a c k e d c o r r u p t i o n and
b r i b e r y , e s p e c i a l l y when i t went on in h i g h p l a c e s , and beneath the
s u r f a c e of t h i s s a t i r e you f e e l
the a c u t e concern of the a u t h o r .
The
s c i e n t i s t goes on to p o i n t out t h a t t h i s f a n t a s t i c CHRYSIPUS has the
" m i r a c u l o u s q u a l i t y of t u r n i n g
black into white, or white
into b l a c k , "
and even of p r o d u c i n g love in the f i n e s t and l o v e l i e s t women f o r
"most w o r t h l e s s and u g l y , o l d and d e c r e p i t of our s e x . "
made f o r w e a l t h and p o s i t i o n
i s always a prime t a r g e t
A marriage
for F i e l d i n g .
T h i s p a r t i c u l a r s u b j e c t r e c e i v e s i t s most e x t e n s i v e treatment
l a s t n o v e l , Ame1ia, but
it
is a major theme in a l l
his
the
in h i s
fiction.
Thus w i t h h i s s t r a i g h t - f a c e d s c i e n t i f i c account F i e l d i n g t u r n s
his
immediate m a t e r i a l
to a much broader p u r p o s e , s a t i r i z i n g the Royal
S o c i e t y , the p r e t e n t i o u s
v i r t u o s o , and in a much more s e r i o u s v e i n ,
m i s e r s , a v a r i c e and the c o r r u p t i o n
that wealth
brings.
Both the " E s s a y on N o t h i n g " and "Some PAPERS Proper to be Read
b e f o r e the R---1
S o c i e t y " r e p r e s e n t p a r t of F i e l d i n g ' s general
on s o c i a l and i n t e l l e c t u a l
abuses.
attack
They a r e l i g h t and c l e v e r in
their
p o l i s h e d p r e s e n t a t i o n and show why F i e l d i n g i s a p t l y c a l l e d an accomplished s a t i r i s t .
In them he r e v e a l s a s k i l l
h i s form and s u b j e c t m a t t e r t h a t does f u l l
and c o n t r o l
j u s t i c e to the
he e s t a b l ished as a s a t i r i s t w h i l e w r i t i n g drama.
in h a n d l i n g
reputation
Jonathan Wi1d
In 17^3, one year a f t e r
the publ i c a t i o n of Joseph Andrews, the
f i r s t e d i t i o n o f Henry F i e l d i n g ' s The L i f e of the L a t e Mr. Jonathan
W i l d The Great appeared in volume III
o f h i s M1 s e e l 1 an i e s .
very b e g i n n i n g i t was a problem c h i l d , f o r w h i l e
w i t h Joseph And rews, i t s tone was d a r k e r , the
it
From the
had much in common
irony more s u s t a i n e d and
the b i t t e r n e s s much more a p p a r e n t .
F i e l d i n g ' s endeavours as a d r a m a t i s t had r e s u l t e d
in
numerous
f a r c e s and b u r l e s q u e s w h i c h , w h i l e h a s t i l y turned o u t , enjoyed immense
popularity.
They were f i l l e d w i t h a t t a c k s on contemporary
on p o l i t i c s , and on p r e t e n s i o n
in a l l
f o r The Champion, p a r t i c u l a r l y
h i s "Voyages o f Mr. Job V i n e g a r , " which
were e x p l i c i t l y
ditions
i m i t a t i v e of
in h i s s o c i e t y .
i t s masks.
conditions,
Similarly his
writings
G u l l i v e r ' s T r a v e l s b i t t e r l y condemned c o n -
However,
it
i s Jonathan W i l d t h a t
F i e l d i n g ' s most s u c c e s s f u l attempt a t a s u s t a i n e d p i e c e o f
represents
satiric
51
writing.
In it he records the actions of a Great Man, Jonathan Wild,
in such a manner as to expose the evil
that threatens any society when
"goodness" and "greatness" become completely divorced v i r t u e s , with
all
the power and material benefits f a l l i n g
into the greedy, clutching
hands of those that possess the quality of "greatness."
Fielding pays
tribute to the conventional virtues that have always been admired by
man — virtues such as honour and generosity and compassion — by
presenting them as deplorable weaknesses while praising a l l
their
despicable opposites which are embodied in his hero, Jonathan Wild.
It
has been questioned by many c r i t i c s whether Jonathan Wild
functions as a successful satire or whether
it
tirade that is neither a novel nor a formal
satire but something in
between the two.
It
is not rather a tedious
is my intention to offer valid reasons for claiming
that the work does constitute a successful satire and something which
is unique among F i e l d i n g ' s works.
Unlike Joseph And rews or Tom Jones,
where the action rises above any s a t i r i c a l
as something to be enjoyed in its own right,
intent, to exist
ultimately
in Jonathan Wild the c u l -
minating effect of the work is s a t i r i c a l .
In his study The Ma k i n g of Jonathan Wild, W. R. Irwin g ives extensive treatment to the h i s t o r i c a l
background of F i e l d i n g ' s work, he
presents a brief account of the history of the real Wild, and of the
biographical material that would have been available to F i e l d i n g .
Our
author patterned his hero, or anti-hero, on the l i f e and actions of
one Jonathan Wild who was f i r s t
goods, and f i n a l l y
a t h i e f , then a receiver of stolen
the leader of a gang of criminals which operated
52
successfully
in London f o r s e v e r a l y e a r s .
W i l d was apprehended and
hanged in 1725, and immediately numerous b i o g r a p h i e s were p u b l i s h e d
celebrating his notorious career.
Remarkable as h i s c r i m i n a l
achieve-
ments may have been, s u r e l y the most amazing f e a t u r e about the man's
l i f e was the p u b l i c s e n s a t i o n h i s hanging a r o u s e d .
legend — he became a symbol.
W i l d was the f i r s t
by F i e l d i n g f o r
an a l l e g o r i c a l
He was a l r e a d y a
D e f o e ' s L i f e and Act ions of
good account o f W i l d ' s
the h i s t o r i c a l
life,
and the one most used
background of h i s s a t i r e .
t o D e f o e ' s b i o g r a p h y , uses of W i l d ' s name and r e p u t a t i o n
purposes w i t h the r e s u l t
become a symbol of e v i l
and c r u e l t y . ^
f o r the O p p o s i t i o n e x p l o i t e d
M i n i s t e r , Robert W a l p o l e .
political
bilities
in t h e i r
were
for
t h a t by 17^3 W i l d had
It was t h i s
symbol t h a t
writers
c o u n t l e s s a t t a c k s on the Prime
pamphleteers and Grub S t r e e t h a c k s .
o f the man's v i l l a i n o u s
of the age as S w i f t ,
Subsequent
These a t t a c k s were by no means l i m i t e d
r e f e r e n c e s t o W i l d can be found
The s a t i r i c a l
to
possi-
r e p u t a t i o n were soon r e c o g n i z e d , and
in the works o f such prominent
writers
Pope and Gay.
John G a y ' s B e g g a r ' s Opera, f i r s t performed
in 1728, employed a
Newgate analogy to s a t i r i z e the Walpole a d m i n i s t r a t i o n
has remarkable s i m i l a r i t i e s
work.
Making W i l d
f i g u r e was by no means new w i t h F i e l d i n g .
chiefly political
Jonathan
in a p l a y t h a t
of p l o t and c h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n to
W h i l e many viewed the opera as a l i g h t h e a r t e d
Fielding's
a t t a c k on the
W R I r w i n , The. Making o f Jonathan Wjild.
A Study in the
Method of Henry F i e l d i n g
(New Y o r k , 1 9 ^ 1 ) , p 11
Literary
mores of the p e r i o d , o t h e r s ,
l i k e Dean S w i f t ,
saw i t as " . . . a very
2
severe s a t i r e on the most p e r n i c i o u s v i l l a i n i e s o f m a n k i n d . "
d i f f i c u l t on the b a s i s o f the B e q g a r ' s Opera i t s e l f
determined s a t i r i s t .
It
to see Gay as a
There is s i m p l y too much music and
laughter.
However, behind the s u r f a c e g a i e t y of the comic o p e r a , behind a l l
boisterous
is
the
l a u g h t e r and m u s i c , t h e r e l u r k s a s e r i o u s comment on s o c i e
In h i s a r t i c l e
" S a t i r e and S t . G e o r g e , " P h i l i p P i n k u s makes some r e -
marks about the n a t u r e of s a t i r e t h a t help to remove the
difficulty
o f v i e w i n g something e s s e n t i a l l y l i g h t , w i t t y , and even humorous, as
being damningly
satiric;
It is not d i f f i c u l t to see the image of e v i l in what i s
called Juvenalian s a t i r e .
But the p o i n t i s t h a t H o r a t i a n s a t i r e ,
which is l i g h t , urbane, even good-humoured, has a s i m i l a r imagery.
The d i f f e r e n c e i s l a r g e l y a m a t t e r o f t o n e .
The one s t r e s s e s
the h o r r o r o f the e v i l , and the consequent f e a r .
The o t h e r
s t r e s s e s the r i d i c u l e , and evokes l a u g h t e r , in a sense showing
a g r e a t e r contempt f o r the t a r g e t , an outward c o n f i d e n c e in
being a b l e to escape the dangers of i t s e v i l . 3
Thus i t
i s a type of H o r a t i a n s a t i r e we f i n d
a t t a c k c l o a k e d in the garments of the comic o p e r a .
w i t h s a t i r e on a t l e a s t f o u r main f r o n t s ;
and m u s i c a l .
He p r e s e n t s us
social, political,
Jonathan W i l d ' s presence i s immediately
the c h a r a c t e r o f Peachum, who i s a l s o a t h i e f - t a k e r
e x c e l 1ence.
in Gay, w i t h the
Peachum ( l i k e
F i e l d i n g ' s Wild)
recognizable
and scoundrel
i l l i a m 1962),
Henry p.
I r v i252.
n g , John Gay; F a v o u r i t e of the Wits
(NewWYork,
Queen's Q u a r t e r l y , LXX (1963), p. 35.
in
par
r e p r e s e n t s the f o r c e s of
2
3
literary
54
evil
in the d r a m a t i c c o n f l i c t .
Walpole and h i s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ,
The p o l i t i c a l
satire
who are e l a b o r a t e l y
Peachum and h i s a s s o c i a t e s in t h e i r
i s focussed on
identified
with
s w i n d l i n g and robbing of the
public.
The p a r a l l e l s between G a y ' s Newgate opera and F i e l d i n g ' s Newgate
tale
4
extend even to the names o f some of the c h a r a c t e r s
involved.
There
is a Bob Bagshot in F i e l d i n g ' s t a l e and a Robin Bagshot p l a y s a minor
ro1e in The B e g g a r ' s Opera, W i l d has i l l i c i t
S t r a d d l e who has her c o u n t e r p a r t
r e l a t i o n s w i t h MoJ1y
in Sukey S t r a d d l e
in Gay's o p e r a .
S o c i a l and pol i t i c a l
s a t i re pervades The B e g g a r ' s Opera much as
does Jonathan W i l d ,
There i s , however, a b a s i c d i f f e r e n c e
— in the former a l l
the q u a l i t i e s
of the comic o p e r a , the
melodrama and the music are p r e s e n t
the s a t i r e ,
in Jonathan W i l d t h e r e
drama, but t h e i r
function
it
t o be noted
sentimentality,
in such s t r e n g t h as to tone down
is much l a u g h t e r and even some melo-
is to enhance the s a t i r i c
effect.
In the P r e f a c e to the M i s c e l l a n l e s (1743), F i e l d i n g was c a r e f u l
t o warn h i s readers o f the dangers o f making hasty assumptions
h i s work, p a r t i c u l a r l y
in t a k i n g
i t as an a s s a u l t on
about
contemporary
cond i t i o n s .
As i t is not a very f a i t h f u l p o r t r a i t o f Jonathan W i l d hims e l f , so n e i t h e r is i t intended to represent the f e a t u r e s o f
any o t h e r p e r s o n . Roguery — and not a rogue — i s my s u b j e c t ,
and, as I have been so f a r from endeavouring to p a r t i c u l a r i z e
The p a r a l l e l s a r e f u l l y d i s c u s s e d in J . E. W e l l s , " F i e l d i n g ' s
P o l i t i c a l Purpose in Jonathan W i l d , " PMLA, XXVIII (1913), p. 29. My
treatment of Jonathan W i l d extends W e l l s ' c o n c l u s i o n s which I f i n d
amply e s t a b l i s h e d by the t e x t .
any i n d i v i d u a l , t h a t I have with my utmost a r t avoided i t , so
w i l l any such a p p l i c a t i o n be u n f a i r in my reader, e s p e c i a l l y
i f he know much o f the great world, s i n c e he must then be
a c q u a i n t e d , I bei leve, with more than one on whom he can f i x
the
resemblance.^
Now the c l a i m "roguery,
and not a rogue,
i s my s u b j e c t , " echoes the
p r o t e c t i v e c r y o f a l l s a t i r i s t s and can be taken much as a p o l i t e
m a l i t y , p a r t i c u l a r l y when the very next
of the u t t e r a n c e .
ing's contemporaries
It would have been
remark undermines the s i n c e r i t y
immediately
protests
associations.
It i s t y p i c a l
illustrates
by F i e l d -
not o f the "Great
h i s readers to make
of Fielding
that he i s not a t t a c k i n g a n y t h i n g
v i t e s o r r a t h e r commands s p e c i a l
further
understood
that the hero Wild was c e r t a i n l y
World," and t h a t the author was a c t u a l l y prompting
the l o g i c a l
for-
t h a t he lodges
in p a r t i c u l a r and then i n -
application.
The f o l l o w i n g passage
this point;
But without c o n s i d e r i n g Newgate as no o t h e r than human nature
w i t h i t s mask o f f , which some very shameless w r i t e r s have done -—
a thought which no p r i c e should purchase me t o e n t e r t a i n —
I t h i n k we may be excused f o r s u s p e c t i n g , t h a t the s p l e n d i d
p a l a c e s o f the great a r e o f t e n no o t h e r than Newgate with the
mask on. Nor do I know a n y t h i n g which can r a i s e an honest
man's i n d i g n a t i o n h i g h e r than that the same morals should be
in one p l a c e attended with a l l imaginable misery and infamy,
and in the o t h e r , with the h i g h e s t luxury and honour....6
F i e l d i n g can be very b l u n t , but I t h i n k h i s complete s i n c e r i t y and the
t o u c h i n g e a r n e s t n e s s o f h i s concern with c o n d i t i o n s - a s - t h e y - w e r e
The
come
The Works o f Henry F i e l d i n g (New York, 1 8 9 9 ) , v o l . X, p. x v i .
Henley edn. does not i n c l u d e t h i s P r e f a c e .
P r e f a c e to the Miseel 1 an i e s ,
( 1 7 ^ 3 ) , v o l . X, p. x v i i .
56
home to the reader because of t h i s d i r e c t n e s s .
Many of the p o i n t s made
in the P r e f a c e are s t r e s s e d a g a i n in the A d v e r t i s e m e n t from the Publ i s t e r to the Reader t h a t came out
in the c o r r e c t e d 175^ e d i t i o n ;
The t r u t h i s , as a very c o r r u p t s t a t e of morals i s here
r e p r e s e n t e d , the scene seems very p r o p e r l y to have been l a i d
in Newgate, nor do I see any reason f o r i n t r o d u c i n g any a l l e g o r y a t a l l , u n l e s s we w i l l agree t h a t t h e r e a r e , w i t h o u t
those w a l l s , some o t h e r b o d i e s o f men of worse morals than
those w i t h i n , and who have, c o n s e q u e n t l y , a r i g h t to change
places with i t s present inhabitants.
( v o l . I I , Henley edn.)
The a c c u s i n g t o n e , the
i r o n i c s c o r n o f these l i n e s
is c e r t a i n l y
d i c a t i v e o f a w e l l - d e f i n e d purpose on the p a r t o f the a u t h o r .
virtually
inHe i s
c h a l l e n g i n g anyone to d i s a g r e e w i t h the statement t h a t
out-
s i d e of Newgate t h e r e a r e "some o t h e r b o d i e s of men o f worse morals
than those w i t h i n . "
It
is o f t e n d i f f i c u l t
d e c l a r a t i o n s are t o be taken l i t e r a l l y .
tive,
to determine when F i e l d i n g ' s
In h i s P r e f a c e to h i s n a r r a -
f o r example, the a u t h o r ' s words o c c a s i o n a l l y r i n g w i t h a s i n c e r i t y
t h a t may seem to remove s u s p i c i o n of any double meaning, y e t
very
i n s i s t e n c e t h a t t h e r e are no hidden i m p l i c a t i o n s
a r o u s e s the r e a d e r ' s c u r i o s i t y and s t a r t s
shades o f meaning.
