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 Journal of
Advances and
JournalScholarly
of Advances and
Researches
Scholarly Researchesin in
Allied
Allied Education
Education
Vol. V,
Vol. 3,Issue No.6,IX,
Issue
January-2013, ISSN 2230-
April-2012,
7540
ISSN 2230-
7540

REVIEW ARTICLE
REVIEW ARTICLE AN
TOM JONES AS A PICARESQUE NOVEL INTERNATIONALLY
INDEXED PEER
REVIEWED &
Study of Political Representations: REFEREED JOURNAL
Diplomatic Missions of Early Indian to
Britain

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 Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education
Vol. V, Issue No. IX, January-2013, ISSN 2230-7540

Tom Jones as a Picaresque Novel

Amrit Lal

[email protected]

-----------------------------------X----------------------------------

The History of Tom Jones a founding often known the weaknesses of humanity are put on display. His
simply as Tom Jones is a comic novel by the English insistence on conforming to one rules of probability
playwright and novelist Henry fielding. The novel is rather than mere possibility is integral to the
both a bildungsroman and picaresque novel. It was development of the novel as we know it Fielding know
first published on February 1749, Tom Jones is among that he wanted to do in prose fiction and understood
the earliest English prose works describable as a the novelty of his undertaking in a way many of his
novel and is the earliest novel mentioned by W. predecessors had not the is not modest about
Somerset Maugham in his 1948 book ‘Great novelist pointing this out either.
and their novels” among the ten best novels of the
world Totaling 3461747 words, it is divided into 18 “I shall not look on myself as accountable to any court
smaller books, each preceded by a discursive to the of critical jurisdiction whatever, for as I am, in reality,
book itself. the founder of a new province of writing, So I am at
liberty to make what laws I please therein.” Tom
The age of fielding was an age of prose and not of Jones stands in a way is a typical symbol,
poetry. Fielding, Richardson, Smollett and Stern are, symbolizing the common virtues and weaknesses of
the four wheels of the novel wain-like most of the every-day life. Tom’s Character is compounded out of
greater eighteenth-century writers he saw himself as a the virtues and weakness of average humanity. He is
moralist and satirist but he is much more besides the here of the novel, but he is an unheroic here. In
Walter Allen said, “Fielding it has become a cliché of making such a person the here of his story, fielding
criticism was a man and his heroines are the women of has shown great courage, for at that time heroic
a man’s man”. Fielding had also in him a freakishness connection still prevailed and the hero of a novel or
of wit, the excess of his grosser mood, which led to romance was expected to have heroic qualities.
fantastic interludes and digression in his novels.
To quote Elizabeth Jenkins, “The character of Tom is
The society that fielding painted was a coarse and a most original one for a hero, at a time when the
noisy one but fielding draws attention to the fact that, heroic connection was in full force.” Now a days are
“its bark is worse than its bite,” that it is mare frivolous used to the hero who is a criminal or a neurotic, but
and thoughtless than deliberately bad. His genial such was not the case in the age of fielding. Tom
humours playing over its rough surface, easily and Jones possesses a handsome and attractive
spaciously irradiates everyone who is not a hypocrite personality. He is tall, robust and able-bodies. He is
or a muff. The essential humanity of his characters is considered as one of the handsomest fellows in the
their most attractive asset and this it is that gives much world. His countenance is almost effeminate in its
astonishing vitality to his work. beauty, but any appearance of masculine frame and
carriage. His personality has as much of the Hercules
Fielding was the first major novelist to unabashedly as of Adonis in its make up.”
write fiction. At the sometime, he undertook an initial
critical theory of the new fictional form he was creating Tom was fond of all manly exercise. He is a tireless
together with the preface to Joseph Andrews (1742), walker, a good swimmer and rider and he can fight
the introductory chapters preceding the individual with all the agility of a professional boxer. Tom has
books in Tom Jones constitutes the first extended also a handsome character. He is extremely grateful
body of work in English which attempts to define and and affectionate. He does not forget a good turn and
explain the novel as a literary genre. he benefactors sincerely and affectionately. He is
devoted to squire Allworthy who had adopted him as
In the preface Joseph Andrews, Fielding described his his son and was his only friend and benefactor.
own fictional form as “a comic romance” or a “comic
epic poem in prose” and in Tom Jones as a “heroically, When he is turned out of house, his heart bleeds
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Historical prosaic poem a form of prosaic-comic-epic more for his benefactor than for himself. To tell a lie is
writing.” In defining the novel as an epic genre, fielding abhorrent to him but he tells even a lie to save his
emphasized its function in presenting broad picture of friend, the black George and his family, from utter
an era, but one, unlike verse epic in which primarily ruin. No doubt Tom Jones is famous for its intricacy; it

