Tom Jones Summary

Introduction

One of the oldest English novels, Tom Jones, was immediately successful upon release in 1749. The book relates the tale of Tom, a foundling, and his ascent to adulthood and marriage. This journey is complicated, as one could anticipate: Tom develops feelings for the neighbor's daughter, learns that the nasty Master Blifil is his competition for her affection, and, after several mishaps, gets kicked out of Mr Allworthy's home.

He meets a colorful array of people along the way, including bandits, soldiers, gipsies, and dishonest lawyers?the last of which may be an oblique reference to Fielding's legal career.

However, Tom Jones is more than just its plot. The story is frequently highlighted with a bawdy irony that prompted Samuel Johnson to remark that he "scarcely knew the more corrupt work." The book is written using a mock-epic fashion in which Tom's experiences parallel those of the champions of Classical mythology. Several later authors have been influenced by Fielding, most notably the renowned 19th-century novels Charles Dickens as well as William Makepeace Thackeray.

About The Author

On April 22, 1707, Henry Fielding was born close to Glastonbury. Writing a parody of Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded, a book by Samuel Richardson that is frequently recognized as the initial modern English novel, Fielding launched his literary career as a novelist in 1741. In 1749, Fielding released the biography of Tom Jones, a Foundling.

Even if some of its early critics mocked and misunderstood his comic masterwork, it was a huge success at the time. Samuel Richardson criticized it as having a "very bad tendency" to "whiten an evil personality, and to make his morality bend to his practices," and one newspaper called it a "motley history of bastardism, fornication, & adultery."

As time went on, the novel received recognition for its intricate sarcasm and plot structure and was acknowledged as a piece whose primary concerns were moral. Tom Jones has primarily been praised for his role in making the novel a reputable literary genre.

Amelia, a more sombre album, came two years after Tom Jones. Fielding suffered from acute gout, asthma, dropsy, or oedema (heart disease), which contributed to his ill health the most. To improve his health under the southern sun, he travelled to Portugal in August 1754. He chronicled his experience in the Journal of a Voyage to Lisbon. On October 8, 1754, while on the expedition, he passed away and was laid to rest in Lisbon's British Cemetery.

Theme Of the Book

Many barriers are attempted to be broken in Fielding's book. Fielding struggles to categorize his book as either a "philosophical History," a "Romance," or an "epi-comic prosaic poem." Nevertheless, Fielding discreetly implies through these confused speculations that collecting fiction is pointless and that he would like to conceive of oneself as "the founder of a new Province of Writing."

Fielding's characters are unable to be separated by "masculine" or "feminine" features in this novel, breaking yet another stereotype. Both men and women appear in it. Fielding compares the idea of virtue as advocated by figures like Square & Thwackum against the virtue that Jones and Allworthy exhibit. The epitome of Fielding's highly active style of virtue is embodied by Tom, the hero who fights for his nation and rescues women in need. struggle and sob.

Summary of Tom Jones Novel

After returning from a trip to London, the eminent countryside nobleman Allworthy, who resides in Somersetshire alongside his single sister Bridget Allworthy, finds a baby boy in his bed. Allworthy investigates both parents of this foundling and finds Jenny Jones, a local, as well as her instructor, Mr Partridge, to be responsible. Jenny is sent out of the county by Allworthy, and the destitute Partridge departs on his initiative. Allworthy chooses to raise the boy despite the parish's condemnation. A short while later, Bridget weds Captain Blifil, a guest at Allworthy's home, and has a son she names Blifil.

Captain Blifil has jealous feelings for Tom Jones because he wants his kid to be the one who inherits all of Allworthy's belongings. Captain Blifil dies of apoplexy while contemplating financial concerns.

Twelve years are skipped by the narrator. Tom Jones and Blifil were raised together, yet they are treated very differently from the other family members. The sole individual who consistently demonstrates an affection for Tom is Allworthy. The boys' instructors, the philosopher Square and the reverend Thwackum hate Tom and love Blifil since Tom is a wild child and Blifil is a devout person.

To help maintain the family of Black George, one of Allworthy's servants, Tom frequently takes apples and ducks. Tom laughs and consumes wine while doing so. Tom responds to Blifil calling him a "bastard" by striking him. After promising Sophia he would be faithful forever, Tom meets Molly by coincidence and renders love to her.