It
immediately
him l o o k i n g f o r
various
is c o n t i n u a l l y emphasized in the P r e f a c e , in
the A d v e r t i s e m e n t , and in the work i t s e l f
pose.
that this
i s a book of
F i e l d i n g is out to expose e v i l , and Walpole and h i s
r e p r e s e n t one o f the prime
the p o l i t i c a l
pur-
government
targets.
Three c h a p t e r s of Jonathan W i l d were a p p a r e n t l y
their political
Fielding's
implications.
inserted
for
These c h a p t e r s a r e i n t e r e s t i n g both
s a t i r e they c o n t a i n and f o r t h e i r
Swiftian
qualities.
for
The f i r s t of t h e s e , Book I I ,
c h a p t e r V I , bears the subheading " o f
Hats."
W i l d ' s gang i s d e s c r i b e d as b e i n g d i v i d e d on the b a s i s o f Tory and Whig
principles.
As these persons wore d i f f e r e n t PRINCIPLES, i . e . HATS, f r e q u e n t
d i s s e n s i o n s grew among them. There were p a r t i c u l a r l y two
p a r t i e s , v i z . : those who wore hats FIERCELY c o c k e d , and those
who p r e f e r r e d the NAB o r t r e n c h e r h a t , w i t h the brim f l a p p i n g
over t h e i r e y e s . The former were c a l l e d CAVALIERS and TORY
RORY RANTER BOYS, e t c , the l a t t e r went by the s e v e r a l names o f
WAGS, roundheads, shakebags, o l d n o l l s , and s e v e r a l o t h e r s .
Between these c o n t i n u a l j a r s a r o s e , insomuch t h a t they grew
in time to t h i n k t h e r e was something e s s e n t i a l in t h e i r d i f f e r e n c e s , and t h a t t h e i r i n t e r e s t s were i n c o m p a t i b l e w i t h each
o t h e r , whereas, in t r u t h , the d i f f e r e n c e l a y o n l y in the f a s h i o n
of t h e i r h a t s .
( I I , 73-74)
How very c l e a r , c o n c i s e and u t t e r l y d e s t r u c t i v e ,
minded o f
The reader is
S w i f t ' s Ta 1 e o f a_ Tub where the t h r e e b r o t h e r s P e t e r , M a r t i n
and J a c k so a l t e r
the c o a t s t h e i r
father
l e f t them as to make them u n -
r e c o g n i z a b l e as b e i n g at one time e x a c t l y the same.
Swift's
goes f u r t h e r and is f a r more i n v o l v e d , but the p r i n c i p l e
Fielding
re-
allegory
is the same.
is a t t a c k i n g men whose p r i n c i p l e s are so s h a l l o w t h a t they are
worn l i k e h a t s , f o r ornament o r f o r
identification.
a r e not founded in r e a s o n , they a r e not
rooted
Such p r i n c i p l e s
in moral
responsibility,
they are i n s t e a d b e l i e f s and c o n v i c t i o n s a c q u i r e d as e a s i l y as a new
hat.
Such p r i n c i p l e s a r e changed as f a s h i o n d i c t a t e s and those who h o l d
different
p r i n c i p l e s a r e hated and f e a r e d s i m p l y because they a r e
differ-
ent.
W i l d ' s gang, however, i s u n i t e d
makes a l l
too e x p l i c i t
in a common c a u s e , a cause W i l d
in h i s speech to h i s men;
"If
the p u b l i c s h o u l d
58
be weak enough to
interest
themselves in your q u a r r e l s , and to
one pack t o the o t h e r , w h i l e both a r e a i m i n g a t t h e i r
your b u s i n e s s to laugh a t ,
like Swift,
not
imitate
their
folly"(ll,
It
is i n t e r e s t i n g
is
75). F i e l d i n g ,
to note what
has to say about " r i b b a n d s " — a comment t h a t
Fielding
is not u n l i k e t h a t of
in G u l l i v e r ' s "Voyage to L I I 1 i p u t " when he d e s c r i b e s the
ceremonies o f the L i l l i p u t i a n s .
as i t
purses, it
found r i d i c u l o u s much of the fawning and ceremony t h a t
went on in c o u r t c i r c l e s .
Swift
prefer
History w i l l
r e l a t e s to F i e l d i n g ' s s a t i r e .
this
point
In 1725 Walpole persuaded the
to r e v i v e the Order of the Bath " a n a r t f u l
to s u p p l y a fund of f a v o u r s . "
help c l a r i f y
court
bank of t h i r t y - s i x
king
ribbands
Walpole h i m s e l f was on May 27 of
that
year i n v e s t e d w i t h the o r d e r which he r e l i n q u i s h e d on June 26, 1726,
so t h a t he c o u l d be advanced t o the o r d e r of G a r t e r .
o f a commoner, f o r the f i r s t
among the n o b i l i t y
This
time s i n c e 1660, caused much j e a l o u s y
and suggested the nickname o f " S i r B l u e s t r i n g " by
which he was commonly a s s a i l e d in lampoons of the t i m e . ' '
a l l u d e s to t h i s a f f a i r
latter
after
fails
promotion
Fielding
in the scene between W i l d and B l u e s k i n when the
to d e l i v e r a s t o l e n watch to h i s c h i e f .
As a l a s t
resort,
e x p l a i n i n g why every gang needs a l e a d e r , and what the " a b s o l u t e
r i g h t s " of t h a t l e a d e r should be, W i l d remarks; "and s u r e l y t h e r e
is
none in the whole gang who hath l e s s reason to complain than y o u , you
have t a s t e d o f my f a v o u r s ; w i t n e s s t h a t p i e c e of
your h a t , w i t h which I dubbed you c a p t a i n "
7 Wei I s , p. 30.
(ll,
ribbon you wear
]k0).
in
However, B l u e -
skin
i s unimpressed by t h i s
f a v o u r and r e p l i e s to the e f f e c t
that
the
r i b b o n means n o t h i n g , a r e p l y t h a t e x t r a c t s the f o l l o w i n g comment from
Wild;
Might not a man as r e a s o n a b l y t e l l a m i n i s t e r of s t a t e , S i r ,
you have given me the shadow o n l y ? The ribbon o r the bauble
t h a t you gave me i m p l i e s t h a t I have e i t h e r s i g n a l i z e d m y s e l f ,
by some g r e a t a c t i o n , f o r the b e n e f i t and g l o r y of my c o u n t r y ,
o r at l e a s t t h a t I am descended from those who have done s o .
I know m y s e l f to be a s c o u n d r e l , and so have been those few
a n c e s t o r s I can remember, o r have ever heard o f . . . .
( I I , 140-141)
This
is u t t e r l y
p r e p o s t e r o u s in the Great Man's eyes of c o u r s e , but
the reader the s u g g e s t i o n is c l e a r .
F i e l d i n g is again s t r e s s i n g his
r e g r e t t h a t such pomp and ceremony and r e s p e c t i s p a i d by the
(and many o f the
informed as w e l l )
Chapter XI of Book III
l a i d that
it
shames a l l
and s u b - d i g r e s s i o n . "
ways o f
to
uninformed
to the u n d e s e r v i n g .
c a r r i e s the s u b - t i t l e
" A Scheme so d e e p l y
the p o l i t i c s of t h i s our a g e , w i t h d i g r e s s i o n
Here we have the u n s c r u p u l o u s W i l d
contemplating
r u i n i n g h i s f r i e n d H e a r t f r e e , "whose very name sounded o d i o u s
in h i s e a r s . "
Having d e c i d e d to charge H e a r t f r e e w i t h t r y i n g
h i s c r e d i t o r s by s e n d i n g h i s w i f e away w i t h t h e i r
to
defraud
remaining v a l u a b l e s —
W i l d ' s own s u g g e s t i o n — h i s way was c l e a r ;
What remained to c o n s i d e r was o n l y the quomodo, and the person
o r t o o l to be employed, f o r the s t a g e of the w o r l d d i f f e r s
from t h a t in D r u r y - l a n e p r i n c i p a l l y in t h i s — t h a t whereas,
on the l a t t e r , the hero or c h i e f f i g u r e i s almost c o n t i n u a l l y
b e f o r e your e y e s , w h i l s t the u n d e r - a c t o r s a r e not seen above
once in an e v e n i n g , now, on the f o r m e r , the hero o r great man
i s always behind the c u r t a i n , and seldom o r never appears o r
doth a n y t h i n g in h i s own p e r s o n . He doth i n d e e d , in t h i s
grand drama, r a t h e r perform the p a r t of the prompter, and doth
60
i n s t r u c t the w e l l - d r e s s e d f i g u r e s , who a r e s t r u t t i n g
on the s t a g e , what to say and do.
( I I , 131)
This
i s s a t i r e c l o a k e d in i t s s h e e r e s t v e i l s .
in p u b l i c
The whole image is
f r i g h t e n i n g when one t h i n k s of the power of t h i s s i n g l e person c o n trolling
the " w e l l - d r e s s e d f i g u r e s " who a r e merely pawns to h i s w i s h e s .
And t h e s e puppets a r e v a i n c r e a t u r e s who in s p i t e of b e i n g t o l d what
to do, even what to s a y , s t i l l
to d e s e r v e t h e i r
importance.
" s t r u t " b e f o r e the p u b l i c and p r e t e n d
The scene is a v a r i a t i o n of the
"court
o f Wax" image in P o p e ' s " F o u r t h S a t i r e o f Dr. John Donne;"
Such p a i n t e d P u p p e t s ! such a v a r n i s h ' d Race
Of h o l l o w Gewgaws, o n l y Dress and Face,
Such waxen N o s e s , s t a t e l y , s t a r i n g t h i n g s ,
g
No wonder some F o l k s bow, and t h i n k them KINGS.
In F i e l d i n g the brunt of the a t t a c k f a l l s on the puppet master as the
source of the e v i l , but a l l
present.
satirist
T h i s puppet
the i m p l i c a t i o n s o f a d i s e a s e d s o c i e t y a r e
imagery, as w e l l as b e i n g a s t o c k image f o r
to draw o n , was e x t r e m e l y a p p r o p r i a t e f o r
the
F i e l d i n g ' s purpose,
f o r Walpole was o f t e n p r e s e n t e d as puppet master by the O p p o s i t i o n ' s
q
political
writers.
ministration.
It
This e n t i r e chapter
contributes
and H e a r t f r e e , but
little
i s a d i r e c t a t t a c k on the a d -
i f a n y t h i n g to the s t o r y of W i l d
i t does s c o r e some d i r e c t
h i t s on the
satirist's
The Poems o f A l e x a n d e r Pope, Twickenham e d i t i o n , e d . John Butt
(London, 1939), v o l . I V , p. 43, l i n e s 208-211.
W e l l s , op. c i t . ,
p. 39.
61
target.
The irony o f the f o l l o w i n g passage i s o b v i o u s , so t o o ,
i s the f r u s t r a t e d
anger and concern t h a t prompted
I think
it;
A GREAT MAN ought to do h i s b u s i n e s s by o t h e r s , to employ
hands as we have b e f o r e s a i d , to h i s p u r p o s e s , and keep
h i m s e l f as much behind the c u r t a i n as p o s s i b l e , and though
i t must be acknowledged t h a t two very great men, whose names
w i l l be both recorded in h i s t o r y , d i d in t h e s e l a t t e r times
come f o r t h themselves on the s t a g e , and d i d hack and hew and
l a y each o t h e r most c r u e l l y open to the d i v e r s i o n of the s p e c t a t o r s , y e t t h i s must be mentioned r a t h e r as an example of
a v o i d a n c e than i m i t a t i o n . . . .
( I I , 132)
F i e l d i n g does not name any names, but he does not have to to make the
s a t i r e take on a very p e r s o n a l
In c h a p t e r
note.
I I I of Book IV we w i t n e s s the c o n f l i c t
Johnson as to who i s going to r u l e the
between W i l d and
inmates of Newgate.
It
e r a l l y agreed t h a t Johnson here r e p r e s e n t s Walpole and t h a t the
in Newgate s y m b o l i z e s the p a r l i a m e n t a r y
Walpole's majority,
signed.'^
e l e c t i o n s of
is genelection
1741, in which
reduced to s i x t e e n , was so u n c e r t a i n t h a t he r e -
Who W i l d r e p r e s e n t s has been the s u b j e c t o f much s p e c u l a t i o n ,
w i t h C h a r l e s Townshend, W i l l i a m P u l t e n e y , and John C a r t e r e t being put
f o r t h as p o s s i b i l i t i e s . ^
this point
The a u t h o r
i n s e r t s a very sober speech a t
in the form of the u t t e r a n c e s of the " v e r y grave man" which
take p l a c e a f t e r W i l d has succeeded in o u s t i n g Johnson from h i s
position
o f power.
present
10
T h i s gentleman s e t s f o r t h the d i s a d v a n t a g e s o f t h e i r
,I r w i•n , p. 4m0 .
' ' Suggested by W. L. Cross (The H i s t o r y o f Henry F i e l d i n g ) ,
W e l l s , and I r w i n , r e s p e c t i v e l y .
62
system and even s u g g e s t s a r e a s o n a b l e a l t e r n a t i v e .
Yet w h i l e h i s speech
"was r e c e i v e d w i t h much a p p l a u s e , . . . W i l d c o n t i n u e d as b e f o r e to
contributions
among the p r i s o n e r s , t o a p p l y the g a r n i s h t o h i s own u s e ,
and to s t r u t o p e n l y
156).
It
levy
in the ornaments he had s t r i p p e d from Johnson" (I I,
is s i g n i f i c a n t
t h a t W i l d i s always g r e a t , he r i s e s above e v e r y
s i t u a t i o n t h a t c o n f r o n t s him, even to the very end when he i s r a i s e d on
the g a l l o w s to swing high above h i s f e l l o w men.
ness c o n s i s t s in power, p r i d e ,
— to speak out
"Indeed, while
i n s o l e n c e , and d o i n g m i s c h i e f to mankind
w h i l e a g r e a t man and a g r e a t rogue a r e synonomous
t e r m s , so long s h a l l W i l d stand u n r i v a l l e d on the p i n n a c l e of
( l l , 205).
GREATNESS"
Roguery and g r e a t n e s s a r e synonomous in F i e l d i n g ' s s o c i e t y
and the great men a r e a l l
too
plentiful.
To c o n t i n u e t h i s d i s c u s s i o n f u r t h e r ,
political
great-
it
is n e c e s s a r y t h a t
s a t i r e be c o n s i d e r e d as an a s p e c t o f the c o n f l i c t
g r e a t n e s s and goodness t h a t
is the a l l e g o r i c a l
"fundamental e t h i c a l p r o b l e m " ( I r w i n ' s phrase)
the
between
b a s i s of the work.
is r e a l l y
This
inseparable
from the c o n s i d e r a t i o n of the e s s e n t i a l " b a d n e s s " o r " g o o d n e s s " of man,
a problem which found f r e q u e n t e x p r e s s i o n in the w r i t i n g s
century m o r a l i s t s .
of
eighteenth-
One must c o n s i d e r F i e l d i n g h i m s e l f as a moral
satirist
in the sense t h a t he was so i n t e n s e l y concerned w i t h t h i s whole q u e s t i o n .
He took upon h i m s e l f the t a s k o f e x p o s i n g and r i d i c u l i n g the g r e a t men
of his s o c i e t y .
The a u t h o r
is e x p l i c i t about h i s own views on the s u b -
j e c t o f goodness and g r e a t n e s s in h i s P r e f a c e to the Mi s e e l 1 an i e s :
In R e a l i t y , no Q u a l i t i e s can be more d i s t i n c t ; f o r as i t c a n not be doubted but t h a t B e n e v o l e n c e , Honour, Honesty, and
C h a r i t y make a good man, so must i t be c o n f e s s e d t h a t the
63
I n g r e d i e n t s which compose the former o f these c h a r a c t e r s , bear
no Analogy t o , nor Dependence on those which c o n s t i t u t e the l a t ter.
A Man may t h e r e f o r e be Great w i t h o u t being Good, o r
Good w i t h o u t b e i n g G r e a t .
Similarly,
in the opening c h a p t e r of Jonathan Wi 1d the a u t h o r
h i s terms"
other,
"no two t h i n g s can p o s s i b l y be more d i s t i n c t
for greatness consists
defines
from each
in b r i n g i n g a l l manner of m i s c h i e f on
m a n k i n d , and goodness in removing
it
from them" ( I I ,
3).
