6. TOM JONES

TOM JONES: HENRY FIELDING

The setting of the novel is late eighteenth century England. ‘Tom Jones’, Fielding's comic masterpiece, came out in 1749. While in the beginning, the reader sees rich estates in the English Somersetshire countryside, in later parts the narrative carries forth in little towns and inns enroute to London. A great part of the story is set in the fashionable part of London. Reading this novel would give the reader an adequate understanding of not only orthodox England of that period, but also of the fops, gallants and rich ladies for whom amorous pursuits were a way of life. The story in main is about upper class and rich English and thus naturally, the setting too represents this adequately. Much of the action unfolds against the backdrop of the 1745 Jacobite rebellion. While historical upheavals such as a crucial war are mentioned in the course of the story, they do not form the main stay of the narrative. The story unfolds in familiar surroundings of everyday life - countryside estates, inns, fashionable London drawing rooms, boarding houses, travelling roads etc.
Tom Jones
Undoubtedly the chief protagonist; the book itself is named after him. He is abandoned as a baby but adopted by Squire Allworthy a compassionate widower. Tom is a good human being but is inclined to having many affairs with women, though his main love remains Sophia.
Sophia Western
She is Squire Western's daughter and a charming beautiful young woman. She loves Tom Jones even while he remains a roving, reckless fellow. When she is forced by her father to marry Blifil she leaves her house to find Tom Jones. But many misunderstandings arise between them, before they are finally united. While she is extremely feminine, she also possesses a strong, noble spirit.
Blifil
He is the antithesis of Tom Jones. Blifil is Mrs. Bridget's son and is a convincing, wicked fellow. He manipulates to get Tom Jones banished and he wishes to marry Sophia, solely for her estate. He is exposed at the end for what he really is. But at the beginning of the novel he fools many into believing that he is an upright, virtuous fellow.
(Squire Allworthy, Lady Bridget, Partridge, Squire Western, Lady Western, Mrs. Fitzpatrick, Lady Bellaston, Jenny Jones, Mrs. Waters)
PLOT (Structure)
The ‘History of Tom Jones, A Foundling’ was enthusiastically received by the general public, if not by Richardson, Dr. Johnson and other literary figures. The introductory chapters that preface each of the novel's 18 books cultivate the reader in a way that was then unprecedented in English fiction and the tangled comedies of coincidence are offset by the neat, architectonic structure of the story.
The kindly, prosperous Mr Allworthy finds a baby boy on his bed and adopts the mysterious child, naming it Tom Jones. Tom begins a life of bawdy adventure. Allworthy suspects that Jenny Jones, a maid-servant to the wife of the schoolmaster Partridge, is the mother, but Jenny leaves with Partridge the neighbourhood. Allworthy's sister Bridget marries Captain Blifil and their mean-spirited son and Blifil are raised together. A devilish, good-looking young man, Tom has a way with women, but loves only one; young Sophia Western, the daughter of a neighboring landowner. A rivalry over the attention of Sophia Western arises between Jones and Blifil. Because of an affair with the gamekeeper's daughter Molly Seagrim, and because of Blifil's treachery, Tom is expelled from the house. Tom's attempts to woo Sophia and the many adventures that befall him from forest sword fights to bedroom romps all lead in one direction: to London. He has an affair with Lady Bellaston, nearly kills his opponent in a duel, and is imprisoned. The duel with a jealous husband lands him in prison waiting to be hanged.
Meanwhile, Sophia is in London to escape the marriage with Blifil. Jenny Jones reveals that Bridget is the mother of Tom, and Blifil's cruelties to Tom over the years are revealed. While Blifil is severely reprimanded, Tom marries Sophia, who forgives him for his infidelities. Tom also reunites with Squire Allworthy and becomes his heir.
A reader might wonder whether there is unity in a novel in which so much keeps happening and at such a fast pace. But, a glance at the disposition of the separate books of the novel will show the contribution of each to the overall action. The spreading complications, with their multiple intricate knottings, until their final unraveling exhibit an underlying unity. One of the unifying factors is the pursuit motif. Tom is turned out of doors, and Sophia follows him; she catches up with him in the inn at Upton, and then the pursuit reverses its character. From Upton it is Tom who pursues Sophia; meanwhile, Squire Western has set out in pursuit of his daughter; and finally Squire Allworthy and Blifil must go to London in pursuit of the Westerns. The scenes at Upton occur at the center of the story, and it is here that we again pick up Partridge and Jenny Jones, Tom's reputed father and mother. Both of them had been implicated in the initial circumstances of the action and both of them are necessary for the final complications and the reversal. It is at Upton also that the set of London characters first begin to appear, with Mrs. Fitzpatrick and her husband as its representatives. From the central scenes at Upton Inn, the novel pivots around itself. There have been six books of country life, in the center are six books of life on the highways, and the final six books are concerned with life in London. It is at Upton Inn, in the mathematical mid point of the story, that country and city come together. The initial pursuit motif, beginning at the end of book Six, finishes its arabesque at the end of book 12, again with nice mathematical balance, when Tom reaches London and is enabled to meet Sophia. Now it will be Blifil who is in pursuit of Sophia, so that eventually everyone will wind up in London for the denouement. The pursuit motif is, then, not only a provision for comic situation, but, as the immediate dynamics of action, is integral to the plot development.
Fielding was a writer for the theater before he was a novelist, and one of the strongest impressions that the reader gets from 'Tom Jones' is that of dramatic handling of scene and act: the sharp silhouetting of characters and their grouping in such a manner as to avoid any confusions, even in so populous a drama.
Tom Jones (1749) is rightly regarded as Fielding's greatest work, and one of the first and most influential of English novels. At the center of one of the most ingenious plots in English fiction stands a hero whose actions were, in 1749, as shocking as they are funny today.


