HenryFielding(1707-1754)AnintroductiontoFielding:worksTomJonesExcerptsreadingandappreciation1.AnintroductiontoFieldingEducationDuetoaquarrelwithhisfather,hehadtoworkforalivingearlyinlife.Hefirsttriedhisluckatplaywritingandturnedout26playsduring9years(1729-37),andbecamethemostsuccessfulplaywrightofthetime.Hewroteplays,farcesforthestagewithpoliticalandsocialsatire.Fieldingmercilesslyexposedthecorruption,hypocrisyandcrueltyoftheofficials.Hisplayswasapplaudedbythepublicbuthatedbythegovernment.In1737whenthepoliticalcensorshipoftheLicensingActwentintoeffect,histheatricalcareercametoanend.HebegantotakeuplawandwasadmittedtotheBarin1740.Hewasmadeajudgein1748.ThenFieldingbeganhisnovelwritingbyattackingRichardson.In1742hepublishedhisfirstnovelTheHistoryoftheAdventuresofJosephAndrewsThiswasfollowedbyanothernovel,TheLifeofMr.JonathanWildtheGreat.In1749,appearedhismasterpiece,TheHistoryofTomJones,aFoundling,twoyearslater:hislastnovel,Amelia.Inhisnovels,Fieldingcontinuedtoexposeandfightagainstsocialevilsofhistime.Hislateryearsweredevotedtothedutiesasamagistrate.Heworkedveryhard.Hishealthfailed.In1754hediedinLisbon,Portugal.WorksJosephAndrewsThestoryofRichardson’sPamelaThestoryofFielding’sJosephAndrewsThestoryofFielding’sJosephAndrewsJonathanWildTomJonesTomJonesTomJonesTomJonesTomJonesTomJonesAclosereadingoftheexcerptsAclosereadingoftheexcerptsThecharacterofTomJonesThecharacterofTomJonesThecharacterofTomJonesThecharacterofTomJonesThecharacterofTomJonesThemesThestructureofthebooksCharacterizationSophiarepresentstheyoungwomanofthedaywithsufficientcourageandindependencetodefythebadworld.Hercharacterandbehaviorwereratheradvancedforhertime,whenthecompulsorymarriagewasuniversallyprevailing.PartridgeisaJack-of-trades.Heisasimple,good-naturedbutalittlewhimsicalfellow,andaveryfaithfulcompaniontoTom.Thewaysofcharacterization:contrast&dialogueFielding’swritingstyleAnalysis