The " g r e a t man" as seen by the e i g h t e e n t h - c e n t u r y
viewer had s e v e r a l
12
notable c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s .
able personal ambition.
F i r s t he had to possess a r u t h l e s s ,
We look a t W i l d ; " A s h i s most powerful
and p r e -
dominant p a s s i o n was a m b i t i o n , so nature had, w i t h consummate
adapted a l l
his f a c u l t i e s
to the a t t a i n i n g
h i s p a s s i o n d i r e c t e d him" ( l l ,
and r e s o l u t e
own g o a l s .
in e v e r y t h i n g
201).
propriety,
those g l o r i o u s ends to which
He had to be i n v e n t i v e ,
that contributed
to the a t t a i n m e n t
He had to be b o l d , cunning and a v a r i c i o u s
had to be j u s t
insati-
l i k e Jonathan W i l d the G r e a t .
All
these
artful
of
his
in f a c t ,
he
requirements
were r e a d i l y a t t r i b u t e d t o p o l i t i c i a n s who had become great not by
virtue
of t h e i r
their
office,
i n t e g r i t y or personal a b i l i t y
but through
someone a l r e a d y
to perform the f u n c t i o n s
of
l y i n g o r scheming o r b r i b i n g o r s i m p l y fawning o v e r
in a p o s i t i o n o f power.
It was a common view to see
the " g r e a t man" as conqueror — and h i s t o r y p r o v i d e d numerous examples
in the form of A l e x a n d e r , L o u i s XIV, C h a r l e s X I I ,
I am here making use of
b a s i s f o r my p r e s e n t a t i o n .
a l l men who
I r w i n ' s d i s c u s s i o n of t h i s
lived
s u b j e c t as a
s o l e l y f o r the g r a t i f i c a t i o n
of t h e i r own d r i v i n g a m b i t i o n s and l u s t s .
The "good man" l i k e w i s e had h i s r o l e
He was r a t h e r an i n v o l v e d f i g u r e
of the day.
in h i s c o m b i n a t i o n of p u b l i c and p r i v a t e
r o l e s , y e t he was always r e c o g n i z a b l e .
He was i n h e r e n t l y a good C h r i s -
t i a n , a p a t r i o t , a man of moderate h a b i t s
his youth),
in the l i t e r a t u r e
( i n h i s mature y e a r s i f not
in
he was k i n d and generous, even to the p o i n t of b e i n g t e n d e r
upon o c c a s i o n , and above a l l
benevolence.
he possessed t h a t most k i n g l y of
F i e l d i n g ' s works a r e f i l l e d w i t h good men;
w o r t h y , and Tom J o n e s , f o r example - - but f o r
virtues,
Adams, A l l -
the most p a r t they
in-
h a b i t h i s l a t e r w o r k s , j u s t as h i s e a r l y w r i t i n g s were perhaps more
notable for
rogue.
the r e f e r e n c e s to the great man as p o l i t i c i a n , conqueror o r
Pasqu in , The H i s t o r i ca 1 Reg i s t e r , Don Q_u i x o t e
Thumb, a l l
in Engl and , Tom
r e v e a l h i s p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h the moral q u e s t i o n s of h i s
The type of good man mentioned above is more than we f i n d
free.
While there
virtuous
time.
in H e a r t -
i s c e r t a i n l y n o t h i n g e v i l about H e a r t f r e e , he i s
to the e x t e n t of b e i n g too good to be t r u e .
His is a p a s s i v e
role
in the a l l e g o r y , he s y m b o l i z e s good in o r d e r to p r o v i d e a s u i t a b l e
foil
for
the e v i l
that
l i v i n g , driving force
is Jonathan W i l d .
in t h i s drama.
by h i s sheer v i l l a i n y .
Heartfree
s i d e by s i d e w i t h the monster
l a c k of goodness.
It
W i l d the a n t i - h e r o
is
the
i s W i l d we w a t c h , f a s c i n a t e d
i s l i t t l e more than a prop t o p l a c e
in o r d e r to enhance the l a t t e r ' s
Jonathan W i l d i s s a t i r e ,
sheer
i t s c h a r a c t e r s a r e not meant
to be b e l i e v a b l e as o r d i n a r y human b e i n g s , but r a t h e r they are to be seen
as embodiments of e i t h e r
as t h e r e
good o r of e v i l .
is in F i e l d i n g ' s l a t e r n o v e l s .
There i s no b l e n d i n g of the two
65
Jonathan W i l d i s more than a moral n a r r a t i v e ,
all
the d e l i g h t f u l
and the u l t i m a t e
goal of
r i d i c u l e that
i s found
In f a c t ,
markable resemblances to S w i f t ' s T a l e .
image is t h a t o f the mountebank l i v i n g
to f r a u d , a m b i t i o n and g r e e d .
All
on the good w i l l
villain's
re-
In the T a l e the
dominant
in a w o r l d c o m p l e t e l y g i v e n over
of t h i s
Tubbian s o c i e t y
i n t o the image o f Bedlam w i t h the mountebanks on
is the highwayman
their
In Jonathan W i l d
i s the highwayman, the great man
in p o l i t i c s ,
the man who is
trading
and ignorance o f the p u b l i c t h a t W i l d r e p r e s e n t s . The
stage i t i n e r a n t
he swings out t r i u m p h a n t l y
It
F i e l d i n g ' s work bears
the a c t i v i t y
the f o c a l p o i n t of the s a t i r i c a t t a c k
It
irony,
in such works as A Tale
stages the maddest, most dangerous of a l l .
in s o c i e t y ;
with
There i s , f o r example, the same
b a s i c image to be found in both o f them.
itinerant
is s a t i r e ,
v a r i a t i o n s of tone and meaning, the s u s t a i n e d
of a_ Tub and Gul 1 i v e r ' s T r a v e l s .
f i t s beautifully
it
ultimately
becomes the g a l l o w s , from
there
above the heads o f the people he has duped.
is on the g a l l o w s t h a t he reaches the p i n n a c l e o f h i s g r e a t n e s s .
Many of the scenes o f F i e l d i n g ' s Newgate t a l e a l s o suggest
the
comic a u t h o r of Tom Jones n e a r l y as much as they do F i e l d i n g the
irist.
Here too is found the same d e l i g h t f u l
s i m i l e which is used w i t h such e f f e c t
sat-
d e v i c e of the m o c k - e p i c
in F i e l d i n g ' s n o v e l s .
There
is
a s l i g h t d i f f e r e n c e however, because here the m o c k - e p i c d e v i c e s a r e
used more f o r the purpose o f s a t i r e than f o r
their
comic e f f e c t s .
example, when Jonathan c a t c h e s F i r e b l o o d in the arms of L a e t i t i a ,
scene i s d e s c r i b e d in the f o l l o w i n g
manner:
As the generous b u l l who, having long d e p a s t u r e d among
For
the
66
a number o f cows, and thence c o n t r a c t e d an o p i n i o n t h a t these
cows a r e a l l h i s own p r o p e r t y , i f he beholds a n o t h e r b u l l
b e s t r i d e a cow w i t h i n h i s w a l k s , he r o a r s a l o u d , and t h r e a t e n s
i n s t a n t vengeance w i t h h i s h o r n s , t i l l the whole p a r i s h a r e
alarmed w i t h h i s b e l l o w i n g ; not w i t h l e s s n o i s e nor l e s s d r e a d f u l menaces d i d the f u r y o f W i l d b u r s t f o r t h and t e r r i f y the
whole g a t e .
Long time d i d rage render h i s v o i c e i n a r t i c u l a t e
to the h e a r e r ; as when, a t a v i s i t i n g d a y , f i f t e e n o r s i x t e e n
o r perhaps t w i c e as many f e m a l e s , of d e l i c a t e but s h r i l l p i p e s ,
e j a c u l a t e a l l at once on d i f f e r e n t s u b j e c t s , a l l i s sound o n l y ,
the harmony e n t i r e l y melodious i n d e e d , but conveys no idea
to our e a r s ; but a t l e n g t h , when reason began to get the b e t t e r o f h i s p a s s i o n , which l a t t e r , b e i n g d e s e r t e d by h i s b r e a t h ,
began a l i t t l e to r e t r e a t , the f o l l o w i n g a c c e n t s l e a p t o v e r
the hedge o f h i s t e e t h , o r r a t h e r the d i t c h o f h i s gums,
whence those hedgestakes had long s i n c e by a p a t t e n been
d i s p l a c e d i n b a t t l e w i t h an amazon of D r u r y .
( I I , 181-182)
This mock-epic s i m i l e
ludicrous.
is the p e r f e c t
F i e l d i n g uses animal
v e h i c l e to make the scene appear
imagery to s i n k the emotion and p a s s i o n s
d e s c r i b e d to the depths o f b e s t i a l i t y .
It
is humorous, but the
satirist's
laugh i s one o f d i s g u s t and contempt.
Such e x p r e s s i o n s as " l o n g t i m e
d i d rage render h i s v o i c e i n a r t i c u l a t e
" a r e so sonorous and so s t a t e l y
but so out o f p l a c e coming from t h i s
p l e t e l y mad w i t h rage.
It
s c r e a m i n g , t o o t h l e s s s c o u n d r e l com-
is humorous, but a l s o c o m p l e t e l y
The imagery and t e c h n i q u e s a r e those of a s k i l f u l
satirist.
devastating.
Wild's
i s g i v e n e p i c o v e r t o n e s as he is the m o c k - e p i c h e r o , but they o n l y
tensify
in-
the s q u a l o r and p e t t i n e s s o f the whole scene.
W. R. I r w i n sees Jonathan Wi1d as an i m p e r f e c t
version of
the
famous " c o m i c e p i c poem in p r o s e " which F i e l d i n g developed in h i s
works.
rage
Many o f the s i m i l a r i t i e s
a r e the d i f f e r e n c e s .
later
Irwin p o i n t s out a r e i n t e r e s t i n g -~ as
The manner in which F i e l d i n g f i t t e d the components
of the s e r i o u s e p i c i n t o h i s comic scheme i s s i m p l y s t a t e d
in the P r e f a c e
to Joseph Andrews:
Now, a comic romance is a comic e p i c poem in p r o s e , d i f f e r i n g
from comedy, as the s e r i o u s e p i c from t r a g e d y :
its action
being more extended and comprehensive, c o n t a i n i n g a much l a r g e r
c i r c l e of i n c i d e n t s , and i n t r o d u c i n g a g r e a t e r v a r i e t y of
characters.
It d i f f e r s from the s e r i o u s romance, in i t s
f a b l e and a c t i o n , in t h i s ,
t h a t as in the one these a r e grave
and solemn, so in the o t h e r they are l i g h t and r i d i c u l o u s ;
i t d i f f e r s in i t s c h a r a c t e r s by i n t r o d u c i n g persons o f i n f e r i o r manners, whereas the grave romance s e t s the h i g h e s t
before us;
l a s t l y , in i t s s e n t i m e n t s and d i c t i o n , by p r e s e r v ing the l u d i c r o u s i n s t e a d of the s u b l i m e .
(I,
Jonathan W i l d f a i l s
aspects.
to f i l l
For one t h i n g ,
it
18)
these requirements
in some of
major
is i m p o s s i b l e to regard the g r e a t n e s s - g o o d -
ness theme as being " l i g h t and r i d i c u l o u s , " j u s t as i t
is d i f f i c u l t
see W i l d ' s p e r s e c u t i o n o f H e a r t f r e e as a n y t h i n g but g r a v e .
t a n t of c o u r s e i f
its
Most
the f a c t t h a t the comedy i s f o r the sake o f the
effect
and not the o t h e r way a r o u n d .
nicely
i n t o the r o l e of the comic e p i c in some r e s p e c t s .
very o p p o s i t e o f the t r a d i t i o n a l
However, the c h a r a c t e r s do
Wild
is
e p i c h e r o , a p e r f e c t mockery o f
e p i c q u a l i t i e s we are accustomed to t h i n k i n g
to
imporsatiric
fit
the
the
such a hero s h o u l d p o s s e s s .
Yet because we r e a l i z e t h a t the q u a l i t i e s which make W i l d a great
villain
are
attain
identical
to those which e n a b l e men in o t h e r walks of
h e r o i c s t a t u r e in the eyes of the p u b l i c ,
to g r e a t n e s s
sistently
is u n d e r s c o r e d .
vulgar,
in such c l a i m s
The manners o f W i l d and h i s crew are c o n -
i g n o b l e and even v i c i o u s , those o f the H e a r t f r e e s
also decidedly unheroic.
ludicrous
the sham i n v o l v e d
l i f e to
are
The s e n t i m e n t s c o n t i n u a l l y p r e s e n t us w i t h
i n s t e a d of the s u b l i m e ,
in f a c t , W i l d can s c a r c e l y open h i s
mouth w i t h o u t u t t e r i n g something the a u t h o r has i r o n i c a l l y
inverted.
the
The q u e s t i o n of d i c t i o n
ing has f i l l e d
has been p a r t i a l l y
the work w i t h l u d i c r o u s
m o c k - e p i c s i m i l e s and h e r o i c e p i t h e t s .
illustrated
language in the form of
It
i s of course the
between the t h i n g he i s d e s c r i b i n g and the terms
it
already,
Fieldhis
incongruity
in which he d e s c r i b e s
t h a t p r o v i d e s the s u r p r i s i n g a b s u r d i t y c h a r a c t e r i s t i c o f h i s comic
epics.
E p i c c o n v e n t i o n s such as the d i g r e s s i o n , the t r a v e l
tale,
d i s c o v e r y , a r e employed by F i e l d i n g in a manner t h a t h i n t s at
later
success he w i l l
the
the
have w i t h t h e s e same d e v i c e s in h i s comic m a s t e r -
p ieces.
Jonathan W i l d p o s s e s s e s , as has been shown, many c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s
o f what F i e l d i n g termed the comic p r o s e e p i c , but as Irwin p o i n t s
out;
Joseph And rews and Tom Jones a r e f u n d a m e n t a l l y good-humoured
w o r k s , in which s e r i o u s v i c e s a r e r a t h e r the a c c i d e n t a l
consequences of some human f r a i l t y o r f o i b l e , than causes
h a b i t u a l l y e x i s t i n g in the mind.
In Jonathan W i l d the s i t u a t i o n is r e v e r s e d . The s u s t a i n e d i r o n y r e v e a l s an e v i l which
i s f u n d a m e n t a l , i t i s the humorous unmaskinq o f a f f e c t a t i o n
13
which o c c a s i o n a l l y seems i n c i d e n t a l .
T h i s can be r e c o n c i l e d o n l y
moralist,
all
in p a r t w i t h the view of F i e l d i n g as a
f o r w h i l e he c e r t a i n l y
his w r i t i n g s ,
J
r e v e a l e d a s t r o n g moral purpose
very few o f them a r e u l t i m a t e l y
satirical.
Jonathan W i l d the s a t i r e d i r e c t e d towards f a s h i o n a b l e s o c i e t y ,
In
towards
greatness
in a l l
i t s v a i n , g r a s p i n g f o r m s , and towards a f f e c t a t i o n
hypocrisy
in g e n e r a l , i s so i n t e n s i f i e d as to become the dominant
I r w i n , p. 106.
in
and
strain
in the work.
W i l d h i m s e l f comes t o stand f o r more than any s i n g l e
corrupt
statesman of
general
sense.
F i e l d i n g ' s d a y , he comes to s y m b o l i z e e v i l
The f i g u r e of the great man as highwayman dominates the
W i l d becomes a symbol of
indestructible
and the p h y s i c a l a b i l i t y
and the d e s i r e to c a p i t a l i z e on h i s
its
f i e r c e n e s s and the c o n s i s t e n c y o f
c u l a t e d p o l i s h of
i t s s t y l e , the work
its
1
Tub.
He i s a s a t a n i c
Because he i s
It
he can remain unhindered and unpunished as he goes h i s e v i l
corrupt
wrong t r a i t s o f human c h a r a c t e r .
The s a t i r e
this
in s o c i e t y ,
way.
i n v e r t e d w o r l d t h a t we f i n d
s o c i e t y which puts a l l
is
figure,
attractive,because
he can g a i n the r e s p e c t of h i s f o l l o w e r s and thus a f o o t h o l d
Wild, a twisted,
cal-
But nowhere in these
of M i l t o n ' s D e v i l .
t h a t makes him the more to be f e a r e d .
is a strange, completely
By v i r t u e
to match the o v e r -
powering wickedness o f Jonathan W i l d the G r e a t .
