Reflection of 18th century England in Tom Jones

           

  Assignment

                 

      Neo - Classical literature  

Smt. S. B. Gardi English Department Bhavnagar

Topic : Reflection of 18th century England in Tom Jones :

  " That's the thing about books,they let you travel without moving your feet"

                        - Jhumpa lahiri

That's a true about books. Because when we read a book then and then we realized this feeling. If we read any books about any country or any place, then we mentally visit that place and to know about that place like we really visit that country. Without moving one step we travel a lot.

In Tom Jones also we find that same feelings because this novel is reflected that time's England. At every point we find that reflection of England in the novel Tom Jones. This novel is written in 1745 and published in the time period 1749 both in England. This novel is considered as epic comic romance. 

This novel through we got information about 18th century's social structure, political movement, education, the role of women and what is the thinking of people.

About author : Henry fielding ( 1707- 1754)

Henry fielding was famous novelist , dramatist and magistrate. In his writing he was vigorous, hilarious, direct and coarse to the point of vulgarity. Generally he tells a story of vagabond life, he did not write for the sake of moralising but he writes simply because it interests him. And also his concern is :

" To laugh men out of their follies"

So in his work we find that reality of the world whether that is pleasant or unpleasant. Let's discuss about his novel :

Shamela (1741)

Joseph Anderson (1742)

Jonathan wild The history of Tom Jones, a foundling (1749)

A Journey from this world to the next (1749)

Amelia (1751)

  The History of Tom Jones: a foundling : 

Henry fielding considered the father of the English novel. No one writer who writes that all the things that needed in perfect novel. Some of the characteristics he takes from his predecessor but that is more beautifully designed by fielding. So we can say that Henry Fielding gave to a novel higher, larger and deeper rang. In this Tom Jones we find that deliberate and full expression at one place and in one significance and make their proper use in one  significance and also make their proper use in his writing.

Reflection of 18th century in Tom Jones:

Tom Jones : Mirror of the society 

Tom Jones is the mirror of its age because this novel through we get information about that particular time period and many great event that occurs in that time. That through we can say that Tom Jones is a lively novel.

Henry Fielding  was not like other writer who takes the story from Classical history , Christian mythology, epic, Bible etc. But fielding took a story from quite connally situation occurs in that age. In Tom Jones we find that reflection of English society. Here fielding create a realistic society of that time. He doesn't reflect only the good things of society but he also reflects middle class family and his problems. Most of the characters in this novel that belongs to middle class. Like the protagonist himself belongs to middle class family.

Fielding showed live situation in his work for example  this novel not only the pious side of the middle class but it also exposes the corruption amongst then and their attitude towards other classes in the society. In this context we find one example in this novel that is the character of Jenny Jones ,she belongs to lower cast that's why the people's thinking is different for her. In Tom Jones  presents society and situation as it was in that time. In portraying of character we can't see that exaggerate at any angle of literary possibilities of exaggeration.

In society ( type of man )	In Novel ( type of character )
More virtuous characteristics	Squire Allworthy
Vicious personality	Blifil
Reckless and selfless youngster roans in society	Tom Jones
Lovely lady, do not have rights, suppressed by others	Sophia western
Poor people , morally down by others	Molly, Black George
Morally weak person of society with greedy nature	Master Blifil. Dr. Blifil

This chart through we understand that this kind of people in the 18th century not only this kind of but this only example that type of many more characteristics we find that here.

 Social development and background :

The first half of eighteen  century is remarkable for the rapid development  in England. Schools , clubs and coffee houses increased. In Tom Jones we find that all the things and many more things like :

The life of town

The InnThe country estate

On the road

Fielding's Tom Jones is written in the time period of 1745. That is the time when social development is going on. The place of Inn is much less orderly than the estate. Here we find that the horrible line between rich and poor gets blurry and people of  different classes come together to gossip very freely. That showed the picture or eighteenth century's society.

For example the scene in the novel which is taking place in the drawing rooms of grandiose London homes always make some sly commentary as to the vanity and materialism of the character. Tom's traveling of England is the opportunity for him to describe the London and its factors. 

Woman's role in society :

In Tom Jones we find that many women characters that though he was discussed women's role in England.

Here is the heroine of the play that is Sophia, she is a beautiful young lady. Her character through feilding portrait as weak position of woman. Here the writer portrait two kinds of women like :

Higher class women

   - Bridget Allworthy,

         - Lady bellaston,

         - Arabella Hant.L

Lowerclass women

Jenny Jones

Mr. Partridge

Mrs. Miller

Both types of women's nature here we find that.  Bridget Allworthy who take her own son on bad without think for him. That is the satire on higher class women who do not think morally. The character of Lady Bellaston is selfish, disrespectful, unfeeling person. She is an independent woman. In society women's position is also play a vital role,for example Jenny Jones who is the servant and that's why the child is her that thing think by other people. This all characters through we find that what is the situation of women in the eighteenth century.

 Education :

Before the 18th century in England, schools were only offered to rich males eventually a poor classes or woman. But in the eighteenth century the term of public school has emerged. But there is one problem that the religious people who don't go to the public school but they choose their academic institution.

In Tom Jones we find that the education system of England. The character of Tom and Blifil schooling day is showing us an education system of England. How teachers taught to students that all the things we find here. So here we also find that the women characters also get an education. 

 Major issues with class system and mindset of people :

In Tom Jones we find that class hierarchy. That is the reflection of the eighteenth century. The family of Squire Allworthy have great estate and the family of Seagrim, living practically naked from poverty. Fielding like to discuss about lower class people and than the aristocrat and city life of people. That's the appropriate subject matter. In which fielding criticized the hypocrisy and deceptiveness of city. In Tom Jones Feilding express that  countryside is morally healthier than the city life and upper class people. Thus class issue is very clearly described in Tom Jones. The character of Mr. Blifil, who is very arrogant and hypocrite about his belonging to the upper class and who are greedy for more wealth. Most of the time feilding very ridiculous and suggesting their fault and foolishness and argue against these class based presumptions. The upper class people who supposedly imbued with superior character .can be so very wrong.

We can say that he try to make satire on upper class people but the last sentence of the novel changed the whole ideas because Tom also belongs to the upper class and the last we find that he was in way superior character. So at conclude fielding's view that Tom is good heart yarn also superior, ultimately he talks about upper class people that is my personal views. In the character of Jenny Jones ,she is a servant belongs to lower class that's why people think that the orphan child  is her. So here no one who doubt on bridge Allworthy, because she belongs to the upper class. So in eighteenth century's society and mindset of people reflects here in the novel Tom Jones.

To conclude :

Thus, in the novel Tom Jones we find that the reflection of the eighteenth century. Fielding deals with the reality of the age and also expressed the contemporary problems. He spread satire on upper class people and their manners. In Tom Jones presents society as it was ,it does not exaggeration.