История литературы / 22. Henry Fielding

It was Fielding (1707 – 1754) who created a whole panorama of contemporary life. People belonging to different societies show how these societies come to operate, and all this takes place in his novels. It was Fielding who was used by W. M. Thackeray as a sample. Fielding was born in Somerset Shire, and thus he was a true Englishman. His father was an officer and he took part in Malborough Wars and rose to be a general. The boy grew up in a prosperous family. At first he went to Eatan to study law, then he went to Scotland to go on studying law, but at that time his father failed to find means to support him, and at the age of 20 Fielding returned to London and began to write for the stage. Fielding has written a few different comedies and other things. Then the success of Richardson’s “Pamela” tempted Fielding to parody it – “Joseph Andrews” (a story of a virtuous footman, who equally resisted an attempt of his mistress to seduce him). It was only in the beginning of a comedy that Fielding tries to parody. Richardson was displeased with Fielding, but Fielding just used “Pamela” as a starter. Fielding’s novel developed and became a masterpiece. Fielding stopped poking pun at “Pamela”, because his genius didn’t allow him to remain in the narrow limits of parody. We understand this story becomes a most amusing description of men and manners, chiefly of low life that can be found in the country and in the stables. “Joseph Andrews” has a lot in common with Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales”, Fielding uses the same device (travelling along the road of Britain). The author created a panorama of life of different strata of the society. Fielding was able to combine this panoramic vision with an episode. One of the instruments of his vivid presentation was a very peculiar irony, almost as intense as Swift’s, but less bitter, sometimes similar to Shakespeare’s. After publishing “Joseph Andrews” Fielding experienced times of trouble, his means were exhausted and he lost his beloved wife. Then he built another novel “Tom Jones” that was far more elaborated. “Tom Jones, a foundling” (comprises 18 books) is Fielding’s masterpiece; it’s the bulkiest book in English literature. (2 masterpieces of such length – “Clarissa” and “Tom Jones”. The novel contains little that is pathetic. But on the contrary, it contains much that is vulgar and low. Actually, it is an epic poem in prose. The book has been condemned as a vicious production at fairly regular intervals ever since it was first published.From the very start we see the craft of Fielding to give proper names (Tom Jones – one of many, represents the whole country, and this is enhanced by the addition “a foundling”). Fielding stresses the point that the situation was quite common. Tom Jones is a common fellow, very much sincere and honest. He is able to stand against misfortunes, because he was unable to tell lies and to deceive people. He is good, his intentions are good, but it’s not always that he can resist temptation (esp. with women, he is unable to say “no” to a lady). Not only Tom Jones possesses a telling name in the novel. Tom’s benefactor is Squire Alworthy, He is very much worthy, sincere and honest. Squire Western is also a telling name (at that time everything that was connected to the west was considered to be wild, without any manners). So he was a wild man with wild temperament. Tom Jones was given a beloved, Sophia (wisdom). It was chosen on purpose to balance Tom’s ability to get into trouble. One more thing that makes the novel bulky: every chapter is preceded by a special address to the readers. Fielding comes to the proscenium & addresses the reader directly. Fielding thinks of a feedback. This direct appeal to the reader is Fielding’s innovation. The appeal is even greater because Fielding is very eloquent and his manner is ironic. In “Tom Jones” Fielding has taken an ordinary man with the morals and manners of his age. At the same time this man was absolutely sincere and he really admired virtue in all its representations. After the whole number of Tom’s youthful escapades, blunders and misfortunes Tom is united to his beloved Sophia Western. Moreover, at the end of the novel Tom’s unknown parentage is discovered. He happens to be the son of Squire Alworthy’s sister, Bliffil’s treachery comes to light and when Sophia forgives Tom his infidelities, all ends happily. Tom is good, open-hearted and kind, but not wise. And throughout the whole novel we watch him paying for his follies. The novel is an artfully constructed and nicely proportioned drama. There is hardly a character or an incident which is not strictly adjusted to the development of the story up to the end. Each of the 18 books is prefaced by a chapter in which Fielding speaks directly to the audience (copied from the addressers of the Chorus in the Greek tragedy). In this chapters Fielding discusses his characters and sometimes he deals with more general topics and ideas. E.g. Book X. “Reader, it is impossible we should know what sort of Person thou will be. For perhaps thou may’st be as learned in Human Nature as Shakespeare himself was, and perhaps thou may’st be no wiser than some of his Editors”. Book IV. “Yes it’s possible, my Friend, that thou have seen all these without being able to form an exact idea of Sophia, for she did not exactly resemble any of them. She was most like the Picture of Lady Ranelagh…”When Fielding directs his reader in his introductory chapters, he is very much sincere and he doesn’t preach any moral. These introductory chapters give Fielding an opportunity to express himself without ruining the sequence of events. Here he also behaves as Chaucer, because he tries to be very much detailed. His second aim was to give the reader an ironic attitude to what is being said. His third aim was to represent himself as a good interlocutor for the reader. His 4^th aim, probably the main one, was to give his reader the panoramic vision. First and foremost, he introduces England – a land of strict rules, which are issued by the monarchy. These rules have to be observed, but not everyone knows these rules, because in the majority of cases these rules are distorted by the local administration, and Fielding shows that. Moreover, his novel is about the legal system of Britain, about the ways people live, about the layers of society. It is also a book about countryside and the city of London.