It
fellow
i r o n y as w e l l as the
i s t h e r e a s i n g l e dominant symbol of e v i l
but one w i t h many o f the a t t r a c t i o n s
cunning
i n v i t e s comparison w i t h such
s a t i res as Gul 1 i v e r s T r a v e l s o r A Tal e of
works
its
satire.
e v i l , a man who has the
human b e i n g s ' weaknesses in o r d e r to a c h i e v e h i s own g a i n s .
of
in
in Jonathan
the emphasis on the
is r e l e n t l e s s l y
sustained
— Jonathan W i l d swings out of the w o r l d w i t h a b o t t l e screw t h a t he
had l i f t e d from the p a r s o n ' s pocket c l u t c h e d t r i u m p h a n t l y
It
is a f i t t i n g e n d , but the p o i n t
the v i l l a i n never r e f o r m s ,
that
i s c o n s i s t e n t l y s t r e s s e d is t h a t
good does not t r i u m p h ,
W i t h i n the framework o f the s a t i r e the e v i l
men s t i l l
ex i s t .
in h i s hand.
the W i l d s never
is s t i l l
w i t h u s , the
repent.
great
Sa t i r i s t to Nove 1 i.s t
F i e l d i n g ' s r i g h t to be c a l l e d an a c c o m p l i s h e d s a t i r i s t
basis of his e a r l y dramatic w r i t i n g s
and h i s f i r s t e f f o r t s
The Mi seel 1 an i e s , has a l r e a d y been e s t a b l i s h e d .
show i s t h a t he never abandoned c o m p l e t e l y
n o v e l s , but
ever.
rather,
on the
in p r o s e ,
What I now hope to
the r o l e of s a t i r i s t
t h a t he became more a c r i t i c
of his society
in h i s
than
The c r e a t o r o f comedy, f a r c e , b u r l e s q u e and d r a m a t i c s a t i r e
veloped i n t o a n o v e l i s t who combined a l l
form o f moral
these elements
i n t o a unique
satire.
T h i s mode of w r i t i n g F i e l d i n g c l e a r l y d e f i n e d
Joseph Andrews.
in the P r e f a c e to
W h i l e t h i s much-quoted P r e f a c e should not be a p p l i e d
e x t e n s i v e l y t o a n y t h i n g more than Joseph Andrews i t s e l f ,
implications
de-
for a l l
fused w i t h the s p i r i t
his s a t i r e .
of s a t i r e ,
e x p l a n a t i o n of what c o n s t i t u t e s
Since a l l
it
i t does have
F i e l d i n g ' s novels are
is e s s e n t i a l
the R i d i c u l o u s ;
in-
to keep in mind h i s
71
The o n l y s o u r c e o f the t r u e R i d i c u l o u s (as i t appears to me)
is a f f e c t a t i o n .
But though i t a r i s e s from one s p r i n g o n l y ,
when we c o n s i d e r the i n f i n i t e streams i n t o which t h i s one
b r a n c h e s , we s h a l l p r e s e n t l y cease to admire a t the c o p i o u s
f i e l d i t a f f o r d s to an o b s e r v e r . Now, a f f e c t a t i o n proceeds
from one of these two c a u s e s , v a n i t y o r h y p o c r i s y ; f o r as
v a n i t y puts us on a f f e c t i n g f a l s e c h a r a c t e r s , in o r d e r to
purchase a p p l a u s e , so h y p o c r i s y s e t s us on an endeavour to
a v o i d c e n s u r e , by c o n c e a l i n g our v i c e s under an appearance
of t h e i r o p p o s i t e v i r t u e s
( I I , 21-22)
1
F i e l d i n g r e q u e s t s t h a t we, as " g o o d - n a t u r e d r e a d e r s , " a p p l y these o b s e r v a t i o n s to h i s w r i t i n g .
this
S u r e l y then we a r e j u s t i f i e d
in c a r r y i n g
concept of the r i d i c u l o u s beyond Joseph Andrews, f o r the
author's
n o t i o n s o f what makes f o r the r i d i c u l o u s have proven in h i s p r e v i o u s
works to be q u i t e unchanging.
His t a r g e t s are those of s a t i r i s t s
of
al1 a g e s .
But l e t us look a t F i e l d i n g the s a t i r i s t
known s a t i r e s
In t h e s e works he del i b e r a t e l y a l igns h i m s e l f w i t h
in the war a g a i n s t d u l 1 n e s s , a v a r i c e , h y p o c r i s y — a l l
the e v i l s of s o c i e t y t h a t are the t r a d i t i o n a l
As Ronald P a u l s o n p o i n t s o u t ,
Fielding's satire
is thrown
types.'
His best
in the Augustan manner are h i s r e h e a r s a l p l a y s , h i s f a r c e s ,
and Jonathan W i l d .
Pope and S w i f t
f o r a moment.
satirist.
however, thece is another s t r a i n
in which the c e n t r a l
into violent
t a r g e t s of the
figure
of
is a good-natured man who
contact with s e l f i s h , l u s t f u l , or malicious
T h i s form of s a t i r e
is r a d i c a l l y d i f f e r e n t
from t h a t which we
Ronald P a u l s o n , e d . , F i e l d i n g , A C o l l e c t i o n o f C r i t i c a l
(New J e r s e y , 1962), p. 3 .
Essays
72
find
in something 1 ike Jonathan W i l d .
dimensions i n h e r e n t
It
h a s , f o r one t h i n g ,
the added
in the n o v e l , the w o r l d can no l o n g e r be seen o n l y
in terms o f b l a c k and w h i t e o r good and e v i l .
In h i s s a t i r e on the
great man in s o c i e t y , F i e l d i n g made W i l d , the p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n o f
the c e n t r a l
life-force
foil
figure.
Our eyes a r e r i v e t e d on W i l d , .it
of the n a r r a t i v e .
to t h i s e v i l
which the e v i l
The H e a r t f r e e s a r e
T h i s i s perhaps why Jonathan W i l d i s
s a t i r e , for
it
does not
generally
But the pose
r e a l l y become him, and few would
h i s e a r l y s a t i r e s among h i s most
they
i s here t h a t he i s
concerned w i t h the p r e s e n t a t i o n of e v i l .
of Augustan s a t i r i s t
the
is a backdrop a g a i n s t
They do not emerge as people f o r
regarded as F i e l d i n g ' s best formal
most d i r e c t l y
it
i s thrown i n t o v i v i d c o n t r a s t .
are not mean to do s o .
i s he who is
C o n s e q u e n t l y , the good which a c t s as a
is s i m p l y t h a t , a f o i l ,
l i t t l e more than c a r i c a t u r e s .
evil,
interesting productions.
rank
F i e l d i n g is
not a t h i s best when t r y i n g to make us s o l e l y aware o f the e v i l , o r
the h o r r i b l e
consequences of the e v i l ,
best as a hopeful
but he does not
satirist;
in h i s s o c i e t y .
he is aware o f s o c i e t y ' s f o l l i e s and v i c e s
i s o l a t e them from the good in the same way a s , f o r
ample, d i d h i s p r e d e c e s s o r s S w i f t and Pope.
satirists
He f u n c t i o n s
The l a t t e r a r e d e s p a i r i n g
p r e o c c u p i e d w i t h the exposure of the e v i l , they tend to show
b l a c k a g a i n s t a background of w h i t e , whereas in h i s n o v e l s ,
works
ex-
in a l l
the c o l o r s o f the s p e c t r u m .
f a r more v i o l e n t l y
Fielding
The w o r l d o f the s a t i r i s t
s y m b o l i c than t h a t o f the
novelist.
In h i s n o v e l s , F i e l d i n g ' s persona i s no l o n g e r " S c r i b l e r u s
S e c o n d u s , " the hack w r i t e r o r the p h i l o s o p h e r o r the s c i e n t i f i c
pro-
is
73
j e c t o r who, 1 ike S w i f t ' s p e r s o n a , i s a prime t a r g e t
Scriblerus
i s r e p l a c e d by F i e l d i n g the n a r r a t o r ,
f i g u r e and one who f r e q u e n t l y
novels themselves.
of the
satire.
often a self-conscious
looms l a r g e r than the c h a r a c t e r s of
the
In Tom J o n e s , f o r example, we see the n o v e l i s t as
p u p p e t - m a s t e r , a man in c o n t r o l
of our every e m o t i o n ,
in Amel i a , he is
a man p r e o c c u p i e d w i t h s o c i a l reforms and i n t e n t upon p r o p o s i n g a moral
doctrine.
In a l l
duce i n s t r u c t i v e
his novels there
satire.
i s the u n d i s g u i s e d attempt to
As the n a r r a t o r
pro-
i n t r o d u c e s h i s assortment
of
good and bad c h a r a c t e r s he i s d e f i n i n g a p o s i t i v e and d e t a i l e d code of
proper
conduct;
Much o f the time (as in Joseph And rews) F i e l d i n g keeps h i s
r e a d e r ' s a t t e n t i o n focused on the T r u l l i b e r s and Tow-wouses,
whose unamiable q u a l i t i e s a r e exposed by c o n t a c t w i t h the
good man. But in two ways the emphasis tends t o s h i f t from
the E v i l to the Good, e i t h e r F i e l d i n g becomes so s y m p a t h e t i c
w i t h h i s good-natured man's p l i g h t t h a t he s u b s t i t u t e s t h i s
c h a r a c t e r ' s s u f f e r i n g f o r the v i g o r o u s wrongdoing of h i s
p e r s e c u t o r s , o r he g i v e s us too d e t a i l e d a p i c t u r e of the
Good. At h i s b e s t , in Tom J o n e s , he m a i n t a i n s a b a l a n c e
between the e v i l and good f o r c e s which suggests to the reader
t h a t not the v i o l e n t l y s y m b o l i c w o r l d of the Augustan s a t i r i s t s but the WHOLE w o r l d i s being p r e s e n t e d . At h i s w o r s t ,
he a l l o w s the two f o r c e s to s e p a r a t e , in Amel i a , i n t o the
p i t i f u l , t e a r - s t a i n e d goodness of the Booth f a m i l y and the
d i a b o l i c , almost m o t i v e l e s s e v i l of the noble L o r d , M r s .
2
E l l i s o n , and A m e l i a ' s s i s t e r
I think this
i s an a c c u r a t e a n a l y s i s of the
l a t e s to the changing form o f
cit.
i s s u e in so f a r as i t
Fielding's satire.
w o r l d of the Augustan s a t i r i s t s
Loc.
Betty.
It
i s not the
relimited
such as he p r e s e n t e d in Jonathan Wi 1d
t h a t F i e l d i n g g i v e s us in h i s n o v e l s , but the whole w o r l d .
awareness of both e v i l and good and the
which one e x i s t s w i t h o u t
ability
to a t t a i n
the o t h e r
is his
i m p o s s i b i l i t y of a w o r l d
accompanied by h i s f a i t h
t h i s good in s p i t e of the abundance of e v i l
adds a new dimension to h i s s a t i r e .
what
It
Rather than attempt
in
in man's
— that
to show merely
i s wrong w i t h s o c i e t y , he p o i n t s out these wrongs as d e v i a t i o n s
from h i s own c o n c e p t i o n of a s t a b l e , h e a l t h y , moral s o c i e t y .
s a t i r e that
is more f u n c t i o n a l l y
in h i s e a r l l e r
is
c o r r e c t i v e than t h a t which he gave us
writings.
But as h i s n o v e l s do r e p r e s e n t a new d i r e c t i o n
i t might f i r s t
It
be h e l p f u l
to look a t the a c t u a l
Shame!a, h i s b u r l e s q u e of R i c h a r d s o n ' s n o v e l .
in F i e l d i n g ' s c a r e e r ,
take-off
point,
Pamela was f i r s t
namely
pub-
l i s h e d anonymously on November 6, 1740, and was an immediate s u c c e s s .
Its p l o t was a d i s a r m i n g l y s i m p l e one.
to n a r r a t e h i s s t o r y by means of
a poor c o u n t r y g i r l
lengthy
The d e v i c e R i c h a r d s o n used was
letters
from Pamela Andrews,
in s e r v i c e w i t h a wealthy f a m i l y .
A f t e r the death
of the m i s t r e s s of the h o u s e h o l d , Pamela is c o n s t a n t l y a t t a c k e d by the
m a s t e r , S q u i r e B.
F a i l i n g to seduce the e l u s i v e Pamela, he t r i e s
to
rape her on s e v e r a l o c c a s i o n s , o n l y to be f o i l e d a t the l a s t moment.
When a l l
else f a i l s
S q u i r e B. proposes m a r r i a g e , h i s o f f e r
a c c e p t e d , and Pamela r e c e i v e s the reward of her v i r t u e .
is
joyfully
The book was
a b e s t - s e l l e r by any s t a n d a r d s , w i t h f i v e e d i t i o n s b e i n g p u b l i s h e d by
3
September of 1741.
Bernard D r e i s s m a n , Pamela-Shamela ( U n i v e r s i t y of Nebraska P r e s s ,
I960).
A b r i e f review o f Shame 1 a and Joseph Andrewswh ich f i l l s in the
c o n t e x t o f the r e a c t i o n a g a i n s t Pamela.
75
The work was the s e n s a t i o n of the l i t e r a r y
a t t a c k s , p a r o d i e s , and s p u r i o u s c o n t i n u a t i o n s
R i c h a r d s o n ' s remarkable t r i u m p h .
s e a s o n , but a swarm o f
soon appeared to sour
The f i r s t o f the o b j e c t i o n s
to Pamela
appeared on A p r i l 4, 1741, in the form o f a pamphlet p u b l i s h e d under
the name of Mr. Conny Keyber.
This d e l i g h t f u l
a c c e p t e d as being the work of F i e l d i n g .
burlesque
Nature.
represented a continuation
a t t a c k on the l i t e r a r y
r e l i g i o u s and moral
t a s t e s of the age as w e l l
satire
of the p r i n c i p l e s
and r e l i g i o n and c l a i m e d to have i t s f o u n d a t i o n
The pamphlet
generally
Shame 1 a i s an i n g e n i o u s
on a book t h a t proposed as i t s end the c u l t i v a t i o n
virtue
is
of
of
in Truth and
Fielding's
prolonged
as an a t t a c k on the
views R i c h a r d s o n expounded in Pamela.
Attributing
the b u r l e s q u e to Conny Keyber was a t h r u s t at h i s o l d enemy, Col ley
C i b b e r , and a l s o a t Dr. Conyers M i d d l e t o n .
The l a t t e r ' s
L i f e of C i cero
c o n t a i n e d an " E p i s t l e D e d i c a t o r y " to h i s p a t r o n , Lord Hervey
Sporus of P o p e ' s Ep i s t l e to Dr. A r b u t h n o t ) .
dedication with his dedicatory
letter
(the
F i e l d i n g s a t i n zed th is
"To Miss F a n n y , " which was a
c l o s e parody of M i d d l e t o n ' s e f f u s i o n .
As w e l l , the general
tone o f
Shamela's c o n f e s s i o n is not u n l i k e t h a t of C i b b e r ' s A p o l o g y , which was
a popular l i t e r a r y
p r o d u c t i o n of
pseudonym and e x p l o i t e d
But w h i l e
right,
its
1740.
upon a p e r f e c t
i m p l i c a t i o n s to the f u l l e s t
Shame 1 a is a d e l i g h t f u l ,
i t s major a t t r a c t i o n
Fielding hit
lies
degree.
r e f r e s h i n g p i e c e in i t s own
in the f a c t t h a t
i t p o i n t s towards
Ian Watt, " S h a m e l a , " F i e l d i n g , A C o l l e c t i o n o f C r i t i c a l
e d . Ronald P a u l s o n , p. 47.
Essays,
the
76
w r i t i n g of Joseph Andrews.
Watt p o i n t s o u t ,
it
takes on a l i f e of
novel.
Shame1 a is e x c e l l e n t bur 1esque, and as
goes beyond i t s o r i g i n a l
as parody and
i t s own — but n o t h i n g t o compare w i t h the
later
Joseph Andrews, t h e n , was a l s o intended as a parody o f R i c h a r d -
s o n ' s n o v e l , but a l t h o u g h the parody
it
intention
i s not r e a l l y s u s t a i n e d .
is obvious
in the opening c h a p t e r s
The Pamela elements soon fade i n t o
the
background and the s t o r y of Joseph and h i s f r i e n d Abraham Adams takes
off
on i t s own c o u r s e .
Rather than s i m p l y c r i t i c i z e R i c h a r d s o n ' s
m a s t e r p i e c e , F i e l d i n g c r e a t e d one of h i s own t h a t
illustrated
h i s reasons
f o r d i s c r e d i t i n g Pamela. The s u r f a c e c o n n e c t i o n s between the two n o v e l s
are obvious.
