LectureNotesHenryFielding
英国文学 Henry Fielding
third-person narration with an omniscient point of view, enabling the author to make comments on the characters and events of the novel
Text B
This is an unusual chapter of a novel. In fact, Fielding includes, at the beginning of every book of this novel, one chapter like this where he does not continue to tell the events of the story, but instead, expresses his views of writing. How do you evaluate this way of narration? In this chapter Fielding discusses the writing of a novel. What should an author know about and write about, according to Fielding? Can we say this chapter justifies Fielding’s title of “father of the realistic novel”?
“To say the truth, I require no more than that a man should have some little knowledge of the subject on which he treats, [. . .]” “I am apt to conceive, that one reason why many English writers have totally failed in describing the manners of upper life, may possibly be, that in reality they know nothing of it. ” “In short, imitation here will not do the business. The picture must be after Nature herself. ”
Henry Fielding
Journal & Newspaper
The True Patriot (1745) 真正的爱国者》 《真正的爱国者》（Journal） ） The Jacobite's Journal (1747) 《詹姆斯二世党人报》（Newspaper） 詹姆斯二世党人报》 ） The Covent Garden Journal（1752） （ ） 修道院花园杂志》 《修道院花园杂志》（Journal） ）
Features
Fielding’s method of relating a story is telling the story directly by the author. Satire abounds everywhere in his novels. Fielding believed in the educational function of novels. The object of his novels is to present a faithful picture of life, while sound teaching is woven into their very texture.
Theme
The novel shows the conflict between goodheartedness and wickedness as well as deceitfulness. The author condemns the hypocrites of the “civilized” world and praises the simple and good-hearted people. His opinion on the standard of morality goes against those of his time.
11Henry Fielding
Writer’s Background (I)
• He later came to have his own Little Theatre. His plays were mostly comedies and farces filled with political and social satire, the butt being mainly the government and some government officials, particularly the Prime Minister Walpole. • As a playwright, he was applauded by the public but hated by the government. His theatrical career came to an end in 1737 when the political censorship of the Licensing Act went into effect. • In 1748, he was appointed Justice of the Peace for Westminster and then Middlesex, a position that brought him little income but much renown , for he served as an honest, upright and efficient magistrate.
Characteristics of Tom Jones
• Tom, a national hero, with manly virtues • Honest, wanting prudence and full of animal spirits • In a way , the young man stands for a wayfaring Everyman, who is expelled from the paradise and has to go through hard experience to gain a knowledge of himself and finally to approach perfectness.
英美文学导论-Chapter 3 Henry Fielding
Literary Term
F. Most of his characters are compounded of both observation and imagination, of both experience and invention. Fielding insisted on the crucial importance of mixing with people and of personal experience.
C. Fielding believed in the educational function of the novel. The object of his novels is to present a faithful picture of life, while sound teaching is woven into their very texture.
4. Amelia 《爱米莉娅》，1751.
III. Fielding's Important Position in English Literature
Fielding is the founder of English realistic novels. He set up the theory of realism in literary creation. The exact observation and study of the real life was the basis of his work. He gave us genuine pictures of men and women of his own age.
3.
The History of Tom Jones, Foundling 《汤姆· 琼斯》，1749.
7 henry fielding
Novel of Incidents
• Novel of Incidents mainly reveals the actions of the characters or events, not the characters. The plots are loose but flowing. The novel focuses on the funny and adventurous events. 揭示人物或事件 的动作。情节松散但流畅。注重有趣的和 冒险的事件。如，Robinson Crusoe《鲁宾 逊· 克鲁索漂流记》
(2) Richardson and Pamela: 理查森和帕梅拉 an epistle[i„pisl] novel书信体
(3) The most outstanding character:
• The most outstanding character is Parson 牧师 Adams亚当斯. He is poor, honest old parson. He is high-minded, simplehearted and ardently热心的 devoted to ideals. He is ready to help the weak and the oppressed. He is a man extraordinary 非凡的knowledge, but he is very forgetful 疏忽，健忘.
III. Some Features of Fielding’s Novels
• (1) Lighter打火机 kind of satire: Humorous satire, which is meant to be instructive and corrective教育性的，矫正的. (2) Grim冷酷的 satire: which is used to lash 冲击讽刺 the cardinal 主要的evils of the corrupt 腐败的ruling classes.
