Ø Prepared by : KAVITABA P.
GOHIL
Ø Roll No : 23
Ø Paper – 2 :
Ø M.A
(English) : Sem
-1
Ø Enrollment
No: 2069108420180018
Ø Batch :
2017-19
Ø Email : kavitabaprahaladsinhjigohil@gmail.com
Ø Submitted to : Smt .S. B Gardi, Department of English,MK Bhavnagar University.
Ø Topic : AMBIGUITY IN TOM JONES
Ø ABSTRACT:
Henry fielding was an English novelist and dramatist, who
contribute mostly in satirical prowess. He is author of the picaresque novel
"TOM JONES". He was a significant magistrate of England. His novel
'THE HISTORY OF TOM JONES, A FOUNDLING' often known just as "Tom Jones”,
is a comic novel; first published on 28-Feb.-1749, London.
The novel is a
'BILDUNGSROMAN' as well as 'PICARESQUE'. ‘Tom Jones’ is greatest work of
fielding and known as very influential English novel. Novel has four editions
and very lengthy; though highly organised by author. This paper deals with the
element of ambiguity in ‘TOM JONES’. Ambiguity is an important element in
fielding’s ‘TOM JONES’, and this paper deals with certain ambiguities of novel.
Specifically, it deals with the ambiguous nature of some characters like: Mr. Allworthy,
Sophia western, Mrs. Waters, Black George and Mr. Western. To understand ‘Tom
Jones’; examination of ambiguity is very important.
§
KEY WORDS: Henry Fielding,
Tom Jones, Ambiguity, Picaresque novel.
Ø
TWO EMBODIMENT'S OF
PRUDENCE
MR. ALLWORTHY
Mr. Allworthy and Sophia Western are famously seen as
serving as good characters of novel 'Tom Jones' and fielding also advocates it .I
would like to reveal that, their roles are really ambiguous .In whole novel Mr.
Allworthy seems to portray as a moral core of novel, specifically fielding portrays
him as the ideal Christian gentleman:
“... there lately ... a
Gentleman whose name was Allworthy, and who
might well be called the Favorite of both Nature and Fortune;
for both of these seem to
have contended which should bless and
enrich him most. In this
Contention, Nature may seem to some to
have come off victorious,
as she bestowed on him many Gifts;
while Fortune had only
one Gift in her Power; but in pouring
forth this, she was so
very profuse, that others perhaps may this
single Endowment to have
been more than equivalent to all the
various Blessings which
he enjoyed from Nature. From the former
of these, he derived an
agreeable Person, a sound Constitution,
a solid Understanding,
and a benevolent Heart; by the- latter,
he was decreed to the
Inheritance of one of the largest Estates
in the County. (I,ii,27)” (Berry)
Writer is very generous with this character; but reality
is something else. Whatever we see or realise sometimes it would not be
reality, same as here ‘seeming and beings’ are quite different.
Narrator goes in deep description of this gentleman and portrays very beautiful
picture of his character; by that Mr. Allworthy not only stands for high
quality human being but also he seems like divine:
"It
was now the Middle of May, and the Morning was remarkably
serene,
when Mr. Allworthy walked forth on the Terrace, where
the
Dawn opened every Minute that lovely Prospect we have before
described
to his Eye. And now having sent forth Streams of Light,
which
ascended to the blue Firmament before him, as Harbingers
preceding
his Pomp, in the full Blaze of his Majesty up rose the
Sun;
than which one Object alone in this lower Creation could
be
more glorious, and that Mr. Allworthy himself presented; a
human
Being replete with Benevolence, meditating in what Manner
he
might render himself most acceptable to his Creator, by doing
most
Good to his Creatures. (I,iv,32)" (Berry)
Is this acceptable? Does Mr. Allworthy more glorious then
SUN? This statement of Fielding is quite more ambiguous. It seems that fielding
tries to portray his character more power full and highly moral than any other.
His description content is also ambiguous. Fielding fails to give clear concept
about Mr. Allworthy.