Fielding inverts
the c e n t r a l
s i t u a t i o n and we have J o s e p h ,
Pamela's brother,
a footman
in the Booby h o u s e h o l d , s t r u g g l i n g
hero-
i c a l l y to p r o t e c t
h i s v i r t u e a g a i n s t the advances o f Lady Booby.
But
whereas Pamela used her v i r t u e as a means to f u r t h e r her own e n d s ,
Joseph c o n s t a n t l y
b e f o r e him.
r e f u s e s to take advantage of the o p p o r t u n i t i e s
placed
He remains c h a s t e f o r h i s beloved Fanny and t r u e to
t e a c h i n g s of h i s f r i e n d Parson Adams.
But i t
t h a t F i e l d i n g intended something f a r d i f f e r e n t
he had attempted
in h i s p a r o d y .
Joseph's letters
to h i s s i s t e r , t h e r e
the
is o b v i o u s from the
start
in Joseph Andrews than
With o n l y a few e x c e p t i o n s , such as
i s no attempt to b u r l e s q u e
a c t u a l manner and s t y l e of R i c h a r d s o n ' s book.
the
The resemblances a r e
s u b t l y e v i d e n t on e v e r y page, but they a r e not c a s t in the form of
burlesque or mimicry.
ln h i s study of Joseph Andrews B a t t e s t i n
the e s s e n t i a l d i f f e r e n c e
1ater n o v e l ;
indicates
in the s a t i r i c ends of the b u r l e s q u e and the
77
Behind the d i s t i n c t i o n between the b u r l e s q u e o f ,Shamela and
the c o r r e c t i v e s a t i r e o f Joseph Andrews a r e d i v e r g e n t m o t i v e s .
In the f i r s t i n s t a n c e F i e l d i n g wished to expose the i n h e r e n t
f o o l i s h n e s s o f R i c h a r d s o n ' s book.
T h i s , he f e l t , c o u l d best
be a c c o m p l i s h e d by the undermining p r o c e s s o f p a r o d y , the d e s t r u c t i v e mimicry o f the very s u b s t a n c e and t e x t u r e o f Pamela.
But the v a l u e of t r a v e s t y i s l i m i t e d .
It is a mode, as J . L.
Davis has o b s e r v e d , e s s e n t i a l l y p a r a s i t i c , n e g a t i v i s t i c , and
superficial.
In Joseph Andrews the a l l u s i v e r i d i c u l e o f
R i c h a r d s o n is intended as a k i n d o f f o i l , s e t t i n g o f f to a d vantage F i e l d i n g ' s own a m b i t i o u s attempt a t r e c o n s t r u c t i o n ,
a t p r e s e n t i n g , in " t h e Manner o f C e r v a n t e s , " a f r e s h c o n c e p t i o n
o f the a r t o f the n o v e l . 5
Indeed we need o n l y r e t u r n to F i e l d i n g ' s P r e f a c e to the novel
see what he i n t e n d e d .
He makes i t
but comedy t h a t he i s w r i t i n g .
c l e a r that
In such w r i t i n g ,
b u r l e s q u e o r parody may be a d m i t t e d
ment o r
in c h a r a c t e r s .
it
is no l o n g e r
burlesque,
he a u t h o r p o i n t s
in the d i c t i o n , but not
Fielding
s e t s out to d e s c r i b e the R i d i c u l o u s , and he has reminded us t h a t
parody s t o p s s h o r t o f
in one sense a n e g a t i v e a r t ,
crisies, all
reader must
t h a t the r i d i c u l o u s a r i s e s .
F i e l d i n g ' s intended g o a l .
it
shows up the
the f a l s e p r e s e n t a t i o n s o f
imagine f o r h i m s e l f
l i f e and l i t e r a t u r e ,
after
is
Straight
is
i n c o n s i s t e n c i e s and hypo-
the d e s i r e d happy medium.
and the r e a d e r ' s a t t e n t i o n ,
it
Parody o r b u r l e s q u e
shifting
but
That
s a y , the work p a r o d i e d r e p r e s e n t s the one extreme, the parody
another,
out,
in s e n t i -
Now in h i s " c o m i c e p i c poem in p r o s e , "
from the d i s c o v e r y o f a f f e c t a t i o n
to
the
is
to
itself
back and f o r t h b e -
tween the two, comes to r e s t on an impl ied norm, an a c c e p t e d s t a n d a r d .
Joseph Andrews does not f u n c t i o n
in q u i t e
t h i s way.
T h i s element
M. C. B a t t e s t i n , The Moral B a s i s of F i e l d i n g ' s A r t .
Joseph Andrews (Wesleyan U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s , 1 9 5 9 ) , p. 9 .
is
A Study o f
78
p r e s e n t , but t h e r e
is much more as w e l l , t h e r e
F i e l d i n g gives us.
moral code f o r
He i l l u s t r a t e s
i s the p i c t u r e o f
h i s norm, the d e s i r e d b e h a v i o u r o r
the common man.
The h e a r t o f the s a t i r e , as w e l l as the s e r i o u s c r i t i c i s m
Pamela,
this
is
in the k i n d o f w o r l d Joseph Andrews c r e a t e s .
fictional
w o r l d of Joseph and Adams t h a t a f f e c t a t i o n
a r e pushed forward under the l i g h t of the r i d i c u l o u s
naked and u n d i s g u i s e d f o r a l l
by v i r t u e o f the
to s e e .
The s a t i r e
i n t i m a c y between n a r r a t o r
i s s i m i l a r to h a v i n g a f r i e n d
i n s t e a d of a p e r f e c t
tell
is
in
and v a n i t y
to stand f o r t h
is more
effective
and reader — the
s t r a n g e r making the a c c u s a t i o n .
a l o o f n e s s on the p a r t of the s a t i r i s t
ignore h i s c r i e s ;
It
of
result
youthat you have a c t e d l i k e a f o o l
much more s i g n i f i c a n c e than the l a t t e r .
tempting to
society
The former has
Formal s a t i r e demands a c e r t a i n
and because of t h i s
it
is
he is the s t r a n g e r w i t h the w i l d
often
look
in h i s eyes s t a n d i n g on the edge of the crowd screaming "you are a l l
mad!"
F i e l d i n g ' s t e c h n i q u e , on the o t h e r hand, i s to show in a
f r i e n d l y manner j u s t how f o o l i s h we a l l
can be.
This technique
is so
much more i n s i d i o u s than the naked s a t i r e o f a work 1 i k e Jonathan WiId
t h a t we a r e compelled to become i n v o l v e d to a g r e a t e r e x t e n t
in the
s t o r y and are c o n s e q u e n t l y more i n c l i n e d to, l i s t e n t o what the
satirist
is saying.
Parson Adams is the most f a s c i n a t i n g c r e a t i o n
the most e f f e c t i v e
v e h i c l e of the s a t i r e .
t i t l e page t h a t h i s work was w r i t t e n
in the novel and
F i e l d i n g announced on the
in the manner of C e r v a n t e s , and
79
there
is a d e f i n i t e s p i r i t u a l
Parson Adams and the e q u a l l y
k i n s h i p between the r i d i c u l o u s and l o v a b l e
r i d i c u l o u s and l o v a b l e Don Quixote.
Both
are amusing f i g u r e s and both have funds o f i d e a l i s m that no setback can
diminish.
Much o f the comedy found
dicaments these two f i n d
with
the u g l i e r
comedy
i s a source o f s a t i r e ,
idealism
t h a t Parson Adams
ridiculous,
there
far
themselves
r e a l i t i e s of their
we r e a l i z e t h e i r
in these works stems from the prein as t h e i r
society.
f o r i t i s o f t e n an uneasy l a u g h t e r when
i s such an e f f e c t i v e
i s no sudden unmasking o f e v i l
takes,
his l i t t l e
It i s f o r t h i s
reason
f i g u r e in the s a t i r e .
He i s
When he blunders
from p e r f e c t , but one who
conflict
But t h i s same source o f
i s never d e f e a t e d .
but he i s good.
ideal worlds
and appears rather
foolish,
in any sense, he i s a man who i s
is s t i l l
impressively
good.
His mis-
v a n i t i e s and a f f e c t a t i o n s , a r e f o r g i v a b l e where
those o f the t r u e h y p o c r i t e a r e not.
Adams, l i k e h i s b i b l i c a l
f a i t h and c h a r i t y .
namesake, i s the p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n o f t r u e
In t h i s e p i c o f the road
to that o f the persona o f formal
and
simultaneously
to the s a t i r i s t ;
unsophisticated,
bewilders
in the three
satire.
his function
i s analogous
He operates both
characters
separately
t h a t Maynard Mack a t t r i b u t e s
the " v i r bonus" o r moral man, the " n a i f , " simple and
passing
i m p l i c i t judgement upon the immorality
him, and the "hero," indignant
tue and the p u b l i c g o o d .
7
The standard
that
and courageous, defending
held up as a f o i l
vir-
to s e t o f f
E. M. Thornbury, Henry F i e l d i n g ' s Theory of the Comic Prose E p i c
(Madison, 1 9 3 0 , p . 9 7 .
7
Maynard Mack, "The Muse o f S a t i r e , " Yale Review, XL I
88-90.
(1950,
pp.
80
the moral degeneracy of the age i s embodied e s p e c i a l l y in the
g
q u i x o t i s m of Abraham Adams.
Even Joseph i s more f u l l y
w o r l d around him than i s the P a r s o n , f o r he a t
innocent
aware of
the
l e a s t had the e x p e r i e n c e
of t h r e e y e a r s ' a t t e n d a n c e upon Lady Booby.
Adams s e t s out on the highway to London in answer to an a d v e r t i s e ment by a b o o k s e l l e r f o r m a n u s c r i p t sermons, and h i s a d v e n t u r e s on the
road s e r v e to
society.
laugh
it
illuminate
both the e v i l
and the good to be found
in h i s
His e x p e r i e n c e s l e a v e him undaunted, and w h i l e we o f t e n
a t him, we can never f e e l
is the man p r a c t i s e d
contempt.
As W. L. Cross p o i n t s
in the ways of the w o r l d , not the
out,
idealist,
9
who i s s a t i r i z e d .
Even in the e p i s o d e o f the supposed drowning
Parson Adams' s o n , when we see a l l
his C h r i s t i a n Stoicism peeled
of
off
and dropped u s e l e s s to the ground l i k e a r a i n s l i c k e r r i d d l e d w i t h
holes,
it
i s not Adams who i s the u l t i m a t e
the s o c i e t y t h a t e x p e c t s t h i s
type of
v i c t i m of the s a t i r e ,
reason to s u c c e e d .
He t e l l s
is
Parson Adams'
s e r m o n i z i n g to Joseph about h i s reasons f o r m a r r y i n g Fanny i s
professional.
it
strictly
him:
Now, bei leve me, no C h r i s t a i n ought so to s e t h i s h e a r t on
any person or t h i n g in t h i s w o r l d , but t h a t , whenever i t s h a l l
be r e q u i r e d or taken from him in any manner, by D i v i n e P r o v i d e n c e ,
he may be a b l e , p e a c e a b l y , q u i e t l y , and c o n t e n t e d l y , to r e s i g n
it.
(1,
350
B a t t e s t i n , op. c i t . ,
W. L. C r o s s ,
I,
331.
p. 5 4 .
81
Such a r e the d o c t r i n e s the good Parson p r e a c h e s , but F i e l d i n g shows us
how such r u l e s c o n f l i c t w i t h human i n s t i n c t s .
A t which
that his
and soon
w i t h the
words one came h a s t i l y in and a c q u a i n t e d Mr. Adams
youngest son was drowned.
He stood s i l e n t a moment,
began to stamp about the room and d e p l o r e h i s l o s s
b i t t e r e s t agony.
(1, 35D
However, we are not s u r p r i s e d a t h i s
haviour,
The passage c o n t i n u e s .
for
it
is p e r f e c t l y
o f the parson the a u t h o r
inconsistency
in the man's be-
in keeping w i t h the warm and human image
has c r e a t e d .
The s a t i r e
is toned down to some
degree f o r we can never a s s o c i a t e the harshness of the word
w i t h Adams, y e t the e f f e c t
not condemn the man f o r
is in no way d i m i n i s h e d .
his excessive pride
too human and
relatively
I t h i n k much of the e f f e c t i v e n e s s of the s a t i r e comes from
the r e a l i z a t i o n
graces, s t i l l
that t h i s
l i k a b l e o l d fel1ow w i t h a 11 h i s
p o s s e s s e s these human weaknesses.
v i c t i m of a t h e o r e t i c a l
support.
S i m i l a r l y we c a n -
in h i s l e a r n i n g and h i s
pipowess as a t e a c h e r , f o r such v a n i t i e s a r e a l l
harmless.
hypocrite
redeeming
Abraham Adams is
i d e a l o f conduct t h a t h i s own n a t u r e w i l l
the
not
He is a man of the c l o t h and thus supposedly a man o f p e a c e ,
y e t he i s c o n s t a n t l y
getting
into f i g h t s ,
always ready to defend h i s
f r i e n d s o r h i s views w i t h a f i s t
the s i z e o f the k n u c k l e of an ox o r a
huge c r a b - t r e e s t i c k he c a r r i e d .
His theory preaches s t o i c i s m , y e t he
i s the most emotional
of men.
are always men of p a s s i o n .
Tom, J o s e p h , Booth, and Adams —
them we f i n d t h a t w h i l e t h e i r
are at
But then F i e l d i n g ' s heroes we d i s c o v e r
emotions might
l e a s t men c a p a b l e o f f e e l i n g .
be at times
The p o i n t
in each of
misguided,they
is r e l e n t l e s s l y
home to us t h a t weaknesses a r e f o r g i v a b l e and human, i t
brought
is o u t r i g h t
82
hypocrisy that
There a r e
the r o a d .
veloped
is
not.
innumerable s a t i r i c elements t h a t e n r i c h t h i s e p i c of
Many of these a r e d e v i c e s and t e c h n i q u e s t h a t F i e l d i n g d e -
in h i s e a r l y years as a d r a m a t i s t .
the use o f e l e v a t e d e p i c language
such works as Tom
o f pure d e l i g h t
was w e l l
The m o c k - h e r o i c s i m i l e and
in g e n e r a l , added to the appeal
Thumb and Jonathan W i l d , but they become a source
in Joseph Andrews.
As F i e l d i n g ' s P r e f a c e shows, he
aware of the advantages the t r a d i t i o n of m o c k - e p i c held
u n d e r s c o r i n g those modes of the r i d i c u l o u s
C l o a k i n g the most u n h e r o i c o f f i g u r e s
makes t h e i r
affectation
t h a t a r i s e from
and e s s e n t i a l a b s u r d i t y
As Mack p o i n t s o u t ,
classical
reader numerous m o c k - e p i c j o k e s - -
travesty
Fielding
stand out a l l
the more
to the
hilarious
of Oedipus a t the c l o s e - - where the humor i s l a r g e l y a t
lesque o f h e r o i c d i c t i o n .
in t h i s added a t t r a c t i o n
his
r a n g i n g from Homeric s i m -
expense of e p i c forms and the h e r o i c a t t i t u d e toward
the
heroic
i n c l u d e s f o r what he c a l l s
the e p i c geneology of J o s e p h ' s cudgel
language i s f u l l y f u n c t i o n a l ,
for
affectation.
in the garments o f the
clearly.
i l e s through
of
life.^
we do more than take d e l i g h t
But
in the
the
the
bur-
The novel does not stop w h i l e we take p l e a s u r e
for
it
is an i n t e g r a l
p a r t of the exposure of
ridiculous.
When Parson Adams is s e t upon by the h u n t e r s '
d o g s , Joseph comes
Maynard Mack, " J o s e p h Andrews and P a m e l a , " F i e l d i n g , A Col 1ect ion
of C r i t i c a l E s s a y s , e d . Ronald P a u l s o n , p. 56.
to h i s rescue in a t r u l y h e r o i c manner;
No sooner d i d Joseph Andrews p e r c e i v e the d i s t r e s s of h i s
f r i e n d , when f i r s t the q u i c k - s c e n t i n g dogs a t t a c k e d him, than
he grasped h i s cudgel in h i s r i g h t hand — a cudgel which h i s
f a t h e r had of h i s g r a n d f a t h e r , to whom a mighty s t r o n g man
o f Kent had g i v e n i t . . . .