Henry Fielding and His Realistic Novel------
Henry Fielding and His Realistic Novel------The History of Tom Jones, a FoundingBy 08-11-30 Sun LijuanAbstract: Realism occupies a very important position in English literature, especially in the eighteenth century. It is used to identify English novels, mainly because this kind of novels that universally reflect real life, describe ordinary people and express true feelings. These novels are different from the novels of embryonic state in the sixteenth or seventeenth century. Through studying the realistic characteristics of The History of Tom Jones, a Founding, which written by the England distinguished novelist Henry Fielding in the eighteenth century, his realism concepts and writing skills can be found from social environment, plot and typical characters. In both theory and practice, Fielding establishes once and for all the form of the English novel. He has held a unique position in the history of English literature by being called the” Founder of the E nglish realistic novel”.Key words: Tom Jones; Realism; Typical characters.IntroductionⅠ. The Author’s IntroductionHenry Fielding (1707-1754) was born in an old aristocratic family. His great grandfather was an earl, his grandfather was chaplain to King William Ⅲ,and his father was a colonel, while on his mother’s side he belonged to the class of prosperous country gentlemen. He was sent to Eton for his early education. In 1728, when he was twenty-one, he had his first play produced in London, “Love in Several Masques”, a comedy of manners in imitation of Congreve which was not a success. In the same year he went to study at the University of Leyden in Holland, where he remained for a year and a half, but in 1729 his father discontinued the necessary financial support and he returned to London and had to make a living for himself. He plunged into a playwright’s career and in the next seven years, from 1730 to 1737, he composed and adapted no fewer than 25 plays of different types and varying lengths, of which three were produced later while twenty-two were staged during those years. Most of these plays were either farce in the form of ballad-operas, but the more important dramas of Fielding’s belonged to the types of burlesques. In 1736, he bought the Little Theatre in Haymarket with a friend and in that year and the next he could easily produce his plays with his own theatrical troupe in his own theatre. But his later satires,especially “Pasqual” and “The History Register for the Year 1736”, were such op en attacks on the government of Robert Walpole ,and then, upon the dramatist’s open defiance at the warning, to the passing of The Licensing Act in parliament in May 1737. Fielding had to give up his beloved drama career and change to study law. He always kept an optimistic spirit. Because overworking year by year, he had a poor health. He died in October 1754.Ⅱ. Brief Introduction of “Tom Jones”The story in the novel begins with the surprising appearance of the founding Tom Jones as a new-born baby in the bed of an old childless widower Squire Allworthy. The squire has a sister Bridget who has married and given birth to a son Young Blifil, and then she and her husband have both died and left the care of the child to Allworthy. So Tom and Blifil are brought up together on the Allworthy estate, and soon they are both attracted to the young daughter Sophia of a neighboring landlord Squire Western. The girl prefers Tom who loves her without any ulterior motives while Blifil who wishes to marry her because she is an heiress offends her. Then the hypocritical and egoistic Blifil plays a trick to uproot his uncle A llworthy’s affection for Tom Jones and to make the squire dismiss the foundling from his home. Squire Western tries to force his daughter Sophia to marry Blifil who is now the presumptive heir to the Allworthy estate, but she, in love with Tom, rebels against her father’s orders by running away from home, accompanied by her maid-servant Mrs. Honor Blackmore. Tom then embarks upon a series of adventures at a number of roadside inns while on his way to London. During these adventures, he encounters Patridge, who is now traveling the country as a barber-surgeon. He unwittingly sleeps with Jenny Jones, and Jenny Jones reveals that Tom’s mother was really Bridget Allworthy. Meanwhile, Bridget has confessed all to her brother on her deathbed. In London, Tom becomes the lover of Lady Bellaston, a much older, wealthy woman, and is arrested and imprisoned after a fight. Blifil arranges that the gang shall give evidence against Tom, but, with the help of a long letter from Squire to Allworthy, Blifil’s duplicity is rev ealed. Tom is cleared of changes. Tom realizes the error of his youthful ways, promising to always behave morally from now on. Blifil is disinherited, Tom now revealed as Allworthy’s nephew, becomes his heir, and he gets engaged to his beloved Sophia.