Whether the "his" in "his Creatures"
refers back to "his Creator” or to "a human Being”? (Berry)
Mr. Allworthy plays various roles like squire, guardian,
justice and good natured man. We are repeatedly told by author about wisdom and
glory of Allworthy, but we know that his many actions have less than good
outcome. Example – His guardianship of his sister is not clear, and it doesn’t
stop her from seducing twice and get pregnant. He was not aware about the
relationship of his sister with his friend, and also not able to prevent her
from unhappy marriage with second seducer. Why Bridget concealed her
relationship with summer, and later with Captain Blifil, from her brother is
ambiguous. Not only with Bridget but also with Tom, Mr Allworthy shows
persistence. Tom and his nephew master blifil are same age and both are
eligible for Mr. Allworthy’s hire, thus Captain blifil and Master Blifil
conspire against Tom; to make him ineligible for hire but Mr. Allworthy does
not understand this conspire. When Mr. Allworthy was ill Tom serve him and make
him healthy, though Mr. Allworthy not know who serves him, and through Tom out
of his home as well as hire. Then how could we accept Mr. Allworthy as prudent?
SOPHIA
“Sophia, alone, apparently, has the gift of prudence from
Nature.” (Berry)
The narrator tells us: “The Gaiety of Tom's Temper suited
better with Sophia, than the grave and sober Disposition of Master Blifl” (IV,
iv, 120) (Berry)
Character of Sophia is portrays highly prudence by
writer. Sophia was in love with TOM. In the incident of bird Sophia was right
and takes a side of Tom but can we disregard her affection for a lost bird as
an element of her judgement? Sophia judges bifil's action very correctly
because it affects her directly. Her prudence would make her ready to listen
her elders first before making any judgement, for that Allworthy praises her
very later in novel. But it was not clear that she takes judgement by her
prudence or by love for tom? She loves Tom but her prudence denies her to
express her feelings for Tom, because Tom was bastard and thus prudence of
Sophia doesn't want to spoil her value in society. If
she was really prudence and make judgement correct, then why the person was not
so prudence make same judgement as her? He was her father who makes same
judgement for Tom; He said that:
"It may
be Learning and Sense for aught I know; but you shall
never
persuade me into it. Pox! you have neither of you
mentioned
a Word of that poor Lad who deserves to be commended.
To
venture breaking his Neck to oblige my Girl ,was a generous
spirited
Action: I have Learning enough to see that. D--n
me,
here's Tom's Health. I shall love the Boy for it the
longest
Day I have to live. (IV, iv, 124)" (Berry)
In the character of Sophia also we found element of
ambiguity. If is highly moral and prudence then why she left her home alone?
Fielding tries to describe her character as very innocent one but she was not
so; Fielding make her character exorbitant. She was in love with Tom and living
their relation but she never tell anything to her father or any other. She
never shows her love towards Tom publically; when reality of tom reveals at
that time she expressed her feelings for Tom with the help of her aunt. Sophia
was good character though ambiguity exist inside her character because she was
not able to use her prudence when she run away from her home; and unfortunately
saved by her father ; to became victim of rape. So in character of Sophia also
we can see some elements of ambiguity.
Ø
TWO NONCONFORMISTS
There are two characters in Tom Jones who, for different
reasons, stand apart from the morality advocated by Allworthy, who judges them
both most severely. Mrs. Waters is forced to repent and abandon her way of life
in order to be received back into the fold at the end of the novel. Black
George, on the other hand, is the only character totally excluded from any of
the benefits which are handed out so generously in the final chapter. (Berry)
I cannot understand; behavior of Mr. Allworthy with both
the characters and also treatments of others and this disparity is main source
of ambiguity in Tom Jones.
Mrs. Waters
Mrs. Waters, was known as Jenny Jones at the beginning of
the novel, it is usually mentioned by the critics about her role is just for
resolution of the plot and her involvement in the supposed incest. Though, she
is most interesting character of novel.
J. Middleton Murray writes about the attitude of Fielding
and the reader to her:
“Fielding’s
own sentiment about such women as Mrs. Waters is evident. They are more
good-natured and more generous than many nominally more virtuous. He quite
likes Mrs. Waters, and so do we. She is completely unmercenary, and she
retained sufficient affection for Tom to do him a great service; and we may be
pretty sure she made her lover happy.”