(I,
270)
And on i t
g o e s , w i t h the b a t t l e
s u i t a b l e f o r an e p i c e v e n t .
humorous a f f a i r
the p a r t i c i p a n t s
are a f f e c t i n g
itself
The b u r l e s q u e t u r n s
s i m p l y through the
themselves.
d e s c r i b e d in e l e v a t e d
incongruity
But i t
language
the s i t u a t i o n
into a
o f the d e s c r i p t i o n and
i s not Joseph and Parson Adams t h a t
a h e r o i c s t a n c e and thus b e i n g made v i c t i m s of the
i n s t e a d , they emerge as b e i n g t r u l y b r a v e , and i t
companions t h a t appear in a p e t t y ,
mean l i g h t .
satire,
i s the s q u i r e and h i s
F i e l d i n g is p l a y f u l
as
he e x p l a i n s why he c o u l d f i n d no s i m i l e adequate f o r h i s p u r p o s e .
Joseph Andrews h i m s e l f becomes a symbol f o r " f r i e n d s h i p ,
courage,youth,
b e a u t y , s t r e n g t h , and s w i f t n e s s " :
L e t those t h e r e f o r e t h a t d e s c r i b e l i o n s and t i g e r s , and
heroes f i e r c e r than b o t h , r a i s e t h e i r poems o r p l a y s w i t h the
s i m i l e of Joseph Andrews, who i s h i m s e l f above the reach of
any s i m i l e .
(I,
271)
The s a t i r e
i s e s s e n t i a l l y g o o d - n a t u r e d , but the novel
i s none-
t h e l e s s one o f p u r p o s e , and t h i s purpose is to expose the v a n i t y and
hypocrisy
in s o c i e t y w h i l e at the same time recommending t h e i r
thetical
virtues — charity,
virtuous
life.^
chastity,
The j o u r n e y i n g of
B a t t e s t i n , pp.
88-89.
and the c l a s s i c a l
anti-
i d e a l of a
F i e l d i n g ' s heroes can be seen
Sk
a 1 1 e g o r i c a 1 1 y as a moral p i l g r i m a g e from the c o r r u p t i o n of the
great
city
This
to the r e l a t i v e n a t u r a l n e s s and s i m p l i c i t y of the c o u n t r y .
same p i l g r i m a g e
is undergone in r e v e r s e in Tom J o n e s , w i t h the
final
r e s o l u t i o n b e i n g the m a r r i a g e of Tom and Sophia and the promise of
their
retirement
Rural
to a l i f e of p a s t o r a l
r e t i r e m e n t w i t h a v i r t u o u s and l o v i n g w i f e was a c l a s s i c a l
i d e a l and the ' r e w a r d '
F i e l d i n g p r o v i d e d the heroes in a l l
T h i s s y m b o l i c use o f c o u n t r y and c i t y
and e v i l
b l i s s on the W e s t e r n ' s e s t a t e .
l i f e as r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of
i s d r a m a t i z e d in the W i l s o n e p i s o d e .
to Adams and Joseph a s t o r y of a youth of
n a r r a t i v e seems momentarily to
p a s s i o n , but
it
it
relates
incredible dissipation.
it
is c e n t r a l
w e l l as b e i n g a c o n v e n t i o n a l e p i c d e v i c e .
less youth,
T h i s gentleman
good
His
i n t e r r u p t the main stream o f the n o v e l ,
but a second g l a n c e r e v e a l s t h a t
on a major theme o f the n o v e l .
his novels.
It
to the s t o r y
Wilson's tale
itself
as
is a v a r i a t i o n
is a t a l e o f a d i s s i p a t e d and
i s the c o n f e s s i o n of the l i f e of a man of
thought-
unbridled
is a l s o the t a l e of a man's coming through e x p e r i e n c e
to a deeper u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f h i m s e l f .
W i l s o n ' s n a r r a t i v e , and
later,
i n Tom J o n e s , the Man on the H i l l ' s t a l e , revea1 F i e l d i n g ' s a t t i tude
towards such e x p e r i e n c e .
Tom and Booth (Amelia) are men o f a s i m i l a r
breed — they l e a r n t h e i r
l e s s o n s a l i t t l e more e a s i l y p e r h a p s , but
still
they l e a r n p a r t l y
through e x p e r i e n c e .
W i l s o n was by h i s own c o n f e s s i o n a complete s c o u n d r e l .
testing his father's w i l l
(on the a d v i c e of h i s lawyers)
London where he soon a c q u i r e d the c h a r a c t e r of a " f i n e
After
he went
to
gentleman."
con-
85
The f i r s t
r e q u i s i t e s , he t e l l s us, were "supplied by a t a i l o r ,
wig maker, and some few more tradesmen, who deal
human body."
a peri-
in furnishing out the
Again the s a t i r i s t attacks the shallowness of the moral
character of such a beaux — just as the principles of Wild's gang were
equated to their hats, so here the character of such a rake can be
d i r e c t l y attributed
to his t a i l o r and "periwig-maker."
is a l i s t i n g of a l l
the vices which can be acquired by a young man
entering the fast and frivolous London society.
intensified s a t i r i c narrative,
as the s a t i r e
itself.
However, even in this
F i e l d i n g ' s humor is almost as predominant
This coupling of the good-humored with the
s t r i c t l y s a t i r i c lends the s a t i r e added depth.
of his i n i t i a t i o n
What follows
Wilson t e l l s his guest
into society:
The next q u a l i f i c a t i o n s , namely, dancing, fencing, riding the
great horse, and music, came into my head, but as they required
expense and time, I comforted myself, with regard to dancing,
that I had learned a l i t t l e in my youth, and could walk a
minuet genteely enough, as to fencing, I thought my goodhumour would preserve me from the danger of a quarrel, as to
the horse, I hoped it would not be thought of, and for music
I imagined I could e a s i l y acquire the reputation of i t , for
1 had heard some of my school-fel1ows pretend to knowledge
in operas, without being able to sing or play on the f i d d l e .
( I , 230)
The description of the fashionable beau is surely meant to be
contemptuous, but Wilson can look back on his own f o o l i s h youth with
such amused understanding that this becomes the predominant attitude
in us, as readers, as w e l l .
The passage reveals the sham involved in
o f f e r i n g the desired front to society.
Fielding's satire
is
intense
but it
is also sympathetic, he laughs at the "poor, bare,forked animal,"
but it
is an understanding laugh.
Wilson had his intrigues, kept mis-
86
t r e s s e s , debauched a young maiden, gambled, f r e q u e n t e d
even wrote p o e t r y and p l a y s — i n t e r r u p t e d
visits
to h i s surgeon — and f i n a l l y
Rescue came in the shape of H a r r i e t
by numerous u n p l e a s a n t
ran h i m s e l f h o p e l e s s l y i n t o d e b t .
H e a r t y , the daughter of the
man to whom he had s o l d h i s w i n n i n g l o t t e r y t i c k e t .
he e v e n t u a l l y m a r r i e d h i s benefact<j>ress
life
in the c o u n t r y ,
to e a s e , q u i e t ,
e p i s o d e i s an i n t e n s i f i e d p o r t r a y a l
forth
in a l l
his writings.
with i d y l l i c
retirement,
Wilson t e l l s
of b u s t l e , n o i s e ,
and l o v e "
( l , 254).
hatred,
The W i l s o n
a t the u n d e r s t a n d i n g of good
of
life
this
c o u p l e shares seems to
laughter
in the n o v e l .
The former
in h i s
i n c r e d i b l e s t r u g g l e to hold onto h i s c h a s t i t y ,
the l a t t e r
in h i s
innocence and unconquerable
and
i d e a l i s m , p r e s e n t us w i t h
c o u n t l e s s ,1aughable a d v e n t u r e s , but
it
the element o f contempt
At l e a s t we f e e l no contempt
is a b s e n t .
is hardly s a t i r i c
laughter,
but they a r e never f a l s e o r m a l i c i o u s .
There i s no f a l s e l a y e r
from them, l e a v i n g them s h i v e r i n g in t h e i r
and Joseph b r i n g f o r t h our s m i l e s , but never our s n e e r s .
key f i g u r e s w i t h whom the a u t h o r c a r r i e s out h i s
in t h e i r
innocence they
silly,
to
hypocrisy, for
times s i n c e r e and c o m p l e t e l y , a d m i r a b l y t h e m s e l v e s .
for
for
They are r i d i c u l o u s upon o c c a s i o n , o f t e n amusing and even
are at a l l
through
in the golden age.
Both Joseph and Parson Adams a r e o b j e c t s of
strip
to a
of an i d e a l t h a t F i e l d i n g h e l d
The serene l i f e
Adams the modern c o u n t e r p a r t
them.
how
W i l s o n ' s i s a l i f e of e x p e r i e n c e crowned
an a r r i v a l
the e x p e r i e n c i n g of e v i l .
gentle-
and s u b s e q u e n t l y r e t i r e d
away " f r o m a world f u l l
e n v y , and i n g r a t i t u d e ,
the p l a y h o u s e s ,
they
Adams
They a r e
instructive
the
purpose,
reveal the p o s s i b i l i t i e s f o r good as w e l l
as
87
the many e v i d e n c e s of e v i l
in a d i s e a s e d s o c i e t y .
When Joseph i s s e t upon by two robbers and beaten and l e f t
naked in the d i t c h , we note t h a t
to get the coachman to s t o p .
s i n c e been t r a n s p o r t e d f o r
it
lying
is the p o s t i l i o n who f i r s t
tries
T h i s same p o s t i l i o n , " a lad who hath
robbing a henroost"
(I,
65) > is the o n l y
one to v o l u n t e e r a garment to cover a s u f f e r i n g f e l l o w c r e a t u r e .
however,
This,
is one o f the redeeming f e a t u r e s of the w o r l d F i e l d i n g p r e -
sents f o r us.
The l a w y e r , the w i t ,
the p r u d e , the gentleman, and the
h e a r t l e s s coachman, a r e a l l o b j e c t s of the s a t i r i s t ' s a t t a c k .
would m o n o p o l i z e the s t a g e in t h e i r
s e l f i s h n e s s and c r u e l t y
They
if
it
were
not f o r t h i s one young f e l l o w who possessed more c h a r i t y and k i n d n e s s
than the r e s t of them put t o g e t h e r .
are b e t t e r
The p o i n t
is not t h a t the poor
human beings than the r i c h , but r a t h e r t h a t goodness can be
found in a l l
walks o f
life.
In h i s P r e f a c e , F i e l d i n g acknowledged h.i's r e s p o n s i b i l i t y as c e n s o r
of the manners, t a s t e s and m o r a l i t y of h i s age.
This
responsibility,
we n o t i c e d , he f e l t h e a v i l y even in the e a r l i e s t s t a g e s of h i s w r i t i n g
career.
"In
Joseph Andrews the s e l f i s h n e s s of the l a w y e r , the a v a r i c e
of P e t e r Pounce, the h y p o c r i s y of Parson T r u l l i b e r ,
Booby, the bad .art of Pamela — a l l
the l u s t o f Lady
are l a i d bare by the kn<i»fe of
ridi-
12
cule."
And these same v i c e s F i e l d i n g had a t t a c k e d u n c e a s i n g l y in h i s
B a t t e s t i n , op. c i t . ,
p.
152.
p l a y s and m i s c e l l a n e o u s w r i t i n g s .
form has a l t e r e d .
has broadened i t
The t a r g e t s are the same, o n l y
F i e l d i n g as s a t i r i s t
has changed h i s a p p r o a c h , he
through the use o f the novel to p r e s e n t the
p i c t u r e of good and e v i l
in a l l
their
the
intricate
blendings.
complete
However,
he has r e t a i n e d enough emphasis of the s a t i r i c to add a sober note
to
the l a u g h t e r of the n o v e l .
Tom Jones i s F i e l d i n g ' s most e n t e r t a i n i n g
richer,
livelier
production
novel.
It
than Joseph Andrews. However,
is a
fuller,
in expanding
many of the b e a u t i e s of h i s f i r s t comic e p i c t h e r e was an u n a v o i d a b l e
s u b l i m a t i o n o f the s a t i r i c a l
p e r s o n a l tone t h a t
of Tom.
elements.
S a t i r e demands a c e r t a i n
is q u i t e the o p p o s i t e to t h a t found
Joseph Andrews s t r e t c h e d to
tween the a l o o f s a t i r i s t
its
limits
in the
story
the r e l a t i o n s h i p
and the a m i a b l e comic a r t i s t .
im-
be-
There is enough
of the l o v a b l e human in Parson Adams to p e r s o n a l i z e the s a t i r e and
g i v e i t a warmth t h a t s t r e n g t h e n s
r e t a i n many o f the a l l e g o r i c a l
that helps
to
But Joseph
iden-
i m p o s s i b l e and u n d e s i r e d .
we have s e e i n g them as humans in a human
illuminate
the work
f o r us t h a t Tom and Sophia do.
w i t h the f i r s t c o u p l e i s both
is t h i s d i f f i c u l t y
Pamela.
w h i l e yet p e r m i t t i n g
q u a l i t i e s of Jonathan W i l d .
and Fanny never t a k e on the l i f e
tification
it,
It
situation
the p r e p o s t e r o u s n e s s of the moral p r e t e n s i o n s
of
For J o s e p h ' s a c t i o n s , amusing and amazing as they a r e , a r e
n o n e t h e l e s s m o r a l l y more sound than those of h i s s i s t e r , Pamela,
characters
The
In Joseph Andrews are memorable, but w i t h the e x c e p t i o n of
Parson Adams, they l a c k the depth t h a t the a u t h o r g i v e s t h e i r s u c c e s s o r s
in Tom J o n e s .
Mrs. S l i p s l o p , Mrs. Tow-Wouse, Parson Trul1 i b e r , P e t e r
89
Pounce, Mr. W i l s o n , and even Joseph and Fanny a r e not p l a c e d under our
observation
in f u l l
enough d e t a i l
come " p e o p l e " in the f u l l e s t
o r f o r a long enough p e r i o d to b e -
sense.
We see them as unchanging people
f l a s h e d b e f o r e us o n l y long enough f o r them to become i m p r i n t e d
upon
the memory as t y p e s .
11 would appear t h a t the s a t i r i c elements
c l u d e d more f o r t h e i r
contribution
in Tom Jones are
to the comic e f f e c t
in-
than f o r
criti-
cism per s e . The novel has much the same moral purpose as Joseph
Andrews, o r r a t h e r ,
l i k e the e a r l i e r work i t was meant to be
but the l e s s o n i s not taught as e x p r e s s l y through
F i e l i n g ' s r o l e as n a r r a t o r
His persona or mask as n a r r a t o r
instructive,
satire.
in Tom Jones is a f a s c i n a t i n g one.
i s t h a t of the s t o r y - t e l l e r
between the people in h i s t a l e and h i s r e a d e r s .
It
standing
i s an o b t r u s i v e
p o s i t i o n t h a t p l a c e s him in the r o l e o f p u b l i c b e n e f a c t o r .
This stance
r e c a l l s the d e v i c e F i e l d i n g used in h i s f a r c e s , t h a t of p r e s e n t i n g a
p l a y under r e h e a r s a l w i t h the p l a y w r i g h t
even p r e t e n d an i n t e r e s t .
of
explaining it
to a l l who w i l l
In the p l a y s the scheme becomes a method
r i d i c u l e , w i t h the p 1 a y w r i g h t - w i t h i n - t h e - p 1 ay u n i n t e n t i o n a l l y
p o s i n g the a b s u r d i t i e s
in both h i s own work and the s o c i e t y
it
ex-
deals
13
with.
However, in the novel t h e r e
is the b a s i c d i f f e r e n c e t h a t
n o v e l i s t e l a b o r a t e s on h i s own p o s i t i v e b e l i e f s and the
satirical
Irwin E h r e n p r e i s , F i e l d i n g ; Tom Jones (London, 1964), p.
8.
the
elements a r e s u b o r d i n a t e d to the r o l e of
beliefs.
Rather than having p o s i t i v e
r e i n f o r c i n g these p o s i t i v e
i d e a l s suggested through
impli-
c a t i o n , a i m i n g a t an awareness of good brought about by a c o n c e n t r a t i o n
on e v i l
(which
I see as the p r i n c i p l e behind s a t i r e ) , F i e 1 d i n g s h i f t s
the emphasis to the good i t s e l f .
But he does not n e g l e c t the
evil,
and the s a t i r i c a l e l e m e n t s , which a r e o f t e n o f a comic n a t u r e , ensure
a v a r i e d tone in the work.
F i e l d i n g can never sound pompous, he never
g i v e s us the monotonous drone of the d i e - h a r d m o r a l i s t ,
l a u g h i n g a t s o c i e t y and at h i m s e l f .
the p r o f e s s i o n a l c l a s s e s
he i s too busy
For example, when he s a t i r i z e s
in Tom J o n e s , he does more than j u s t t e l l
us
t h a t a l a w y e r , f o r example, might be a v a i n , a f f e c t e d a s s , he shows us
why we s h o u l d c o n s i d e r him s o .