Ⅲ. Realism FactorsIn the 18th century, there are two compelling phenomenon in English literature: one is the popularity of the classical; another is the formal formation of novel as a literary form. Both are benefit to the development of realism. In this period, many writers focus onreflecting the reality of people in daily life, emphatically describing heroic deeds and lofty sentiment of common people, thus develop the realistic spirit. Fielding, Richardson, Sterne and Smollet are the four realism novel masters among which Fielding is the most standing novelist in the 18th century.The History of Tom Jones, a Founding,generally considered Fielding’s masterpiece, bring its author the name of the “Prose Homer”. According to study the realism characteristics of “Tom Jones” from the social environment, plot, typical characters etc, and realistic factors can be found easily.⑴Reappearance of the social environmentRealistic novel has strong reality. According to describe characters, environment and events, the author reappears the social situation, economic environment, class distinctions etc. Thus make the readers have a comprehensive understanding about contemporary social life.The novel contains 18 books in 3 parts:The first part (one to six volumes): this part tells the life in the countryside. Squires hold a lot of land and farm and live a wealthy life. While the poor who are in the bottom lives a hard life. Theologians and philosophers attaches to the squires.The second part (seven to twelve volumes): this part tells the life on the high way. Tom embarks upon a serious of adventures at a number of roadside inns on his way to London. Many characters (soldiers, hooligans, tramps, quacks, etc) take turns coming on stage, forming a gallery of characters which is a feast for the eyes. It vividly portrayed the life of each social stratum.The third part (thirteen to eighteen volumes): this part tells the life in London. The aristocratic characters take turns coming to the stage, presenting a picture of cruelty, moral degeneracy, deceit and hypocrisy. In this part, Fielding focuses on exposing the upper class decadent lifestyle.⑵Typical charactersIn order to create typical characters, Realistic writers put the typical characters in a certain social environment, making the characters more real. On the one hand, realistic writers make the real life as a reference, so that the typical characters are described more vivid; on another hand, the writers make images of the typical characters more closelyconnect with social environment.In this novel, Tom is an honest, generous man. He helps George avoid punishment and give alms to George’s family by selling his beloved horse. In addition, he helps Nancy of the innkeeper’s daughter retrieve her lover. What’s more, To m forgives Blifil and persuades Allworthy to give Blifil some money every year. However, the fundamentally good person like Tom, can be morally flawed and lead him into various love affairs. These shortcomings are not undoubtedly erased, but his actions ju st highlight the writer’s intention------human nature is a combination of good and bad.⑶The twisty storylinesRealism novels are always full of twisty storyline. Generally speaking, the protagonist’s experience is the main line. Besides the main line, there are many subordinate lines. Both of them are overlapped. In addition, the main plot and secondary plots are involved many conflicts. The conflicts link together completely.The development of the novel has two main lines: ①the secret of Tom Jones’s identity;②the setback of love between Tom and Sophia. Besides the mainlines, there are two subordinate lines: ①the contrast between Tom and Blifil；②the dubious relationship between Tom and several woman.The mystery of Tom’s identity is throughout the whole story. The story begin with Tom suddenly appeared in Allworthy’s bed, and Tom’s identity is revealed in the end. The readers are so curious about Tom’s identity from beginning to end. Many times, they mistakenly think that they have known the mystery of Tom’s identity. At the same time, the development of love between Tom and Sophia is full of ups and downs. It makes readers worry about the two lovers. When the two main lines develop, the another two subordinate lines are inserted. They all promote the development of the plots and the contradiction. Four clues result in the twisty storyline of the novel. The twisty storylines draw readers’ strong attentions.