PLOT, MAJOR FEMALE CHARACTERS & REALISM IN
Henry fielding was an English novelist and dramatist. He was known for his humorous and satirical works. He was well known for his picaresque novel the history of Tom Jones, a foundling .but often people say only Tom Jones.
- PLOT :-
Mr. Allworthy finds a new
born baby boy in bed when comes back after a journey. He was thoughtful about who
are his parents. Jenny Jones was a servant in his house. He accuses jenny and a
tutor Mr. Partridge guilty. Allworthy sends jenny away from country and Mr.
Partridge also finds his way out from there because staying there with that
accusation was not that easy for him too.
Allworthy decided to raise the boy. His sister Bridget marries captain
Blifil and they named him Blifil. After this the narrator skips twelve years.
And now tom and Blifil are brought up younger.
Because no one knows who actually is tom’s parents no one is much closer
to him but Mr. allworthy is the only one who always shows love and cares about
him. Tom has parents but not the real one so he grows up and becomes wild;
where Blifil has consistence love from his parents thus he is pious and
obedient. Tom spends much time with squire western who is Allworthy’s neighbor
because squire western is impressed with tom’s sportsmanship. Sophia western,
daughter of squire western falls deeply in love with tom. But tom has already
affection on Molly Seagrims.
Molly becomes pregnant; tom prevents Allworthy from sending Molly to
prison by admitting that tom is the father of the child. But his words for
molly collapsed when he came to know about many of molly’s affairs. Mr.allworthy
falls gravely ill. He reads out his will inherit most of his estate. Dowling
arrives and gives the news that Bridget Allworthy is dead. Mrs.
Western the aunt with whom Sophia spent much of her youth comes to stay at the
brother’s houses. She and the squire fight constantly but they unite over Mrs.
Western’s plan to Marry Sophia to Blifil. Blifil thus beings with courtship of
Sophia. Sophia however, strongly opposes the proposal. Blifil tells Allworthy
that Tom is a rascal who drunkenly about the house and Allworthy banishes Tom
from the county.
Tom love
Sophia so much so he does not want to leave her but he thinks about his noble work. He roams around the countryside. Mr.
Partridge who was gone off because of Allworthy becomes his loyal servant. Tom
rescues Mrs. Waters from being robbed and thus the affair between them
started. Sophia who ran away from squire westerns
estate to avoid the marriage with blifil. She comes to know about tom’s affair
with Mrs. waters and left her handkerchief at their bed. Tom saw the
handkerchief and knew that Sophia was there. Sophia stays with her lady relative Lady
Bellaston. Tom and Partridge stay in the house of Mrs. Miller and her
daughters. A young gentle man calls Mr. Nightingale also in habits the house
and Tom soon realizes that he and Nancy are in love. Nancy falls pregnant
and Tom convinces Nightingale to marry her Lady Bellaston and Tom begins an
affair, although Tom privately continues to pursue Sophia. When he and Sophia
are reconciled Tom breaks off the relationship with Lady Bellaston by sending
her marriage proposal that scares her away. Lady bellaston tells Fellamar to
rape Sophia. Mr.Flitzpatrick has a doubt on his wife and toms affair. So, that
they started dual. Tom kills Fitzpatrick and was imprisoned. Mrs. western Allworthy
explains that Fitzpatrick is not dead. Allworthy realizes Blifil is this very
gentlemen and he decides never to speak to him again. Mrs. Waters also reveal
that Tom’s mother was Bridget Allworthy. Mrs. Miller explains to Sophia the
reasons for Tom’s marriage proposal to Lady Bellaston and Sophia is satisfied.
Now that Tom is Allworthy’s heir. Squire Western eagerly encourages the
marriage between Tom and Sophia. Sophia chastises Tom for his lack of chastity,
but agrees to marry him. They live happily in the end.
- Major Female character in tom jones
1 MRS.BRIDGET ALLWORTHY BLIFIL:-
Bridget Allworth is sister of Squire Allworth, wife of Captain John Blifil and
mother of master Blifil and Tom Jones. At the end of the novel, the truth is
revealed that she is the real mother of Tom Jones. Life and History of Tom
Jones depends on Mrs. Bridget. We see that she is a poor victim of the society. Tom’s
father is shown dead in the novel. He is removed from the novel, so the mother
is blamed. All the things come on Mrs. Bridget. Bridget alone handles the
situation. Men are flaccid by character but the women are given blame for every
bad situation.
“Women are the victim of the
interior colonization.”
2 SOPHIA WESTERN:-
Sophia Western is the Heroine of the
novel. She is the only daughter of Mr. Squire Western and in deep love with Tom
Jones. Sophia is the model of virtue, beauty and all good qualities. Sophia is
an archetype of character. It is said that Sophia’s characterization is
reflection of Fielding’s first wife. Her dedication for love shows that though
obedient, but she is independent to make her decisions. When forced to marry
Blifil, Sophia runs away from her house.
Women are not given equal rights. Sophia has qualities like Beauty,
youth, sprightliness, innocence, modesty and tenderness, while Tom is Handsome
but a flaccid character. Sophia portrays a typical women character.