The novel abounds in examples of
the
j a r g o n which i s the d i s e a s e of the p r e t e n t i o u s among the p r o f e s s i o n a l
classes.
The p h i l o s o p h i c a l
Square and the p a r s o n i c a l Thwackum e p i t o m i z e
the a f f e c t e d types F i e l d i n g sought to r i d i c u l e .
barber,
P a r t r i d g e , the academic
is c u r s e d w i t h the same d i s e a s e — he can s c a r c e l y complete a
sentence w i t h o u t
i n s e r t i n g some L a t i n , o n l y a p o r t i o n of w h i c h ,
the
n a r r a t o r e x p l a i n s , he " a p p l i e d p r o p e r l y e n o u g h . "
In Tom Jones F i e l d i n g has gone f a r beyond the s e l f - i m p o s e d
of the s a t i r i s t ,
trade.
It
but he has not abandoned the t o o l s of the
limits
satirist's
has been suggested t h a t ;
As a s a t i r i s t he is overwhelmingly i n t e r e s t e d in a c t i o n s ,
and h i s aim is to d i s t i n g u i s h the good from the e v i l , b u t , as
he l e a r n s how m i s l e a d i n g not o n l y words but even a c t i o n s and
consequences can b e , he f i n d s i t i n c r e a s i n g l y d i f f i c u l t to
judge them except in terms of m o t i v e s .
In s h o r t , he r e j e c t s
the s a t i r i s t ' s s i m p l e but commonsensical a c c e p t a n c e of e f f e c t
91
as the c h i e f c r i t e r i o n of v i r t u e in f a v o r of the S h a f t s b u r y i a n
b e l i e f t h a t an a c t i o n can be n e i t h e r good nor e v i l in i t s e l f ,
but o n l y as i t s motive i s c h a r i t a b l e o r s e l f s e e k i n g . ^
In Jonathan W i l d F i e l d i n g was p o r t r a y i n g
of good, but
evil
a g a i n s t a background
in Joseph And rews and more n o t i c e a b l y
was p r e s e n t i n g s o c i e t y
in Tom J o n e s , he
i t s e l f , a s o c i e t y made up o f good and e v i l
e l e m e n t s , each of which predominates upon o c c a s i o n .
l i k a b l e young hero o f the t a l e ,
Tom J o n e s ,
f u n c t i o n s as a s a t i r i c v e h i c l e much
as does Parson Adams in Joseph Andrews. His e x p e r i e n c e s in the
h o u s e h o l d , on the r o a d , and f i n a l l y
glow o f
in London i t s e l f ,
innocence and s i n c e r e i t y t h a t
infected himself.
i s h i s t r a d e mark.
He comes in
but
intrinsic
kindheartedness.
Booth — and f i l l e d w i t h the j o y o f
living.
p o s i t i o n of h i s f r i e n d ,
intentions
the
B l a c k George, the gamekeeper, and he holds
To l i e
are so good t h a t we admire him the more.
man he s t e a d f a s t l y
satirist's
As a boy he 1 i e s to p r o t e c t
s t e a d f a s t l y to h i s l i e under a s e v e r e w h i p p i n g .
his
and above a l l
him from c e n s u r e , both ours and the
Tom the boy foreshadows Tom the man.
later,
He has h i s share o f a
f o o l i s h n e s s , but h i s s i m p l i c i t y ,
protects
is
Physically
he is handsome, b i g , s t r o n g , and h e a l t h y — l i k e J o s e p h , and
his s i n c e r i t y ,
the
Jones l e a r n s through h i s e x p e r i e n c e s , but he
does not harden and l o s e h i s
young man's n a t u r a l
Allworthy
never d u l l
c o n t a c t w i t h every c o n c e i v a b l e type of v i c e and c o r r u p t i o n
never
the
is wrong,
but
As a young
r e f u s e s to harm anyone, o r to bei ieve another c a p a b l e
P a u l s o n , op. c i t . ,
p.
9.
92
o f p e r f o r m i n g an i n t e n t i o n a l
we view even h i s a f f a i r
man's p r i n c i p l e s .
evil
a c t i o n towards him.
The novel
insists
w i t h Lady B e l l a s t o n in the l i g h t o f the young
Tom makes i t
c l e a r t h a t he c o u l d not b r i n g
to h u r t the a g i n g Lady B e l l a s t o n ( o f f e n s i v e
b r e a t h or
himself
not);
Though Jones saw a l l these discouragements on the one s i d e ,
he f e l t h i s o b l i g a t i o n s f u l l as s t r o n g l y on the o t h e r , nor d i d
he l e s s p l a i n l y d i s c e r n the a r d e n t p a s s i o n whence those o b l i g a t i o n s p r o c e e d e d , the extreme v i o l e n c e of which i f he f a i l e d
to e q u a l , he w e l l knew the lady would t h i n k him u n g r a t e f u l ,
a n d , what i s w o r s e , he would have thought h i m s e l f s o . He knew
the t a c i t c o n s i d e r a t i o n upon which a l l her f a v o u r s were c o n f e r r e d , and as h i s n e c e s s i t y o b l i g e d him to a c c e p t them, so
h i s honour, he c o n c l u d e d , f o r c e d him to pay the p r i c e .
(V,
Ik)
On the one hand t h i s can be seen as a d e b a s i n g i n c i d e n t
Jones compromises a l l
this
is u n f a i r
h i s morals s i m p l y f o r c o n v e n i e n c e .
to the a u t h o r ' s
t h a t the t a l e demands we c r e d i t
intention,
it
young Tom.
d i s c o u n t s the
stood w i t h Sophia a t the t i m e ,
B e l l a s t o n p o s s e s s e d , as w e l l
But I t h i n k
sincerity
He makes a m i s t a k e , but
i s not because of a c o n s c i o u s i n t e n t to d e c e i v e .
how h i s a f f a i r s
in which
It must be remembered
the a t t r a c t i o n s
as her d e t e r m i n a t i o n
Lady
— and t h a t Tom d i d
not have the same armour as Joseph w i t h which to defend h i m s e l f
such a t t a c k s .
against
Tom i s a blend o f good and n o t - s o - g o o d c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s ,
o f weakness as w e l l
as s t r e n g t h .
However, the reproach i s aimed as
much a t the s o c i e t y t h a t views and condemns h i s a c t i o n s as i t
Tom h i m s e l f ,
it
f o r the e v i l
lurks
in t h e i r m i n d s , a l o n g s i d e the h y p o c r i s y ,
Tom l i e s , p o a c h e s , d r i n k s , q u a r r e l s , f i g h t s ,
and l o v e s to e x c e s s ,
he has the excuse of h i s age f o r almost every f a u l t , and the
p r o g r e s s i o n of the novel
is a t
but
natural
suggests both t h a t he l e a v e s these shortcomings
93
behind him and t h a t he i s a b e t t e r man f o r h a v i n g e x p e r i e n c e d such
natural
emotions.
Tom is always t r u e to h i s p r i n c i p l e s , and even h i s
a d v e n t u r e s w i t h women can be defended on the grounds t h a t they a r e
harmless
in i n t e n t .
His r e p l y to N i g h t i n g a l e ' s a c c u s a t i o n s c l e a r y
i n d i c a t e h i s thoughts on the
subject;
" L o o k e e , Mr. N i g h t i n g a l e , " s a i d J o n e s , "I am no c a n t i n g hypo c r i t e , nor do I p r e t e n d to the g i f t of c h a s t i t y more than my
neighbours.
I have been g u i l t y w i t h women, I own i t , but am
not c o n s c i o u s t h a t I have e v e r i n j u r e d any. Nor would I, to
p r o c u r e p l e a s u r e to m y s e l f , be knowingly the cause o f m i s e r y
to any human be i n g . "
(V,
108)
Thus w h i l e we can o f t e n accuse Tom o f
imprudence and see him as
being a l i t t l e f o o l i s h , j u s t as we found Parson Adams r i d ' i c u l o u s
many o c c a s i o n s , we can never t h i n k o f him as the " c a n t i n g
the prime o b j e c t o f the
upon
hypocrite,"
satire.
With c h a r a c t e r s l i k e Thwackum and Square the a u t h o r g i v e s us
delightful
satirical
portraits.
F i e l d i n g balances these two
perfectly,
each e m p h a s i z i n g the a b s u r d i t y of the o t h e r by the sheer v i v i d n e s s of
contrast of t h e i r
views and p e r s o n a l i t i e s ;
T h i s gentleman Square and Mr. Thwackum s c a r c e e v e r met w i t h out a d i s p u t a t i o n , f o r t h e i r t e n e t s were indeed d i a m e t r i c a l l y
o p p o s i t e to each o t h e r .
Square h e l d human n a t u r e t o be the
p e r f e c t i o n o f a l l v i r t u e , and t h a t v i c e was a d e v i a t i o n from
our n a t u r e , in the same manner as d e f o r m i t y o f body i s .
Thwackum, on the c o n t r a r y , m a i n t a i n e d t h a t the human m i n d , s i n c e the
F a l l „ w a s n o t h i n g but a s i n k of i n i q u i t y , t i l l p u r i f i e d and
redeemed by g r a c e .
In one p o i n t o n l y they a g r e e d , which was,
in a l l t h e i r d i s c o u r s e s on m o r a l i t y never to mention the word
goodness. The f a v o r i t e phrase of the former was the n a t u r a l
beauty of v i r t u e , t h a t o f the l a t t e r was the d i v i n e power of
g r a c e . The former measured a l l a c t i o n s by the u n a l t e r a b l e r u l e
3k
o f r i g h t , and the e t e r n a l f i t n e s s of t h i n g s ; the l a t t e r d e c i d e d
a l l m a t t e r s by a u t h o r i t y ; but in d o i n g t h i s , he always used
the S c r i p t u r e s and t h e i r commentators, as the lawyer doth h i s
Coke upon L y t t l e t o n , where the comment i s o f equal a u t h o r i t y
w i t h the t e x t .
( I l l , 114)
The p a i r are l i v i n g examples o f the harmful e f f e c t s o f the m i s a p p l i c a t i o n
o f such i d e a l p h i l o s o p h i e s o r r e l i g i o u s d o c t r i n e s .
themselves a r e f i n e ,
b e t t e r men.
the o n l y t r o u b l e
The t h e o r i e s
is they do not make t h e i r
in
holders
T h i s type o f p h i l o s o p h y , F i e l d i n g p o i n t s o u t , y i e l d s no
good to mankind when i t s s o l e m a n i f e s t a t i o n s a r e in i d l e m o u t h i n g s ;
t h i s type of
r e l i g i o n must be seen as h y p o c r i t i c a l
d e s t r o y s goodness.
The a u t h o r
and s e l f i s h when
it
i s a t h i s humorous best in h i s t r e a t m e n t
o f t h i s p a i r of a r c h - h y p o c r i t e s .
Thwackum i s shown r e v e l l i n g
in h i s
rel igion;
When I mention r e l i g i o n I mean the C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n ; and not
o n l y the C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n , but the P r o t e s t a n t r e l i g i o n ; and
not o n l y the P r o t e s t a n t r e l i g i o n , but the Church o f E n g l a n d .
And when I mention honour, I mean t h a t mode o f D i v i n e grace
which is not o n l y c o n s i s t e n t w i t h , but dependent upon t h i s
r e l i g i o n , and i s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h and dependent upon no o t h e r .
( I l l , 115)
It
i s the same type of pigheadness and c h o p - l o g i c t h a t
s a t i r i s t attacked
the
in h i s " E s s a y on N o t h i n g " and "Some PAPERS P r o p e r to
be Read b e f o r e the R
1 S o c i e t y , " w i t h the d i f f e r e n c e t h a t t h e s e
c h a r a c t e r s we come to know and understand and c o n s e q u e n t l y share a
deeper involvement
with.
B a n e r j i p o i n t s out t h a t one c o n s p i c u o u s f e a t u r e o f
satire
is that
it
is only
in e x c e p t i o n a l cases t h a t
Fielding's
i t makes o b j e c t s
95
a b s o l u t e l y c o n t e m p t i b l e and o d i o u s .
of t h e s e " e x c e p t i o n a l
cases."
The p o r t r a y a l
of B l i f i l
He i s the most d e s p i c a b l e c r e a t u r e
the n o v e l ; h i s every move i s r e v e a l e d to be the r e s u l t o f
cunning and d e s i g n e d towards f u r t h e r i n g
as a c h i l d B l i f i l
i s one
selfish
h i s own m a l i c i o u s e n d s .
i s seen as a c a l c u l a t i n g v i l l a i n .
in
Even
When out o f mean-
ness and j e a l o u s y he l e t a b i r d t h a t Tom had g i v e n Sophia e s c a p e , he
had a l l
adults
the c o r r e c t answers to j u s t i f y h i s a c t i o n s .
He t e l l s
the
in the group t h a t he c o u l d not help g i v i n g the c r e a t u r e
liberty;
"I
always thought
a n y t h i n g , " he says ( I I I ,
must t h e r e f o r e
t h e r e was something very c r u e l
151).
in
its
confining
They can judge o n l y from w i t h o u t and
find his action praiseworthy,
but we have the advantage
o f knowing h i s t r u e m o t i v e , and see him f o r the v i c i o u s l i a r he i s .
Blifil
i s the b l a c k e s t o f h y p o c r i t e s , and one on whom the a u t h o r
un-
leashes tremendous s c o r n .
As in Joseph Andrews, in t h i s novel we see a s o c i e t y t h a t
many ways c o r r u p t ;
scenes d e p i c t i n g
different
tirement
and t h i s c o r r u p t i o n
life
in the c a p i t a l .
approach in Tom J o n e s .
appear l e s s c o r r u p t
i s perhaps most e v i d e n t
is
in
in the
But F i e l d i n g a l s o uses a
slightly
Here, r a t h e r than making c o u n t r y
than the town l i f e ,
re-
he has h i s c o u n t r y
folk
16
expose the Londoners not by c o n t r a s t ,
ceivable vice or
^
p.
intrigue
but by e m u l a t i o n .
u s u a l l y a s s o c i a t e d w i t h the c i t y
Every c o n finds
H. K. B a n e r j i , Henry F i e l d i n g , His L i f e and Works ( O x f o r d ,
205.
16
Ehrenpreis, op. c i t . ,
p. 31.
its
1929),
96
counterpart
in a c o u n t r y s e t t i n g .
cannot a t t a c h any blame to c i t y
as a c i t y e d u c a t i o n .
Even B l i f i l , the v i l e s t o f them a l l ,
i n f l u e n c e s , f o r he has not had so much
F i e l d i n g ' s comment on the v a n i t y o f M o l l y Seagrim
as she parades to church in S o p h i a ' s c a s t - o f f d r e s s c l e a r l y
this
illustrates
idea;
The great a r e d e c e i v e d i f they imagine they have a p p r o p r i a t e d
a m b i t i o n and v a n i t y to t h e m s e l v e s . These noble q u a l i t i e s
f l o u r i s h as n o t a b l y in a c o u n t r y church and c h u r c h y a r d as in
the drawing-room o r in the c l o s e t .
Schemes have indeed been
l a i d in the v e s t r y which would h a r d l y d i s g r a c e the c o n c l a v e .
Here i s a m i n i s t r y , and here i s an o p p o s i t i o n .
Here a r e p l o t s
and c i r c u m v e n t i o n s , p a r t i e s and f a c t i o n s , equal to those which
are to be found in c o u r t s .
Nor a r e the women here l e s s p r a c t i s e d in the h i g h e s t
f e m i n i n e a r t s than t h e i r f a i r s u p e r i o r s in q u a l i t y and f o r t u n e .
Here are prudes and c o q u e t t e s .
Here a r e d r e s s i n g and o g l i n g ,
f a l s e h o o d , e n v y , m a l i c e , s c a n d a l ; in s h o r t , e v e r y t h i n g which
is common to the most s p l e n d i d assembly o r p o l i t e s t c i r c l e .
Let those of high l i f e , t h e r e f o r e , no longer d e s p i s e the i g norance o f t h e i r i n f e r i o r s , nor the v u l g a r any l o n g e r r a i l a t
the v i c e s of t h e i r b e t t e r s .