The Jenny Jones we first meet presents a rather
surprising figure:
“This Jenny Jones was no very comely Girl,
either in her Face or Person; but Nature had somewhat compensated the Hant of
Beauty with what is generally more esteemed by those Ladies, whose Judgment is
arrived at Years of perfect Maturity; for she had given her a very uncommon
Share of Understanding. This Gift Jenny had a great deal; improved by Erudition.
She had lived several years a servant with a schoolmaster. Girl has an extraordinary
Desire of learning (for every leisure Hour she was always reading in the Books
of the Scholars), had the Good nature, or Folly (just as the Reader pleases to
call it), to instruct her so far, that she obtained a competent Skill in the
Latin Language, and was, perhaps, as good a Scholar as most of the young Men of
Quality of the Age. (I i vi,36)” (Berry)
The stanza which given above is mentioned about Jenny
Jones physical description. She is unattractive girl but very intelligent; lack
of her beauty she hides behind intelligence of her mind in very aggressive way.
Bridget Allworthy appointed Jenny as her servant and she did all work very
carefully. When Bridget was pregnant and have a child; she sent away Jenny from
town and claim that this child is son of Jenny Jones but in real he was baster, son of Bridget and Summer. Mr. Allworthy was very angry on Jenny and called her
as ‘a slut’. From that point Jenny disappears from novel and after many years she
met Tom at the bottom of the Mazard hill, she is transformed into Mrs. Waters
and started relations with Tom Jones. Here we can see an ambiguous thing; a
lady who is known as mother of Tom has relations with Tom Jones but reality was
different.
Mrs. Waters invites
Tom to her bed from no ulterior motive, but to satisfy her appetite and his.
The love sequence comes immediately after the description of the meal; loving
Sophia often deprives Tom of his appetite for food to his companion Partridge's
great discomfort; loving Mrs. Waters never could. This connection between
loving and eating is made explicit in another passage: (Berry)
“ The Beauty of Jones highly charmed her Eye;
but, as she could
not see his Heart, she gave herself no
Concern about it. She
could feast heartily at the Table of Love,
without reflecting that some other already had been, or hereafter might be,
feasted
with the same Repast. (IX,vi,394)” (Berry)
The judgment implied in these sentences is ambiguous:
they either condemn Mrs. Waters for her lack of delicacy, or praise her for her
tolerance. (Berry)
The sentences which immediately follow indicate the
latter judgment, for the narrator writes that hers is: (Berry)
“A Sentiment which, if it deals but little in
Refinement, deals however much in Substance; and is less capricious, and
perhaps less ill-natured and selfish than the Desires of those Females who can
be contented enough to abstain from the Possession of their Lovers, provided
they are sufficiently satisfied that no one else possesses them. (IX,vi,394)” (Berry)
From very starting Jenny was blame by society for having
child without marriage but when she met Tom in jail; she acknowledges him that
she was not his mother as well as she gave him good news of Mr. Fitzpatrick’s
survival. She knows everything about Tom and also aware about his relations
with other girls included Sophia, Who was very beautiful and wealthy girl;
though she continues loving Tom and be very faithful to him. The character of
Jenny was very simple, wise and lovable; she was always shows her love for Tom
and do good works on his side.
BLACK GEORGE
Black George was servant of Mr.
Allworthy and father of Molly. Who serves at Allworthy house from many years.
George was poor man thus he serves Mr. Allworthy; he was the only friend of Tom
during his childhood, thus many times he became victim of conspiracy of Captain
Blifil.
When Allworthy ejects Tom from Paradise Hall, he gives
him a purse containing five hundred pounds of which he says:
[... I can scarce think myself justifiable in what I am
now going
to bestow on you. However, as I have educated you like a
Child
of my own, I will not turn you naked into the World. When
you
open this Paper, therefore, you will find something which
may
enable you, with Industry, to get an honest Livelihood
... (VI ,xi ,237)] (Berry)
Tom, however, imprudently less concerned with what he has
in hand than with what he has lost, throws away the purse in a moment of
passion. Black George finds the purse and decides to keep it for himself rather
than return it to his friend: this is George's great crime in the novel. (Berry)
To George, the money is indeed a fortune, one which would change the lives of his family significantly. After a
life of abject poverty and total dependence, the temptation would be
nearly irresistible Consider, Sir, what a Temptation to a Man who hath tasted
bitter Distress, it must be to have a Sum in his Possession, which must put him
and his Family beyond any future Possibility of suffering the like.