2.) 3
JENNY JONES OR MRS.WATERS:-
Jenny Jones is the Partridge’s and Allworthy’s servant. She is a very
intelligent woman who is used by Mrs. Bridget to deflect suspicions on Tom
Jones maternity from her. Mr.Allworthy the so-called noble and kind man,
without knowing whether she is the real mother or not, sends her away from the
estate. Why jenny is not given the chance to explain herself? She is poor so
she is blamed. The lower class people are always looked upon as immoral by the
high class people. Jenny Jones is a virtuous lady, but the society spoils her
virtue. What is the advantage to being honest? If you are lower class the
society then your honesty will have no value. Later on jenny
reappears as “Mrs. Waters” at Upton, where Tom saves her from a robbery and
takes her at the inn to protect. It is said that she seduced Tom at the
inn. In the novel, it is not clear
whether she was married to Mr. Waters or not. She was living a virtuous life,
but she was blamed for something she had not done. She is living her life
differently throughout the novel. She has broken the shackles of the society,
so she is called “A Fallen Woman”. In a way, she is happy in her life. Even Tom
has many affairs, but Jenny being women is more accused.
4
LADY BELLASTON:-
Lady Bellaston is aunt of Sophia Western and
a leading figure in London society. She loves Tom Jones. She doesn’t want to
marry tom she just wants him as a lover so tome plays a game with her he sent
her a proposal for marriage and as tom expected she rejected and broke their
relationship. She becomes angry and sends Fellamar to rape Sophia. This shows
her mind condition.
5 MOLLY SEAGRIM:-
Molly is Tom's first love. Molly is the daughter of Black George the
gamekeeper, and famous in the area for her attractiveness. But the narrator
notes that there is something about her that "would at least have become a
man as well as a woman”. Molly is "bold and forward”, rather than modest
and shy. In other words, Molly is the absolute opposite of Sophia Western: Molly
is rough and even masculine. Where Sophia is chaste and careful in her
interactions with men, Molly has at least three sexual partners that we know
of: Tom, Mr. Square, and Will Barnes. And of course, the biggest difference is
that Molly gets pregnant outside of marriage.
She is always been cheated by the male characters. Will Barnes left her alone.
It is also said that she is a bad character. Fielding deliberately portrays
other characters in a bad light. We find exploitation of women in Tom Jones.
- Realism in Tom Jones :-
- Realism: - An attempt to make art and literature resemble life.
- Realistic: - Painters and writers take their subjects from the world around them instead of from idealized subjects, such as figures in mythology or folklore and try to represent them in a lifelike manner.
Tom is a
protagonist of the novel. Tom Jones is a belonging to middle class family. Tom
Jones; grows up to be a brave and handsome man. Tom is a anti-traditional man
Tom Jones as a realistic novel. The characteristics of "Tom Jones"
realism excavated from the social environment, the story, people object shaped
like typical character of shaping this the novel's realism factor.
- CHARACTERS:-
Realist writer will figure into the social environment to make the characters more plump and real. On one hand, the characterization as a reference to real life, the protagonist of the novel Tom integrity warm, tolerant. Hesitate to endure the punishment: to help the black George impunity endure whips and abusive after Zhou Ji, the life of his family to sell the beloved pony to help complete strangers unwed daughter of the innkeeper Nancy retrieve lover, establish happy family; magnanimous forgiveness sanctimonious, scheming Buli Fei, and for him to plead to the Mr. Orr Chinese Sui, also secretly donated his annuit Fielding hesitate ink Tom origin lowly poor children molded into a far more noble than those of the upper crust much positive character, make him radiate integrity and courage, honesty and enthusiasm light. A woman if lost chastity was considered to be a fallen woman. Lord Fellamar was persuaded into the belief that it would be easy for him to marry Sophia, a virtue as woman after having rated her. Women like Mrs. Waters, Lady Bellaston, Mrs. Honor, Mrs. Western, and Mrs. Deborah are characterized as if they are real characters.
- Vices & virtues:-
Fielding’s presentation of the values of
virtue and vice. They are demonstrated on the comparison of the characters of
Tom Jones and his antagonist Blifil, and on the contrast in the nature of
Squires Allworthy and Western.
Tom and Blifil were brought up in the
same house and educated by the same teacher, these young gentlemen of almost
the same age differed in two important things – social status and temper. Whereas
Blifil was a legitimate descendant of Squire Allworthy, and thus the honored
expectant heir of the estate, Tom Jones was only a foster-child with an
uncertain origin and doubtful future, which forced him to fight for the respect
of other people. As far as the temperament is concerned, Blifil “was, indeed a
lad of remarkable disposition; sober, discreet, and pious beyond his age; qualities
which gained him the love of everyone who knew him,” later in the story the
finds out a contrariety in the judgment on the two young gentlemen and reveals
that despite the denouncement of Tom Jones by authorities, Tom gained a great
popularity and respect in the community for his good turns and kindness. Thus,
the characters of Tom and Blifil illustrate that in one person, there is always
something good as well as something evil. Also, as the two characters are
presented so close to each other in the book, their differences are even more
prominent, and it is inevitable for a reader to contrast them and judge them in
the light of each other, the same as Good is always judged as the contrast to
Evil. The portrayal of Tom and Blifil, Fielding is touches of
the virtue and vice.