(Ill,
169)
There i s the f e e l i n g
in the novel t h a t the
i n h a b i t a n t s of
c o u n t r y do have an advantage over those o f the c i t y ,
seems to be t h a t
it
but the s u g g e s t i o n
is through n o v i r t u e o f t h e i r own.
who a r e aware of the advantages of c o u n t r y
life,
life"
that
It
However, those
people l i k e
and W i l s o n , a r e a b l e to p r a c t i c e a benevolence in t h i s
t h a t would be i m p o s s i b l e in the c i t y .
the
rural
Allworthy,
setting
is e a s i e r to l i v e " t h e
in the c o u n t r y , away from the e v i l s o f the town, f o r
it
i s the e v i l , and the crowded, b u s t l i n g c o n d i t i o n s of the
good
i s man
city
breed c o r r u p t i o n .
There i s more c r i t i c i s m of s o c i e t y i n v o l v e d in the novel than
is
u s u a l l y supposed.
But w h i l e the s a t i r e
tendency to f o r g e t
F i e l d i n g the s a t i r i s t
the h u m o r i s t .
is often sharp, there
in the presence o f
The humor o v e r r i d e s the s a t i r e
is
the
Fielding
in such i n s t a n c e s a s ,
f o r example, Tom's d i s c o v e r y o f the p h i l o s o p h e r Square "among o t h e r
female u t e n s i l s "
in M o l l y S e a g r i m ' s c l o s e t .
get o f Square s q u a t t i n g
It
i s a v i v i d p i c t u r e we
in r i d i c u l o u s f a s h i o n , one of M o l l y ' s
on h i s head, and h i s two l a r g e eyes s t a r i n g d i r e c t l y
almost f o r g e t
involved
In Tom Jones F i e l d i n g ' s m o c k - e p i c d i c t i o n
heights.
The b a t t l e
scenes,
in the churchyard
hypocrisy.
for
greatest
in the e a r l i e r works.
fight
Molly's
i n v o l v i n g Tom,
(Bk V, chs 1 0 - 1 2 ) , and the s t r u g g l e
the inn at Upton (Bk IX, ch 3) > p r o v i d e o p p o r t u n i t i e s
to e x e r c i s e h i s t a l e n t s
implications
reaches i t s
(Bk IV, ch 8 ) , the f i s t
Thwackum, Western and B l i f i l
this
for
the
type of b u r l e s q u e d i c t i o n
fullest.
But the b u r l e s q u e of the h e r o i c t r a d i t i o n
primarily
f o r the sake o f the comedy i t p r o v i d e s .
i m p l i c a t i o n s t h e r e might be.
a r e more s u b t l y blended w i t h the n a r r a t i v e
For example, e a r l y
to
at
author
the
i s c a r r i e d on
These scenes add
l i f e and c o l o u r , and the p l e a s u r e is in the language i t s e l f
in any s a t i r i c
We
i n v o c a t i o n s , and h e r o i c s i m i l e s have an
exuberance t h a t s u r p a s s e s a n y t h i n g
battle
at Jones.
in the l a u g h t e r o f the moment the s e r i o u s
in Tom's sudden u n v e i l i n g o f h i s t e a c h e r ' s
nightcaps
more than
The h e r o i c s i m i l e s
though,
than a r e the m o c k - e p i c b a t t l i
in the novel M r s . W i l k i n s
is d e s c r i b e d as a k i t e ;
Not o t h e r w i s e than when a k i t e , tremendous b i r d , i s beheld by
the f e a t h e r e d g e n e r a t i o n s o a r i n g a l o f t , and h o v e r i n g o v e r t h e i r
heads, the amorous dove, and every innocent l i t t l e b i r d , spread
wide the a l a r m , and f l y t r e m b l i n g to t h e i r h i d i n g - p l a c e s . He
p r o u d l y beats the a i r , c o n s c i o u s o f h i s d i g n i t y , and m e d i t a t e s
98
intended m i s c h i e f .
F i e l d i n g goes on to e x p l a i n h i s s i m i l e ;
It i s my i n t e n t i o n , t h e r e f o r e , t o s i g n i f y , t h a t , as i t i s the
n a t u r e of a k i t e to devour l i t t l e b i r d s , so i t is the n a t u r e
o f such persons as M r s . W i l k i n s t o i n s u l t and t y r a n n i z e over
l i t t l e p e o p l e . T h i s b e i n g indeed the means which they use to
recompense to themselves t h e i r extreme s e r v i l i t y and c o n d e s c e n s i o n to t h e i r s u p e r i o r s ; f o r n o t h i n g can be more r e a s o n a b l e
than t h a t s l a v e s and f l a t t e r e r s s h o u l d e x a c t the same t a x e s on
a l l below them, which they themselves pay to a l l above them.
( I N , 32)
Now t h i s
idea i s in essence l i t t l e d i f f e r e n t
from t h a t e x p r e s s e d
in the d i s s e r t a t i o n c o n c e r n i n g high people and low p e o p l e in Joseph
Andrews.
Depending upon o n e ' s p o s i t i o n in the s o c i a l o r d e r , one must
choose whether " t o be a g r e a t man a t s i x in the m o r n i n g , o r a t two
the a f t e r n o o n " ( l ,
181).
The s a t i r i s t
b r i n g s out the e s s e n t i a l
petti-
ness o f human n a t u r e as he d e s c r i b e s a b a s i c t r u t h o f our s o c i a l
In Joseph Andrews, and to a g r e a t e r e x t e n t
F i e l d i n g the m o r a l i s t emerging and the s a t i r i s t
further
i n t o the background.
in
structure.
in Tom J o n e s , we see
fading further
and
The term m o r a l i s t seems somehow to have
the wrong c o n n o t a t i o n to be a p p l i e d to the a u t h o r o f these two comic
n o v e l s , but F i e l d i n g ' s purpose was to i n s t r u c t as w e l l as to e n t e r t a i n .
It
is a f i n e
former
line
1 am drawing between s a t i r i s t and m o r a l i s t ; by the
I mean the a r t i s t
concerned p r i m a r i l y w i t h the exposure o f v i c e ,
w i t h the p r e s e n t a t i o n o f the e v i l
the m o r a l i s t ,
in s o c i e t y ; whereas w i t h the
I r e f e r to the a r t i s t
l i f e as an a l t e r n a t i v e .
The l a t t e r
latter,
i n t e n t upon d e p i c t i n g a way o f
is one who sees the e v i l
the p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f good in s o c i e t y and d e s c r i b e s b o t h .
but a l s o
In Tom Jones
99
F i e l d i n g s t r u c k a happy balance between s a t i r i s t
not to be reproduced in Amel i a , h i s f i n a l
There i s a d a r k e n i n g of tone
and m o r a l i s t
t h a t was
novel.
in Ame1ia. i t
suggests an a n g r i e r
F i e l d i n g , one whose years as p o l i c e - c o u r t m a g i s t r a t e of f i r s t
Bow S t r e e t ,
and then the whole o f the County of M i d d l e s e x , w e r e o b v i o u s l y having
effects.
One c r i t i c ,
Andrew W r i g h t ,
t i r i c mode becomes open and raw;
f e e l s that
the f e s t i v e
in the novel " t h e s a -
i n t e n t i o n of the a u t h o r
o f Joseph And rews and Tom Jones has given way to the s e v e r i t i e s
angry hope, and angry d e s p a i r . " ^
It
is more a case of the
g i v i n g way c o m p l e t e l y to the m o r a l i s t .
o r a b l e exposure of the wrongs
of comic enjoyment,
evil
in s o c i e t y .
There
is d r i v e n ahead o f the hunter
there
the e v i l
There i s l i t t l e e v i d e n c e
is no sudden exposure of sham
l i k e a l i o n b e f o r e the
The hunter
is e x p o s e d , but the s p o r t of s a t i r e
is l a c k i n g .
those wrongs.
quite foreign
indulged
in r i d i c u l e .
i s s i m p l y no p l a c e l e f t to h i d e .
i n t e n t upon d e s c r i b i n g moral wrongs
tirizing
is
The
beaters
relentless,
Fielding
is
in h i s s o c i e t y but not upon s a -
A m e l i a i s c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a sentimenta1ism
to the a u t h o r ' s e a r l i e r works.
in e m o t i o n a l i s m and melodrama.
Never b e f o r e had he so
F i e l d i n g ' s preoccupation with
B o o t h ' s unrewarded m e r i t and w i t h the general
Andrew W r i g h t ,
P. 173.
satirist
The work r e p r e s e n t s an i n e x -
and h y p o c r i s y t h a t d i s s o l v e s the s a t i r i c t a r g e t
until
of
r a t h e r than the absurd and r i d i c u l o u s we are shown
in i t s most sombre t o n e s .
victim
their
i n d i f f e r e n c e of
Henry F i e l d i n g , Mask and F e a s t ,
(London,
the
1965),
100
aristocracy
in t h e i r
gloomy t o n e s .
treatment of the lower c l a s s e s
i s e x p r e s s e d in
S a t i r e has been r e p l a c e d by sour s e n t i m e n t .
laments these wrongs
Fielding
in dour f a s h i o n , but he does not employ
to l a s h out a t the e v i l .
satire
B o o t h ' s weaknesses and h i s own c o n v i c t i o n s
t h a t f a t e had d e a l t too h a r s h l y w i t h him, f o r example, would thems e l v e s have been o b j e c t s o f s a t i r i c a t t a c k
in the e a r l i e r
Fielding.
B o o t h ' s weaknesses a r e f o r g i v a b l e p e r h a p s , but not so h i s own
ence t h a t he should be p i t i e d
great personal
The novel
rather
than a r r a i g n e d because of
i s f i l l e d w i t h the melodrama, the sudden
in h i s p l a y s .
Booth's miraculous conversion a f t e r
and u n c o n v i n c i n g as any of the f i f t h - a c t
the a u t h o r so e f f e c t i v e l y
in Tom J o n e s .
inexplicable
coincidences that
the sermons o f Dr. Barrow d u r i n g h i s l a s t confinement
vellous"
his
suffering.
changes in c h a r a c t e r , and the e x t r a o r d i n a r y
satirized
insist-
Fielding
reading
i s as unexpected
r e v e r s a l s of c h a r a c t e r which
mocks in h i s " c h a p t e r c o n c e r n i n g the marIt
is a change t h a t i n s t e a d o f b e i n g d r a m a t i -
c a l l y rendered i s seemingly made f o r the sake o f c o n v e n i e n c e .
plot requires this
larly,
The
change in Booth, u n c o n v i n c i n g as i t may be.
Simi-
the c o i n c i d e n c e t h a t b r i n g s the s u p p o s e d l y d y i n g Robinson i n t o
the same house w i t h Booth so t h a t he may c o n f e s s , and the subsequent
r e s t o r a t i o n o f A m e l i a ' s l e g a c y , i s the same l a s t - m i n u t e
t u r n of
fortune
t h a t F i e l d i n g s a t i r ized w i t h the end ing o f The A u t h o r ' s Farce when
L u c k l e s s was r e v e a l e d to be a p r i n c e and a l l
to be in some way connected w i t h royal
has a l l
the c h a r a c t e r s on s t a g e
families.
In Ame1 i a , F i e l d i n g
but abandoned s a t i r e as a weapon t o use a g a i n s t the e v i l
he
101
sees in the s o c i e t y around him.
In Tom Jones we f i n d the a u t h o r r e m a r k i n g : " I n my humble o p i n i o n ,
the t r u e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c of the p r e s e n t beau monde i s r a t h e r f o l l y
v i c e , and the o n l y e p i t h e t which i t deserves i s t h a t o f
(Bk x i v ,
ch I)
How d i f f e r e n t
than
frivolous."
in tone i s t h i s from the remarks he
makes in h i s d e d i c a t i o n to Ralph A l l e n which p r e f a c e s Amel i a , in which
he says h i s d e s i g n is " t o promote the cause o f v i r t u e ,
some of the most g l a r i n g e v i l s , as w e l l
present
tent.
i n f e s t the c o u n t r y . "
and to expose
p u b l i c as p r i v a t e , which a t
How much d a r k e r and more s e r i o u s the
in-
The l i v e l y s a t i r e of the e a r l i e r works has been r e p l a c e d by the
sentimental
and the m o r a l i s t i c .
Concl us ion
With the p r i v i l e g e of being a b l e to look a t the a u t h o r ' s
w o r k s , we have the advantage o f s e e i n g what a n a t u r a l
Henry F i e l d i n g from s a t i r i s t
to n o v e l i s t .
c a r e e r he was compelled to w r i t e w i t h
dramatist
this
change i t was in
Throughout h i s
instruction
complete
literary
in mind.
As a
i n s t r u c t i v e bent took the form of the s a t i r e o f
his
f a r c e s and b u r l e s q u e s through which he p o i n t e d out the c o r r u p t i o n
contemporary p o l i t i c s ,
the degeneracy of the l i t e r a r y
in
s t a n d a r d s and
t a s t e s of the a g e , and the general d i s e a s e d s t a t e of h i s s o c i e t y ' s
morals.
A f t e r the L i c e n s i n g A c t ended h i s d r a m a t i c c a r e e r he c o n t i n u e d
t h i s s a t i r i c v e i n in h i s p r o s e , assuming the r o l e o f Augustan
satirist
upon many o c c a s i o n s and r e v e a l i n g an a d m i r a b l e competence in w r i t i n g
s a t i r e of a S w i f t i a n n a t u r e .
particular,
The Mi see 11 an i e s , and Jonathan W i l d
r e p r e s e n t a c l i m a x to t h i s mode o f w r i t i n g .
can be seen as a new d i r e c t i o n
form of s a t i r e .
in h i s work,
in
Shame1 a then
the b e g i n n i n g of a new
T h i s parody o f R i c h a r d s o n ' s novel
is p r i m a r i l y
lit-
103
erary s a t i r e , " f i c t i o n
laughing at f i c t i o n , "
but the b u r l e s q u e was
to lead him towards a c o m p l e t e l y new k i n d o f E n g l i s h n o v e l .
Joseph
Andrews was a c o n t i n u a t i o n o f the a t t a c k on R i c h a r d s o n , but
i t was a
d e e p e r , s u b t l e r and f u r t h e r - r e a c h i n g a t t a c k .
literary
More than a comment on
s t y l e or even f a l s e p r e m i s e s , i t a t t a c k e d R i c h a r d s o n ' s whole
concept o f
l i f e as i t appeared in h i s n o v e l .
a r t and m o r a l i t y ,
u l t i m a t e l y a moral
Tom Jones
the s a t i r i c a l
a work w h i c h , f o r a l l
The r e s u l t was a work of
i t s u p r o a r i o u s humour,
is
book.
is the next stage al ong t h i s p a t h , but at e v e r y step
elements fade f u r t h e r
to the moral o v e r t o n e s of the work.
i n t o the background in
There i s s t i l l
cism of the type o f novel R i c h a r d s o n was w r i t i n g ,
relation
the i m p l i e d
still
criti-
the m o c k - e p i c
d e v i c e s used to emphasize the a b s u r d i t y of man's p r e t e n s i o n s , but
there
i s o f f e r e d so much more as w e l l .
In Tom Jones the n o v e l i s t
concerned more w i t h p o i n t i n g out the t o t a l
he i s w i t h d e p i c t i n g the e v i l s
in i t .
s t r u c t u r e of s o c i e t y
is
than
The element o f exposure is p r e s e n t ,
but the emphasis has s h i f t e d from the n e g a t i v e t o a p o s i t i v e
one in which the good elements win out o v e r the e v i l .
portrayal,
The s a t i r e
is
imbedded d e e p l y in the l a r g e r f u n c t i o n of the n o v e l i s t which is t o w r i t e
an e n t e r t a i n i n g novel t h a t
is a t the same time m o r a l l y
instructive.
There i s the same exposure o f v i c e , c o r r u p t i o n , m a l i c e , and p r i d e on
Maurice Johnson, F i e l d i n g ' s A r t o f Ficttnon ( P h i l a d e l p h i a , 1961),
p.171.
104
every s o c i a l
l e v e l and in both c o u n t r y and c i t y
s a t i r e e x i s t s f o r what
that
it
contributes
s e t t i n g s , but
the
to the e s s e n t i a l human comedy
is Tom J o n e s .
With Shamela, t h e n , F i e l d i n g embarked on a path t h a t was to see
him g r a d u a l l y change from s a t i r i s t
t o the m o r a l i s t a u t h o r o f A m e l i a .
Joseph Andrews and Tom J o n e s , however, h i s m o c k - e p i c s of the
represent a d e l i g h t f u l
b l e n d i n g of s a t i r i s t
works we can a p p r e c i a t e the s i n c e r e m o r a l i t y
and m o r a l i s t .
nature.
In these
t h a t l a y behind h i s
w h i l e a t the same time e n j o y the b e n e f i t s of h i s l i v e l y ,
satiric
road,
often
fiction
playful,
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