Henry Fielding, who is unequalled by any of his contemporaries as a novelist of contemporary manners, was born in 1707. Though he had written many plays and won reputation, he realized that they hadn’t given him proper scope for his own literary gifts. ‘Joseph Andrews’ the very first novel of Henry Fielding is a Parody of Samuel Richardson’s Pamela, a great sensational success of that time. Fielding created Andrews as an imaginary brother of Pamela. If Richardson’s characters were virtuous, Fielding simply painted their manners. As Fielding was a realist, his novels gave the most powerful and artistic expression of the social conscience of his age. That is why he is considered as the Father of the Realistic novel in English. The novel is picaresque in nature as it deals with the adventures of Joseph Andrews. However, Fielding calls his novel as ‘Cosmic epic in prose’.
At the age of ten Joseph Andrews the son of Gaffer Andrews and the brother of Pamela who was famous for her female virtue, entered the house of Sir Thomas Booby and began to work as an apprentice. As he became an accomplished horseman later, Lady Booby made him her foot man. Parson Adams, a curate met Joseph and was greatly impressed by his knowledge of the scripture. Lady Booby was very much attracted by the handsome figure of Joseph. She took him even along with her other servants for the seasonal visit to London. After the sudden death of her husband, Lady Booby attempted to seduce him, but failed. Forty five year old Mrs. Slip Slop, Lady Booby’s servant maid too tried to seduce him. As Joseph loved Fanny, he was not easily trapped by any of them. He wrote about the misfortune that his beauty brought him to his sister Pamela. However, he was determined to preserve his virtue and chastity. Enraged at the unapproachable chastity of Joseph, Lady Booby dismissed him.
Then Joseph set out on a journey to Lady Booby’s country estate, instead of his parents, with the hope of meeting his beloved Fanny. On the way Joseph was attacked by thieves, beaten robbed and stripped and was left dying in a ditch. However, a Postillion gave his coat to cover his naked body and with the help of the passengers of the coach took him to Dragon, an inn that was run by Mr. and Mrs. Tow-wouse. Though his wife objected, Mr. Tow-wouse decided to give him refuge there. However, Parson Adams, who was on his way to London to sell his sermons, identified Joseph. As he had forgotten to bring sermons with him, he decided to return with Joseph. On their way as Parson failed to pay the hostler for his horse’s board, they were separated. But with the help of Mrs. Slipslop, they united. When Mrs. Slipslop and Joseph went by coach, Parson Adams walked on foot. On hearing the scream of a woman, he rushed to the spot and rescued a woman from her attacker. But, when a group of young bird-hunters came that way, the attacker accused the Parson and the girl of robbing him. When they were presented in front of the Justice of peace, Parson Adams discovered that the girl was Fanny, who was looking for Joseph. As Parson Adams was recognized by a local squire, he was set free. However, Adams found Joseph from the song he heard nearby. Thus, all the three who wanted to meet, met. When Joseph persuaded Fanny to consent to marriage, Parson advised them to wait until the publication of the banns.
The three travelers, on their way met the Squire of False promises and finally reached the house of Mr. Wilson. He helped them a lot, by providing them lodging, food and even offered a gold coin. He also said in between about his lost son, who was stolen by gypsies when he was three years old. Then they met a squire, who later sent his men to attack them. Having tied Joseph and Adams on the bed post, they abducted Fanny. However they were encountered on the way by Lady Booby’s steward Peter Pounce and Fanny was saved. They were actually coming a few hours ahead of Lady Booby on her homeward journey. At last, they all reached the country seat of Lady Booby. At church the banns of marriage for Joseph and Fanny was announced. Lady Booby threatened Adams to stop the marriage. But Adams didn’t obey. Any how she succeeded in getting Joseph and Fanny persecuted on made-up charges. Unexpectedly the timely arrival of Squire Booby and Pamela saved them.
Though Squire Booby tried to dissuade his brother-in-law Joseph from his marrying the poor Fanny, Joseph didn’t agree. Lady Booby, who tried her maximum in every possible way to stop the marriage, engaged Beau Didapper to rape Fanny but that also failed. Then a peddler appeared and informed them that Fanny, who was stolen by gypsies, when she was a child, was actually the sister of Joseph and Pamela. When Pamela’s parents were brought to reveal the truth, Mrs. Andrews said that her little girl was stolen, but a boy, who was Joseph, was replaced in her stead. As all these happened when her husband was in army, she didn’t tell her husband and raised Joseph as their son. Then Mr. Wilson arrived and by means of the strawberry mark discovered that Joseph was his son. Joseph and Fanny were married by the new curate Parson Adams and lived happily. Squire Booby decided to give one hundred and thirty pounds a year to Parson Adams. Lady Booby returned to London and found a young captain and began to forget Joseph. Thus, Fielding brings a happy conclusion to his novel.
One of the themes of Joseph Andrews is the contrast between town and country. When the town represents the sophisticated modern life, the country represents simplicity and innocence. The other themes are said to be Christianity and clothing and nakedness. Actually the centre of interest of the novel doesn’t lie in the love affair of Joseph and Fanny but in the adventures of Parson Adams and Joseph. The story of the novel modeled on Cervantes’ ‘Don Quixote’. Though it is a picaresque novel, in it both the adventures and characters are quite important. The characterization in this novel is excellent. There is a large variety of characters and they are all clearly distinguished from one another. Though he was not a Psychologist and a novelist of the stream of consciousness, he portrays both the inside and outside of his characters amazingly. They are actually the true representatives of the eighteenth century society. However we feel that Fielding knows everything there is to know about his characters even though he doesn’t tell us all. Similarly behind every simple statement of Fielding, we feel the force of a deep and varied experience of life. That is how Henry fielding becomes an unequalled novelist of contemporary manners, among his contemporaries.
----Thulasidharan V
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