Mrs. Western, Sophia's aunt who she grew up spending a lot of time, stays over at her brother's home. Despite their ongoing disagreements, Mrs. Western's scheme to wed Sophia to Blifil brings her and the Squire together.

As long as Sophia agrees to accept Blifil as a suitor, Mrs. Western agrees not to divulge Sophia's affection for Tom. Thus, Blifil starts courting Sophia. He boasts about his efforts so much that Allworthy assumes Sophia must be in love with him.

However, Sophia is adamantly opposed to the idea, and Squire Western becomes aggressive in response. Blifil accuses Tom of being a rascal who frolicked around the home while inebriated, and Allworthy exiles Tom through the county. Tom realizes he must take the righteous way even though he is reluctant to leave Sophia.

Tom starts exploring the countryside. He meets Partridge by chance in Bristol, and Partridge ends up being his devoted servant. In addition, Tom saves Mrs. Water from being robbed; afterwards, they start dating in a nearby inn.

When Sophia, who has fled Squire Western's property to avoid getting married to Blifil, arrives at this inn, she learns that Tom is seeing Mrs. Waters. To let Tom know she has been there, she left her muff in his bed. Tom is in a hurry to find Sophia when he discovers the muff. Both Fitzpatrick, an Irishman, and Western, a British man, arrive at the inn looking for their respective partners.

Together alongside their cousin Harriet, who happens to be Fitzpatrick's wife, Sophia travels to London. Sophia resides with her female relative Lady Bellaston in London. Shortly after, Tom and Partridge fly into London and stay at the home of Mrs. Miller & her two daughters; one of them is Nancy.

The house also has a young man named Nightingale living there, and Tom soon realizes that he & Nancy are in love. When Nancy becomes pregnant, Tom persuades Nightingale to wed her. Tom and Lady Bellaston start dating, while Tom secretly still wants Sophia. Tom ends his connection with Lady Bellaston once he & Sophia are reunited by presenting her with an engagement offer that drives her away. Lady Bellaston, however, is adamant that Sophia and Tom's romance not develop. She urges Lord Fellamar, another young guy, to rape Sophia.

Soon later, Sophia is imprisoned in her chamber by Squire Western, who also brings Mrs Western, Blifil, & Allworthy to London. Mr Fitzpatrick starts a duel with Tom because he believes Tom to be his wife's lover. Tom gets imprisoned after stabbing Fitzpatrick using his sword in self-defense. When Partridge visits Tom in prison, he horrifyingly informs him that Jenny Jones, Tom's mother, is Mrs. Waters. In a meeting with Allworthy, Mrs. Waters informs him that Fitzpatrick remains alive and has acknowledged starting the fight. She further discloses to Allworthy that a legal representative working on behalf of an unidentified man attempted to convince her to plot against Tom. Allworthy chooses to never speak to Blifil again after realizing that he is exactly this kind of gentleman. But Tom feels sorry for Blifil and gives him an annuity.

Mrs Waters also discloses that Bridget Allworthy was Tom's mother. Square writes to Allworthy to let him know that Tom behaved honorably and compassionately throughout Allworthy's illness.

As nephew and uncle, Tom with Allworthy is reunited after Tom's release from prison. Sophia is satiated when Mrs. Miller tells her the rationale for Tom's proposal of marriage to Lady Bellaston. Given that Tom was Allworthy's successor, Squire Western is keen to support Tom and Sophia's union. Despite reprimanding Tom over his lack of personal chastity, Sophia decides to wed him. They have two kids and live contentedly on Western land, showing love and generosity to everyone they encounter.

Conclusion

Everyone finds out after Tom Jones that Tom is the brother of Mr Allworthy. He marries Sophia Western and becomes Mr Allworthy's heir. The complicated narrative of Tom Jones primarily centres on the story of Tom, a foster kid who grows up on a wealthy country estate.

Tom develops feelings for his neighbor but realizes that his lack of money and social standing prevents him from proposing to her. Tom travels the countryside while his brother plots to have him evicted and stripped of his inheritance until his adopted father?who turned out to be his uncle?discovers the scheme. In a happy ending, Tom marries Sophia, his next-door neighbor.