⑷Vivid images of the charactersRealism novels emphasize to show all aspects of characters in social life. The novelists focus on the variety of characters in different social levels instead of a single legendary hero. In “Tom Jones”, the vast view it provides of the 18th century English country and city life with scores of different places and a whole gallery of about 40 characters is superb. Thecharacters call for comparison even with those of the great classics. Tom, the typical unheroic hero, the school-turned-barber Patridge that bring back the image of Sancho Panza; Sophia, a heroine in the tradition of Shakespeare’s remarkable heroines, and a crowd of innkeepers, landladies, servants, soldiers, clergymen and beggars who make up an entertaining, living society, are unforgettable.Ⅳ. ConclusionIn terms of literature, Fielding is the first theorist of modern English novel. Form the very beginning: he is trying a new form of writing, with its burlesque in both style and diction of the classic epic, a “comic epic”, as he puts in Joseph Andrews. By resorting to the older traditional form, he tires to give a realistic interpretation of the contemporary life of the common people with thei r diverse personalities and interests, to present “just copies of human manners”, and to offer “lectures of conduct and introductions into life”. With his well-laid foundation in classical literature, his experience with theatre and journals and his muti-c olored social experience, he is able to achieve his goal, most successfully in “Tom Jones”. He thinks that human nature is a combination of good and bad. In both theory and practice, Fielding’s realism concepts and writing skills can be found from social e nvironment, plot and typical characters. “Tom Jones” is the most famous realistic novel in the eighteenth century.References:[1] Zhang Boxiang. A Course Book of English Literature[M]. Wuhan: Wuhan University Press, 2006.[2] Wu Jingrong, Liu Yiqing.Eighteenth-century English literary history [M]. Beijing: Foreign Languages Teaching and Research Press, 2O00.[3] Yao Huiliu, Wang Xiang. From the Inn to see eighteenth-century British society thousand. Foreign Literature Studies, 2007.。
英国文学---菲尔丁fielding
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Sophia the beautiful, virtuous , intelligent and idealized woman in Fielding’s mind represents the young women of the day with sufficient courage and independence to defy the sinister world
Tom Jones brings Fielding the name the “Prose Homer.” -It presents a panoramic picture of the 18th century English country and city life with scores of different places and a whole gallery of about 40 characters. - “comic epic in prose.”
characters
Tom - an honorable, frank and warm-hearted, tolerant young man, - sometimes be very reckless and commit rather serious errors, particularly in his relations with women, - always ready to help others and never tries to harm anybody for his own benefit. - Embodiment of natural morality advocated by Fielding
ห้องสมุดไป่ตู้heme
Henry-Fielding-亨利·菲尔丁解析
2021/1/29
1
Life Experience
Drama-theatre-newspaper-law-novel
Novels
Joseph Andrews (1742))
《约瑟夫安德鲁斯》
Jonathan Wild the Great (1743)
《大伟人乔纳森维尔德》
Tom Jones (1749)
2021/1/29
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some 4A0nalysi charactsers
good-naturenterested(无私的) imprudence(轻率的)
villain, selfish, malicious, hypocritical
Mr. Allworthy Tom Jones
《汤姆琼斯》
Amelia (1751)
《阿米莉亚》
Plays
The Welsh Opera (1731)
《威尔斯歌剧》
Don Quixote in England (1734)
《堂吉诃德在英国》
Pasqin (1736)
《巴斯昆》
The Historical Register for the Year
B. The story gives a panoramic view of the 18th century English life with scores of different places and a whole gallery of characters. Fielding attacked social injustice, hypocrisy, vice and corruption in the government and defended the rights and dignity of the poor and the unfortunate.