(XVIII~xii~750) (Berry)
Tom and George were friends and thus Tom always involved
George in his crime, when he steals something from Mrs. Westerns square Tom was
not punished as much as George.He was servant of house as well as a poor man
and those things became misfortune for him.
George is not an entirely irresponsible character. For
example the made an honest woman of Goody. Far from being an incorrigible
poacher the only commits: this crime when his family is near starvation. Indeed
it is the fact that he has only sold game once which leads to his apprehension
on that charge: (Berry)
“...Black George was pitched upon by him, as
being a Person already obnoxious to Mr. Western t and one of no good Fame in
the Country. He was, besides t the best Sacrifice the Higher could make it as
he had supplied him with no Game since; and by this Means the Witness had an
Opportunity of screening his better Customers...” (Berry)
AMBIGUITY IN FIELDING'S
PSYCHOLOGY
In Tom Jones, Fielding is doubtless trying to show his
understanding of human nature and psychology. Is there any ambiguity in Fielding's
psychology? Not if we believe that his view of human nature is identical with
Allworthy's. Allworthy holds to a common conception which sees man as distinguished
from the lower animals by his ability to reason; the rational mind is given
primacy in this view of human psychology: man can and should control his
passions through the use of reason and propriety. This view presents no
problems applied to such characters as Allworthy or Sophia. There are, however,
other characters in the novel of whom the rationalist view is too one-sided
because it fails to deal with the real ambiguity of their characters. An
examination of the most interesting of these characters will reveal that
Fielding's psychology is not Allworthy's rational defense of the primacy of
reason. (Berry)
Let’s check it with
the character of Mr. Western.
MR. WESTERN
Squire Western is father of Sophia; well known figure in
society but behaves very cruelly with his daughter Sophia. He was traditional
mane and believes in traditional values thus he wants her daughter to marry
with master blifil. He was very loving person by heart and love his daughter
more than others but his male ego was more prominent then his love for
daughter. Sophia loves her mother more than her father and this is main reason
for Mr. Western’s anger towards his daughter. It is good example of fielding’s
psychological study.
Western is no gentleman; he has the requisite social
position, but none of the inclinations or manners required for that title.
Despite his formal education, he behaves as if he is completely unlearned, and seems
as uninterested in religion as in the classics. His habits and tastes are those
of a complete boor. Yet it is he who performs some of the most heroic deeds in
the novel, coming to the aid of Tom when the young man is about to be defeated
by Thwackum and Blifil. As usual the squire acts without thought: (Berry)
“... that honest Squire, happening in his
Afternoon's Walk with some Company, to pass through the Field where the bloody
Battle was fought, and having concluded from seeing three Men engaged, that two
of them must be on a Side, he hastened from his Companions, and with more
Gallantry than Policy espoused the Cause of the weaker Party. (V, xi, 200)” (Berry)
In
last part of novel Mr. Western rescues Sophia from Lord Fellamar’s attempted
rape and thus Tom Jones became comedy novel by that part if Mr. Western had not
arrived at time this novel might have become Tragedy.
Here I analyse only few character to show ambiguity in Fielding’s
psychology but if we go through all character we found similarity in each.
CONCLUSION:
Ambiguity is very important element in Fielding’s TOM
JONES. Some critics describe it as Fielding’s use of Irony but the novel's
Ambiguity goes beyond language. There are many character in novel must regarded
as ambiguous. At, the very end of the novel, last chapter was fantastic and
thus it points out ambiguity of the novel as a while.
Though, Fielding's significant use of Irony made readers
mind to re examine the reality of novel once again. Fielding tries to present
society and human nature through this novel in which i find that it might be
possible to agree that Allworthy and Sophia's characters stands for Fielding’s
ideology in novel. By the character of Tom Jones like: Mr. Allworthy, Sophia,
Mrs. Waters, Black George, Mr. Western and Tom himself; we forces a review of
the morality and understanding of human nature.
Works Cited:
Berry, John C.
"Ambiguity in Tom Jones." august 1975. 1 11 2017
<http://hdl.handle.net/11375/9718>.
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