- Mirror of society:-
Hennery’s countryside life is narrow
world. People are found gossiping here. Here, we find prude Mrs. Deborah
Wilkins, shrew Mr. Partridge, champion Mrs. Western conquer Molly Seagrim,
poverty, vanity, affection, malice, intrigue as they do in big cities. The
novel thus shows real people of society of villagers in England in Henry’s
time.
- The City life of London:-
Man of hill shows the condition of London dwellers before Tom reaches there. The life of London’s is degenerated. Lady Bellaston, Lord Fellamar, nigh tangle are all city breed. They have no virtues. They lead immoral life fielding also tells us that despite entertainments, the life is dull and monotonous.
- Educational Institutes:-
Tom and Blifil are not exposed to public school as squire Allworthy believed them to be corrupted. It show how healthy people of society engaged private tutors for their children or words. The treatment of doctors and lawyers are shown in different cases. Doctor told that Allworthy would die but he didn’t during illness. Later on lawyer is shown corrupt. Fielding here depicts corrupt people of society that was reality.
- Politics:-
In 1745 army was really sent northwards to combat the rebels. It in Tom who wanted to join the army. Again when Sophia was at an inn. She is mistaken for Prince Charlie’s mistress. The above incidents give political scenario of Fielding’s age.
- Religion:-
The incident where Molly Seagrim wearing Sophia’s beautiful dress goes to Church and being slowly starts quarrel refers to the pompous people going to Church who were not real followers of Christ. They were not interested in preaching but mongering.
- Nature of Human Being:-
That is not to say that his characters are simple minded or boring on any account; conversely, they can be quite interesting to observe.
Tom Jones, the protagonist, is rather human.tom
sometimes errs, but is essentially good. By the age of fourteen, he had been
convicted of robbing an orchard, stealing a duck, and pick pocketing Master
Blifil. Undeniably, his impulsive and affectionate nature gets him involved in
many of his problems. But, at the same time, tom’s actions are basically
governed by benevolence and generosity. He robbed the orchard and stole the
duck to help the impoverished gamekeeper, Black George. And the “highwayman”
aroused kindness from Tom; instead of resorting to justice, he even gave him
all his money when he found that the robber had a starving wife and children at
home. As a mirror of life, Fielding’s Tom Jones is written to tell the truth
about the hero, as revealed by the author in a passage below: As we determined,
when we first sat down to write this history, to flatter no men, but to guide
our pen throughout by the directions of truth, we are obliged to bring our hero
on the stage in a much more disadvantage manner. Blifil is a character of
totally different nature from that of Tom Jones, however. Blifil, a
hypocritical villain, is a practical manager of his own interest, and the
reader’s disgust is accordingly aroused.
Sophia, a virtuous girl, is one
of the most impressive Artifice of Moral Teaching in Fielding’s Tom Jones . Her
character is revealed thoroughly when she, with her commitment to Tom, resisted
the marriage to Blifil. She said, “I am determined to leave my father’s house
this very night”
. It
seems that Squire Western is perhaps the most striking of the characters. He
loves nothing but bottle, is coarse in his language, and a man of uncontrolled
passion, who is often dominated by his emotions. This way we find very
different nature of human being in novel.
- Social Satire on Realism:-
·
Definition of satire…..
‘‘Satire is a genre of literature, and sometimes graphic and performing arts, in
Which vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally
with the intent of shaming individuals, corporations, government or society
itself, into improvement. Although satire is usually means to be humorous, its
greater purpose is often constructive social criticism, using wit as s weapon
and as a tool to draw attention to both particular and wider issues in
society’’.
Satire is a start of an 18th century.
Tom is a traveling in the hero. Tom all of journey to travels and become to
symbolic of experience of life itself.
Because tom is a lower cast of the
man. Society is a not expected of the hero of tom Jones. Satire is favorite way
of demanding reform without being directly offensive. It is having a foolish
man call a king tedious but allowing such a blunder because of his character on
stage. Tom Jones is a belonging to middle class family. They journey is a
politic and social. Tom’s society is does not expected a man because they are
lower cast of the people. It is a struggler man and they all life a
suffering on a way. Writer is a satire of Tom’s journey. It is a journey are a
not good but they life a very enjoy. Tom is a no idea of a birth place.
Tom journey is a social, political and
realism. In 1745 army was really sent northwards to combat the rebels. It in
Tom who wanted to join the army. Again when Sophia was at an inn. She is
mistaken for prince Charlie’s mistress. The above incidents give political
scenario of Fielding’s age. Political satire in prose and versa.
Political satire is a Sophia character.
Squire Western is a like of Tom. She
is a very beautiful girl. There are upper classes of the man. Tom’s girl friend
is a squire and Tom love a real. There are a religious of a satire because Tom
or Squire Cast is a different. They are a satire movement of tom. She is a upper
class people or Tom is a lower cast of a people. They are not important of a
cast but love is a most important in her life.
They are a very
beautiful satire of a writing .Fielding is very simple or
unexpected of satire on cast-system in society.
References :-
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