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Part III The Seventeenth & Eighteenth CenturyThe Seventeenth-Century Literature? The seventeenth century: a period of English Revolution and Restoration- Literature - very much concerned with the tremendous social upheavals* John Milton (1608-1674) 约翰·弥尔顿* The greatest English revolutionary poet of the 17th century* Poems* Paradise Lost 《失乐园》(1667): his masterpiece* A long poem in 12 books* The greatest epic in English literature* Paradise Regained《复乐园》(1671)* Samson Agonistes《力士参孙》(1671)The Eighteenth-Century LiteratureThe Enlightenment 启蒙主义运动? An intellectual movement in Europe began in the late 17th and 18th centuries, and ended with the French Revolution of 1789- Originated in France, represented by Montesquieu (孟德斯鸠), Voltaire (伏尔泰) , Diderot (狄德罗), Rousseau (卢梭)- An expression of struggle of bourgeoisie against Feudalism? Beliefs- An abiding faith in human reason? France - reason used as a weapon to denounce the feudal class and to enlighten the people? England - reason used as a tool for bourgeoisie to consolidate its rule- The motto of the age should be "Dare to know."-- Kant (康德), a German philosopher? Eighteen century - Age of Reason 理性时代* Literature* The Decay of Drama* The Licensing Act of 1737 (1737年《戏剧审查法案》)* The Rise of Fiction* The mainstream of 18th century literature* The rise and growth of realistic novel - the most prominent achievement of 18th-century English literature* Representatives* Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) 丹尼尔·笛福* Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) 乔纳森·斯威夫特* Henry Fielding (1707-1754) 亨利·菲尔丁Daniel Defoe 丹尼尔·笛福* Literary achievements* Robinson Crusoe (1719) 《鲁宾逊漂流记》* Defoe's masterpiece* The first English novel in a real sense* The first English realistic novelJonathan Swift 乔纳森·斯威夫特* A master of satire* Literary Achievements* The Battle of Books 《书籍之战》* A Tale of a Tub《一个桶子的故事》* Gulliver's Travels《格列佛游记》* One of the greatest satirical works of world literatureHenry Fielding (1707-1754) 亨利·菲尔丁I. Life and Career1. Family background and education2. Writing career3. His marriage4. His political career5. DeathII. Literary Achievements* As a playwright* 26 plays in 9 years* Mostly comedies, burlesques, dramatic satires* The Historical Register for the Year 1736 《1736年历史记实》* The Licensing Act (May, 1737)* As a novelist* Joseph Andrews 《约瑟夫·安德鲁斯》* Jonathan Wild The Great 《大伟人江奈生·魏尔德传》* Tom Jones, a Foundling《弃儿汤姆·琼斯》: his masterpiece, showing the whole life of 18th century England as he saw it* Amelia《阿米利亚》* Features of Fielding's Novels* Third-person narrationMethods of relating a story* Epistolary novel-in the form of a series of letters 书信体小说* Goethe's Werther 歌德《少年维特的烦恼》* First-person narration* The story may be put in the mouth of the principal character* Defoe & Swift's novels* Third-person narration* The story is told directly by the author* The narrator / author is omniscient* Fielding's novel* Satire: humorous satire / grim satire* The educational function of the novel* Style: easy, unlabored and familiar, but extremely vivid and vigorousIII. Literary Position* The father of English novel* The real founder of the English realistic novel - setting up the theory of realism in literary creationRealism* Realism is a mode of writing that gives the impression of recording or "reflecting" faithfully an actual way of life.* Establishing once for all the form of the modern novel* "Fielding, driven out of the trade of Moliere and Aristophanes, took to that of Cervantes; and since then the English novel has been one of the glories of literature, whilst the English drama has been its disgrace.-- George Bernard Shaw萧伯纳JOSEPH ANDREWS* Fielding's first novel* A parody (satirical imitation) of Samuel Richardson's Pamela (Virtue Rewarded)《帕米拉》／《贞节得报》StoryI. Lady Booby's attempted assault upon Joseph's "virtue"II. Joseph's journey from London to a village where lives his sweetheart Fanny GoodwillIII. Hindrances to the happy marriage of Joseph and Fanny and the final solutionChapter XII1. Who does Joseph meet on his way to see Fanny?2. How much money do the ruffians get from Joseph and what do they do later?3. What passes by when Joseph comes to himself?4. How many people are there in the stage-coach? And who are they?5. What are their respective reactions to Joseph's beg?6. What are their respective attitudes towards giving a greatcoat to Joseph?7. What does the robbery of the coach further reveal about the characters of the passengers?8. Where do they arrive finally?9. What were the different attitudes of the coachman, servant-maid, and the surgeon towards Joseph?10. Why does Fielding use great details to depict the different attitudes and behaviors of thesepeople?The respective reactionsThe postillion: sympathetic, kind-hearted, helpfulThe coachman: time and money are more important than Joseph's life, snobbish, selfishThe lady: her own dignity or decency is more important, selfish, priggish, hypocritical, cruel-heartedThe old gentleman (the man of wit): his time and own safety are more important, selfish, vulgar, cruelThe young lawyer: agrees to save Joseph for his own sake, selfish, cowardiceThe two gentlemen: mean & selfishThe servant-maid: helpful, sympathetic, kind-heartedThe surgeon: cold-hearted, unsympathetic, snobbishThe aim of characterizationFielding creates characters of different social positions in order to make use of contrast to satirize the upper-middle-class rich people and to praise the poor laboring people.1。