THEMES
a) Contrasts in varieties of life.
Tom Jones is characterized by a systematic organization of contrasts. One attitude is played off against the other and one way of life is contrasted with the other. There is a constant detail of contrast in the character relationships, scene relationships and even verbal relationships. By this novel, the full and direct artistic impact of son Quixote is felt. Just as Cervantes Fielding uses the 'point of views' of the omniscient author. His world is populous and extensive in its spatial design. One character alone does not demand attention, the author's own humorous irony is itself one of the materials of the novel. In the 'head-chapters' a contrast is provided between intelligence focused 'on' the human situation he has created and the intelligence of the characters within the created situation.
Tom Jones, the central character is contrasted with Blifil. The wicked Blifil, is indeed Tom’s ‘opposite’ and the chief pause of his sorrows. Blifil provides the chief character contrast in the book. For while the curve of tragedy is spun from within the tragic protagonist, produced out of his own passions and frailties; the curve of comedy is spun socially and gregariously as the common product of men in society. Out of the gregarious action in Tom Jones, the conflict between hero and villain is propelled to a resolution.
In the end, the rogue who appeared to be a good man is exposed in his true nature as rogue, and the good man, who appeared to be a rogue is revealed in his true good nature. Other similar exposures of other characters happen towards the end.
The major contrast in Tom Jones - the novel is the conflict between natural, instinctive feeling and those appearances with which people disguise deny or inhibit natural feeling - intellectual theories, rigid moral dogmas, economic conveniences doctrines of social responsibility. This is the broad thematic contrast in Tom Jones. Form and instinctive feeling engage in constant eruptive combat. The battlefield is between with debris of ripped masks. It is shown in many occasions in Tom Jones that the animal or instinctive party of man is denied. Instead, a more formal appearance is adopted. The damaging uses of intelligence in human nature are depicted - in wicked Blifil's calculative shrewdness in Black George's rationalization for keeping Tom's money, in the absurd intellectual formulas, elaborated by Thwackum and Square. The disparaging effects can also, be seen in Allworthy's high minded ethics and in Tom's own idealism. In the other hand of intellectualized thoughts are the instinctive responses that are Tom's. Tom yields formidably and frequently to instinct, and in so doing, he exhibits the 'naturalness, and therefore the rightness of instinct as constituent of the personality. Thus, he corrects the overemphasis on formal appearances which we see in other characters. But at the same time, Tom Jones shows a remarkable absence of that useful social sense which we call desertion a lack of which is damaging certainly to himself and a cause of confusion to others. It is the incongruity between what a man might 'naturally' be and what he makes of himself by adopting a formulary appearance or mark, that gives ' human nature ' its variety and funniness and treacherousness.
Apart from the major contracts in characters, there are also prevalent many minor contrasts between what appearances are and what reality is. While Miss Brid get is the real mother of Blifil, this fact is hidden bill the very end. She is able to self righteously condemn the sexual indulgences of the lower classes, and at the same time preserve the fruit of her own indulgence. But finally we learn about the contrast between her appearance and her reality.

