A stylistic analysis of Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones: a socio-pragmatic view

Hosni Mostafa El-dali ()
Additional contact information
Hosni Mostafa El-dali: United Arab Emirates University

Palgrave Communications, 2021, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-20

Abstract: Abstract The purpose of this study is three fold; first, it attempts to show to what extent Fielding’s writings unfold the basic characteristics of the eighteenth century lines of thinking, foremost of which is the importance of context for the determination of meaning. Second, it attempts to show Fielding’s philosophy of human nature which, according to him, is a mixture of man’s selfishness, greediness, honesty and charity, all of which are characteristics of the ‘characters’ nature. Third, the present study sheds some light on Fielding’s technique in writing. The importance of introducing ironic techniques is to stimulate the reader’s mental imagination to understand opposite meanings and in consequence adopt a proper evaluation of the character’s behaviour. Fielding discusses through irony some important concepts such as chastity, reason and gentility, yet no direct clue is given to the readers to give a precise interpretation about them. It is also through irony that the interpretation of these concepts are hindered by perplexing assumptions as connotations of meaning make it difficult for the readers to give any judgment or adopt any evaluation. The study shows that Fielding’s technique in ‘Tom Jones’ is incorporated within a third omniscience narrative, which gives the narrator the chance to preside over his creation and commenting on certain attitudes and actions. It concludes that the mark of shame bestowed by earlier critics on Fielding as intrusive narrator is eliminated on the grounds that his presence within the text is directed for teaching purposes.

Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41599-021-00849-z Abstract (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palcom:v:8:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41599-021-00849-z

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.nature.com/palcomms/about

DOI: 10.1057/s41599-021-00849-z

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Palgrave Communications from Palgrave Macmillan
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().