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Amrit Lal
 Tom Jones as a Picaresque Novel

is highly symmetrical in design. The novel has Moreover, the fact that Tom’s lovers induce a feisty,
eighteen book, six for the beginning, six for the middle unfeminine wench and two middle-aged women
and six for the end conforming to the three parts suggest that his motives are various. Tom also treats
recommended by assist the. The first six books give women with the almost respect, obliging their desire to
the cause of the action: Tom’s open sensual nature. be courted by pretending to be the seducer even when
they are seducing him. Tom refuses to abandon Molly
The conflict with Belfil, The misunderstanding with for Sophia and is played by his obligations to lady
squire Allworhy, Tom’s love for six contain both the Bellaston. None the less Tom’s refusal of the tempting
consequences of which will bring about a resolution. marriage proposal of Arabella Hunt- whose last name
The last six books plunge Tom into disastrous under cores the fact that Tom is hunted more often
circumstance through his action and get him out of than he is the hunter-indicates that he has mended his
them again. When he is in prison about to be hanged, wild ways and is ready to become Sophia’s husband.
he hears that Sophia has refused to speak to see or Tom’s gallantry reveals itself in his relationships with
see him again as result of his affair with lady Bellaston. men as well as women, however. This spirit is evident
As if this were not enough, he even has to face the in Tom’s insistence on paying the drinking bill for the
possibility that he might have committed incest. But it army men at Bristol and in his gallant defense of
is this last misfortune which also brings about his himself in the duel
change of fortune’ it is through Jenny Jones, Tom’s
purported mother who is now known as Mrs. Waters, The narrator provides that his purpose in the text will
that the truth of Tom’s birth emerges. This brings about be to explore “human nature.” As such his story goes
reconciliation with square Allworthy and Sophia and between several extremes comedy and tragedy, Low
the downfall of Bilfil. Tom Jones is generous and and high society, moral and base. Squire Allworthy, a
forgiving even to fault. He forgives others the injuries man defined by his interminable blindness, returns to
that they might have caused to him and is always his Somersetshire estate to find a child abandoned in
ready to help others in their hour of need without his bed. He gives the child to his sister Bridget to look
caring for any risk and danger to himself. He helps after, and they investigate to determine that the child’
Mrs. Millers, mrs. Walters, the highwayman. He mother is a young women named Jenny Jones. She
forgives Black George even when he knows his full leaves the area and Allworthy decides to raise the boy,
treachery. He forgives even Bilfil who had done his Tom Jones. Tom is brought up alongside Allworth’s
best to ruin him. He harbors no ill-well against anyone. outlook, Thwachum and square. Bilfil is a miserable
Square Allworthy says “child, you carry this forgiving and jealous boy.
temper too far.
Tom is an impetuous character who supports his
Such mistaken mercy is not only weakness, but friend, the poor gamekeeper black George Seagrim,
borders on injustice and is very pernicious to society, even when that support cause him, Trouble meanwhile
as it encourages vice.” Tom Jones is not an ideal hero. through relationship with square western. When he is
He has two serious faults an imprudent, reckless revealed not to be the father of Molly’s child. Tom is
nature and is immoral in his dealing with women. The free to perceive his emerging love for Sophia. Bilfil
fact is that he “had naturally violent animal spirits” conspires against Tom, and he is unjustly turned out of
Which betrayed him into all manners of Allworthy’s house and away from Sophia. Further,
extravagances. He was considered incorrigibly because Tom is a bastard child, squire western
wayward and imprudent and was, “one of the wildest refuses to support Tom’s suit for Sophia and instead
fellows in England.” He had no fixed principles and wishes her to marriage Bilfil so that he can consolidate
lived by pulse than by reason. Tom is unable to resist their lends. Sophia hates Bilfil and is tortured by her
feminine charms again and again. In the novel he is father’s cruel insistence. Allworthy gives Tom a fair
involved in affairs with women. sum of money to support himself, but it is stolen by
black George. Tom considers Joining the military. He
Thus he has liaison with Molly Seagrim, Mrs. Waters meets up with Partridge, a teacher- cum-barber whose
and Lady Bellaston. Undoubtedly Tom Jones is reputation was ruined when he was believed to be
fielding’s imperfect and mortal hero. Fielding gives Tom’s father years before. Partridge initially believes
voice to his philosophy of virtue through Tom Jones. In that he can return to Allworthy’s favors if he reunites
contrast to the moral philosophizing of many of the man with Tom’s but partridge ultimately become a
fielding’s contemporaries of many of fielding does not devoted companion along the way. Tom frequently
suggest that Tom’s affair with Molly Seagrim, Mrs. shows his benevolent spirit by helping an unsuccessful
Waters and lady Bellaston should reflect badly on his highway man, a beggar and a lady in distress. All
character. Rather, keeping with the Romantic genre, gestures which are richly repaid later in the novel.
Fielding seems to admire Tom’s adherence to the
principles of gallantry, which require woman. The most original and memorable element of Tom
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Interestingly, all of Tom’s love affair including his Jones, However is the narrative voice informing the
relationship with Sophia, his true love are initiated by action and discoursing on the philosophy of writing to
the women in question which is fielding’s way of the reader in the introductory chapters. Fielding
excusing Tom from the charge of lustful depravity. controls the reader’s response thorough the urbane, to
a presence of the figure of the omniscient author a