b) Human Nature
Fielding insisted that his theme was 'human nature' and he exposes it in the various conflicts in the novel. Broadly, human nature refers to a mixture of animal instinct and human intellect. But at many occasions in the book its meaning tips to one side: tending to lean heavily toward 'animal instinct'. This is also because the animal and instinctive part of man is so frequently disguised or denied by the adoption of formal appearance. Instinctive drives are emphasized by the author as being an important, constituent of 'human nature'. Also, displayed in the narrative are the curious, sometimes beneficial, sometimes damaging uses of intelligence. Blifil’s nature is inherently bad - an inheritance from a tenderly hypothetical mother and a brutally hypocritical father.
Nature in Tom, on the other hand, seems to be congenitally good though he had the same mother as Blifil and a father on whom we cannot speculate at all, as he is not described. Human nature - presented in the book is a balanced mixture of instinctive drives and feelings and intellectual predilections. It is not instinctive feeling alone; it is the human tendency to revert instinct by intellection. It may be altogether bad or altogether good. And, the ideal human nature would be a happy collaboration of instinct as well as intellect. It would mean neither the suppression of instinct by intellect nor a suppression of intellect by instinct. Tom himself is the apt representative of human nature though he has to learn with difficulty the appropriate balance between instinct and intellect. Tom yields frequently to instinct and in doing so exhibits the 'naturalness and therefore 'rightness' of instinct as a constituent of the personality. But, he also shows a remarkable absence of the useful social sense which we call discretion, a lack of which is damaging certainly to himself and a cause of confusion for others. On the other hand he also no fool - his proposal to Sophia at the end of the book, is conched in civilized, exquisite language. On the whole 'human nature' in Tom, in all its intricacies and difficulties and mistakes, is a splendid thing. It is fine and splendid because it is undisguised. It is unpretentious, unlike the pretentiousness of other characters. Nature is not fine and splendid but indecent and embracing when a man adopts a mask for appearance's sake and allows it to warp instinct. It is the incongruity between what a man might 'naturally' be and what he makes of himself by adopting a mark that gives human nature its variety funniness and breatherousnes. The indecency of 'nature' when it has been going around in a mask and the mask is suddenly ripped off is illustrated grossly when philosopher Square is exposed in bed with Molly. Square's mask of deistic theory corrupts his instinctive nature into the narrow channel of 'lust'.
Henry Fielding also represents 'human nature' beautifully in a variety of other minor characters - Molly Seagrim, Black George, Squire Allworthy, Bridget Allworthy, Jenny Jones and Partridge. In the process Fielding creates characters that represent a wide variety of human beings and their many emotions.
c) Pursuit motif
There is a unity of design in the many little incidents of the novel. One of the unifying factors is the pursuit motif. Tom is turned out of doors, Sophia follows him. She catches up with him in the inn at Upton but now the pursuit is reversed. From Upton it is Tom who pursues Sophia. Meanwhile Squire Western, has set out in pursuit of his daughter, and finally Square Allworthy and Blifil must go to London in pursuit of the Western and the scenes at Upton occur at the center of the story and it is here that we again pick up Partridge and Jenny Jones. It is at Upton also that the set of London characters first begins to appear with Mrs. Fitzpatrick and her husband as its representatives. Fitzpatrick is pursuing his wife. From the central scenes at Upton Inn; the novel pivots proud itself.
It is at Upton Inn, in the mathematical mid point of the story that, country and city - come together. The initial pursuit motif, beginning at the end of Book Sin, finishes its arabesque at the end of Book Eight again with nice mathematical balance when Tom reaches London and is enabled to meet Sophia. Now, it is Blifil who persues Sophia, so that eventually everyone winds up in London for the demovement. Fielding manages to gather many pursuing and pursued people together, in the proper places and at the proper times for intricate involvement and complicated infringe. All that can be said is that it must be a small world and that's why Fielding is so readily able to do this. The pursuit motif is, then, not only a provision for comic situation but, as the immediate dynamics of action, is integral to the plot development.
d) Marriage and Female sexuality

