The History of Tom Jones

4.Estimate:he is one of Europe's most outstanding realist novelists and recognized as "the father of the English novel"and "prose
Homer".What' more, he is the first writer to narrate entirely in the third person.
Structure The book follows the form of “comic epic in prose”. It consists of 18 books ,which are divided into 3 sections ,6 books for each. It is wellbalanced and carefully planned .The story absorbs the features of sentimental novel （Samuel Richardson感伤主义小说),novel of incidents (Daniel Defoe冒险小说)and Picaresque novel (Jonathan Swift流 浪汉小说）
The History of Tom Jones
The story of Tom Jones
The novel tells the story of an illegitimate child, reared by squire Mr. Allworthy, who lives on his estate together with his sister Miss Bridget. Once, arriving home from a trip to London, Mr. Allworthy is surprised to find a baby in his bedroom. He adopts the foundling and names him Tom. Shortly afterwards Miss Bridget gets married to a certain Captain Blifil, and gives birth to Blifil . Before long, young Blifil’s parents die and the orphan is left in the care of Mr. Allworthy who brings him up together with Tom.
The story of Tom Jones
• Young Blifil, accompanied by his uncle, goes to London in
search of Sophia; Tom takes his way to London, accompanied by the schoolmaster . Nvertheless, Tom and Sophia travel independently, ignorant of each other’s plans. Their journey is filled with many exciting incidents.
cation and Experiences:He was well educated, having spent several years at the famous Eton school,and taken a degree in letters at the University of Leyden in 1728.Morever, he had a deeper knowledge of life,gained from his own varied and sometimes riotous.

He develops a new novel which is realistic, comic,unsentimental, showing contemporary life and manners. With Samuel Richardson, he established the English novel tradition.
Morever, Tom’s imprudence leads him into various love
affairs and adventures, some of which endanger his life.
The story of Tom Jones
• In London, Blifil intent on ruining his rival, so he spares no pains to secure a conviction for Tom who is supposed to have killed a man in self-defence. However , Blifil's tricks are finally laid bare .Consequently,Tom is considered to be innocent. Mr. Allworthy, rejoiced at this news, forgives Tom, and makes him his heir. Sophia forgives Tom his youthful mistakes and squire Western consents to Sophia’s marriage to Tom. Aom Jones
• Tom has grown up to be a open-hearted and handsome young man. He gets involved in several fleeting love affairs. But his light-heartedness gives way to serious love when he meets Sophia, the daughter of a neighboring Squire Western. Young Blifil, contrary to Tom, is sly and faithless. Having an eye to his uncle's money, he bears a secret hatred of Tom, fearing lest the legacy should fall into his hands. He speaks ill of Tom in Mr. Allworthy's eyes. Cheated by Blifil's lines, Mr. Allworthy banishes Tom from his home.
Brief Introduction of the Author
• 6.Achievement in English novel • Henry Fielding adopted “ the third-person narration,” in which the author becomes the “all-knowing God.” He “thinks the thought” of all his characters, so he is able to present not only their external behaviors but also the internal workings of their minds. • He is the first person who writes with a fully developed theory of novel writing.
Brief Introduction of the Author
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.contribution:
He was the first to set out , both in theory and practice, to write specifically a“comic epic in prose,”the first to give the modern novel its structure and style.
Realistic novel
• Modern English novel began in the 18th century and gave the world such novelists as Defoe, Swift, Richardson, Fielding, and so on. • Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe was one of the forerunners of the English 18th century realistic novel. • But it was Henry Fielding and Tobias George Smollett who became the real founders of the genre( 流派）of the bourgeois(资产阶级） realistic novel in England and Europe.
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Background
• With the advent of the 18th century,in England, as in other European countries,there sprang into life a public movement known as the Enlightenment.
good-natured frank and open disinterested(无私的) Main characters impulsive imprudence(轻率的) selfish Tom Jones sly ideal Blifil hypocritical brave Sophia faithless. loyal vain greed