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Amrit Lal
 Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education
Vol. V, Issue No. IX, January-2013, ISSN 2230-7540

polished and rational gentleman with a pronounced He even joins the army fights several times for a good
sense of the ridiculous who emerges as the true moral cause and is strange characters as the man on the hill
focus in the novel .While this technique verisimilitude and the gypsies. The incidents are thrilling and
provided by the first person or epistolary forms used by sensational. However Tom Jones is essentially
Defoe and Richardson, the reading experience is generous and benevolent at heart and his sexual laxity
enriched by the analysis of the all knowing author, are merely the imprudence of youth and not an
while fielding’s aesthetics are mainly masculine, the expression of wickedness. After every lapse he suffers
moral assumptions exhibited In the novel are also from pangs of conscience and is true to his love in
frankly sexist by today’s standards. thought, if not in dead. Secondly the aim of the novelist
is definitely moral. It is to show that real goodness is of
The characterization of Tom Jones displays a the heart and one should judge, not by actions but by
tolerance for virile young manhood he is a sensual motives. Besides, innocence and virtue must ever be
youth, easily succumbing to temptation of a sexual on their guard as they are often led astray and
nature. This tolerance does not work the other way ensnared by the wicked and the cunning.
round, however; the heroine Sophia is virginal and
pure while the women who indulge in sensual Fielding has truly been called the father of the English
pleasures are either tramps like Molly or hypocrites like novel. His presentation of human life and human
lady Bellaston. An exception to this can be found in the nature is comprehensive in its sweep and range. No
portrayal of Jenny Jones who was originally of berated aspect of human nature remains unrepresented in his
into living an “immoral” life and once having lost her novels. Here in the novel fielding paints accurately
virtue had no choice but to continue in her sinful ways. town manners, the country life organized round the
squire and the vicar occupying a less dignified place,
Tom’s sexual weakness is merely an expression of the stagecoaches and incidents on the road, inns and the
animal spirits natural in able-bodies, healthy underworld of vice and crime.
Youngman. Besides this it should be remembered that
both Molly and Mrs. Waters are artful experienced Henry Fielding compares his prefaces to the rule of
women, and initiative, in reality comes from them and dramatic unity. Fielding did establish with Tom Jones,
not from Tom. Again lady Bellaston is a corrupt, however, was the role of the novel as the modern
immoral woman who is bale to entangle Tom despite epic form. And many of the other “rules” he put forth
her. Tom has been called a blackguard, and a plausibility over possibility on novelistic fiction today.
scoundrel, for accepting money from her for gratifying Undoubtedly in Tom Jones, Fielding split the
her passions that the character of Jones is difference and gave us one of the most convincing
“necessarily degraded by the nature of his intercourse happy books ever written. His hero may start out
with lady Bellaston However it must be said in defense wandering through a pastoral paradise but once he
of Tom that he accepted money from lady Bellaston finds and loses true love, he needs to defeat not only
only when he was desperately in need of it end that he stormy nature, but thieves, pickpockets, crooked
th
did not in reality realize at the time that It was lawyers and the 18 century equivalent of political
particularly disgraceful to accept money in this way. extremists as he battles his way back into his beloved
arms. And the books happy ending which Coleridge
Nor do any of Tom’s sexual lapses reflect in any way praised as part of “one of three most perfect plots
on the purity and depth of his love for Sophia. It is his ever planned,” depends as much on a purloined legal
love for Sophia that ennobles him and redeem in his document as it does upon the secret of a noble birth
character. It is an ideal love, a love for which he is
ready to sacrifice everything even his life itself. He REFERENCES:
loves her, even when he is physically unfaithful to her
it is full of her and is unutterably hers even when he is  Paulson, Ronald. Satire and The Novel in the
guilty of folly and indiscretion. To have her in his arms Eighteenth Century. New haven ;Yale university
is the greatest happiness on earth for him and her press, 1967
displeasure the greatest punishment.
 Watt, Ian The Rise of the Novel, Studies in
The other aspect of the novel is that Tom Jones is built Defoe, Richardson and Fielding . Berkeley: university
on the picaresque model. It has a strong element of a of California press, 1957
picaresque. Its hero, Tom Jones is a foundling he is an
illegitimate child with no parents to look after him.  Margaret Drabble ed. (1985). The oxford
Through he is not a rogue, is in no way wicked at heart companion to English literature, Oxford university
but he is imprudent and reckless and he is therefore, pres
involved in a number of misadventures and
vicissitudes as he passes through various scenes,
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meets with various incidents and comes in contact with

a great variety of characters.

Amrit Lal
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 Tom Jones as a Picaresque Novel

 Hiran Kumar Banerji Henry fielding, Playwright

Journalist and Master of Art of Fiction Blackwell. 1929.

 Simon Varey. Henry fielding London:

Cambridge university press. 1986.

 Walter Allen. The English novel Middlesex.

Penguin Books ltd. 1958.

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Amrit Lal