Fielding is considered to be the one of pro-woman writer in English fiction. He is not merely a keen observer of reality but also he is one who recognizes and accepts people as they are. If Fielding finds the woman of his day indulging in sexual liberty, he would go critically into the larger phenomenon than say that the specific woman be punished. To Fielding, marriage is a socio-economic alliance between man and woman. Miss Bridget and Blifil, Tom and Sophia are the two examples to be noted. The term socio-economic alliance is a broad one. Actually the conduct code comes into practice in marriage. Under this code particularly the woman loses all identities as a human being-the specific name, the station, the right to decision-making, etc. Fielding has observed that the conduct code of marriage suppresses woman’s spontaneity more than that of a man. However, outside marriage, woman behaves freely to the extent of being aggressive. First, they do not flirt, but actually seduce and take the man straight to bed. Secondly, the philosopher spotted in Molly’s bed by Tom arouses in us a sense of disgust and ridicule. Another version of female sexuality- pleasure giving and natural- is presented through Jenny Jones. Under Fielding’s scheme reciprocity is not witnessed between partners in marriage. Instead wives run away from husbands and husbands are in hot pursuit of them- they have to get back their wives into the marriage mould. Fielding’s approach to the question of true female sexuality is exploratory and highly subtle.
Tom's innocence
This could be considered one of the major Themes of the novel as to the narrative mainly revolves around his protagonists. While Tom may be considered disreputable - he never lays siege to a woman. It is always the women who beleaguer him. Tom's trouble is that he cannot find it in his heart to repulse them: and this because he is fundamentally an idealist about women. He discovers generosity in the woman's overtures, to which if he does not respond he is self-condemned as ungenerous. This does not fit at all with conventional motions of the virtue of chastity, but it is not incongruous with a delicate and sensitive humanity.
He is really an innocent, soul where Joseph Andrews, another of Fielding's characters was only abstractly innocent. Even though he loses some of his boyish ****, he never loses his innocence. Where Molly Seagrim is concerned he entirely fails to see that she is inveigling him. He was incapable of realizing that Molly was a young woman, determined to reduce him. And when he does possess her his reaction is that of a naturally generous soul to generosity. Fielding himself describes Tom as one of those who can never receive any kind of satisfaction from another, without loving the creature to whom that satisfaction is owing and without making its well- being in some sort, necessary to their own ease.
When he meets Mrs. Waters, he is evidently more experienced: he does not delude himself with the motion that he is the aggressor. He is very much aware that the lady is offering herself to him. She too knows very well that the sight of her bosom has lighted a small flame in him and she leaves no stone unturned in fanning this flame. She deliberately refused Tom's offer of his overcoat, when he walked before her to the Upton inn. She also seized every opportunity she could to make him look pack at her. She completed her conquest of him by carelessly letting the handkerchief drop from her neck and unmasking the royal battery. The healthy bodied on really had not much change. Nor, was Mas Waters at all deeply perturbed when she discovered, that Tom's heart was already engaged. Mrs. Waters is shown as good-natured and generous and Tom quite likes Mas Waters, and so do we.
Fielding convinces us that his creation Tom is fundamentally good: and as much as his appetite it is his goodness that leads him into his entanglements. Allworthy as a good man, but he was not Tom's imaginative sympathy, though he comes to recognize and admire it in Tom. Tom's good nature is a natural and effortless goodness, expressing itself as imaginative sympathy with the joys and sorrows of others. His goodness is distinct from the goodness, which is constrained either by religious fears, or by the pursuit of a rationally conceived idea of virtue.
Tom is always grateful to his partners: to Molly and Mrs. Walkers for their physical kindness, and to Lady Bellaston for another sort of generosity. So, Tom is very definitely not one who is susceptible to appetite alone. He has many other emotions too. He is rather a backward lower; it is being desired that makes him desire. And it is characteristic of him that out of a kind of chivalry, he is unjust, to himself when, at the end he reproaches himself to Sophia.
The reproachment is unfair to himself. If there was grossness, which is also disputable, the sexes had fairly shared it in Tom's affairs.
But it was Tom's habit always to take the blame upon himself in everything, and above all where women were concerned good nature is better than goodness - there is not, in all English, fiction, a hero as natural and endearing as Tom Jones - al few heroines more spirited, more feminine and more delightful than Sophia.
It is Tom's quaint innocence that puts him in sticky situations rather than deliberate villainy and lustfulness.
The question of Tom's parentage
The story behind Tomb's birth is a minor theme in the novel. At the very starting of the novel various conjunctures are made as to the identity of Tom's parents. It is concluded by all that Jenny Jones and Partridge are the guilty ones. But as we learn they are not the true parents of Tom. The reality when it is finally exposed leaves every one shocked and reeling. This can be considered as a minor theme of the novel because of two reasons. Firstly, it is a matter and affects impact on the story and affects many concerned. Secondly, it is a question that is carried forth through the novel and is finally answered at the very end. The very existence of the protagonist. Tom Jones depends on who his parents are. It is when we learn who his parents really are, that several things fall in place. It is then that we are able to look back into the pact and understand why particular characters behaved the away they did.



Style

Tom Jones’ style deserves the utmost attention. The novel is largely picaresque and episodic. These characteristics account for much of the style of the novel- a style which is always compounded with more than a leavening of irony and wit. This borrows freely from the mock epic. Irony is largely a technique of misdirection, writing with tongue in cheek, the ironist frequently makes his point by misdirection. So it is with Fielding. His irony is most controlled and yet most keen and savage. When he is most moved, moved to almost uncontrollable grief by the timeless, but ever new, familiar but never understandable, injustice and man’s inhumanity to his fellow. Fielding is intent on going about his business of getting Tom and Sophia together and of reconciling Tom with his uncle. Fielding knows where and when to vary his style, when to jog at a workaday pace, when to heighten through the use of mock heroic style, when to use the device of understatement. The result is superb fusion which shows throughout an organic unity of style. It is unmistakably Fielding’s own style.

(Rishi Kumar Nagar)