Comic Epic Poem In Prose: Joseph Andrews

comic epic poem in prose

 

It is true that we can term "Joseph Andrews" as a 'comic epic poem in prose' because it has almost all the prerequisites that are important for labeling it as a 'comic epic poem in prose'.

 

Fielding himself termed it as a 'comic epic poem in prose' in the "Preface to Joseph Andrews". Fielding claimed that he was founding a new genre of writing but this was not entirely accurate. There was a long tradition of such writing before him, though it was not completely developed or established. According to Aristotle, Homer had produced a 'comic epic in verse' but again according to Aristotle verse is not the only criterion for poetry. Fielding has only combined the ideal of 'comic epic' and the 'prose epic' to produce what he termed as 'comic epic poem in prose'.

 

An epic is a story of "a conspicuous man who falls from prosperity to adversity because of his some error of judgment i.e. Hamartia. His death is, however, not essential. But his fall arises a sense of pity and fear in us". It also has heroic style and bombastic language. And a comic epic is just reverse to it in most of its prerequisites except a few.

 

A heroic epic has a conspicuous hero, grand theme, a continuous action, a journey to underworld, wars, digressions, discovery, high seriousness, a high moral lesson and bombastic diction in it and in "Joseph Andrews" there is an ordinary hero, a journey from one place to another place, mock-wars, digressions, discovery, humour, a high moral and a bombastic diction in it. So, it can be termed as a 'comic epic poem in prose'. We can also call "Joseph Andrews" as "The Odyssey on the road" because both the works, Homer's "Odyssey" and Fielding's "Joseph Andrew" in the first place involve a journey. Like Odysseus, Joseph Andrews after the displeasure of a lady, who is superior from him in position and power, sets out on his way home and meets with many misfortunes on the way by the lady who has fallen in love with him. So it would be fairly justified to call "Joseph Andrews" an "Odyssey on the road". Hence it is a 'comic epic poem in prose' as well.

 

Unlike a heroic epic, the hero of "Joseph Andrews" is an ordinary boy. He is a foot-man of Lady Booby who has fallen in love with him. But Joseph is very innocent and virtuous. Therefore, he leaves the service of the Lady and goes to meet his beloved Fanny. On the way he has to face many hardships.

 

Though the action of the novel is not as great as the action of an epic yet it is enough to term the novel a comic epic. Joseph sets out from London to Somersetshire to see Fanny. On the way, Joseph crosses many roads, highways, country sides, stays at many inns and meets many people; all this constitute a big action.

 

Through the journey of Joseph, Fielding satirizes the society of the day and ridicules them. The corrupt and hypocritical clergy, Parson Trilluber and Parson Barnabas, individual like Lady Booby and Mrs. Slipslop, the Squire of Fools and the Squire of False Promises have been satirized.

 

The element of wars is very important in an epic and it is no exception in "Joseph Andrews". We see a war took place in an inn where Joseph was insulted by the host. Parson Adams was annoyed and challenged the host. There started the first war between both the parties. Soon Mrs. Slipslop and landlady also joined in the battle. There are many other epical elements in the novel to call it a comic epic.

 

Another epic convention is the use of digression. There are two major digressions in "Joseph Andrews". There are, seemingly, irrelevant stories of Leonara and Mr. Wilson. Epic writers considered them as embellishments. Fielding, however, makes the interpolations thematically relevant. For, these are not irrelevant in reality.

 

The formula of discovery, as described by Aristotle, an essential element of an epic, has also been used by Fielding. In the end of the novel, we see that Joseph is recognized to be Mr. Wilson's child and Fanny as the sister of virtuous Pamela.

 

High seriousness is an important element in epic. But in "Joseph Andrews" there is a great deal of comedy and humour, because it is a comic epic novel. But behind this comedy, there lies a serious purpose of reformation. We have a gamut of vain and hypocritical characters in Parson Trilluber, Parson Barnabas, passengers in the stage-coach, Mr. Tow-wouse, Mrs. Slipslop, Peter Pounce and the various Squires. The surgeon and the lawyer and the magistrate are also some other example of hypocrisy and vanity. Each of these characters provides a great deal of humour and amusement under a serious purpose.

 

Every epic has a moral lesson in it and this is no exception with a comic epic. Fielding's views on morality are practical, full of common sense and tolerance, liberal, flexible and more realistic. These are devoid of prudish and rigid codes. Fielding wanted to tear the veil of vanity and hypocrisy.

 

The use of grand, bombastic and elevated language is an important element in an epic. It has heroic diction. But in "Joseph Andres" we see that Fielding has used prose for poetry because it brings us close to the real and actual life and it is much more suitable for Fielding's purpose of dealing with human nature. However, his use of prose is very good, up to the mark and apt for his novel.

 

So, we can conclude that the theory of the 'comic epic poem in prose' as described by Fielding in the preface of "Joseph Andrews" manifests itself in the novel. Fielding has assimilate the rules and adapted them to his way of writing so well that we are not consciously aware of the formal principles which give unity to his materials. According to Thornbury, "Joseph Andrews" by Fielding is:

 

"An art which conceals art, but is the art of a conscious artist."

 

 

It is true that in "Joseph Andrews", the scale is not as large as one can except in an epic, though it has all other elements of a 'comic epic poem in prose', as claimed by Fielding.

Humour in Joseph Andrews

Fielding's proclaimed aim was to tear the veil off affectation and expose it to ridicule, which is the true source of laughter. Humour, naturally, occupies an important place in Fielding's concept of novel. Satire has an equally important role, for it has to strip the mask off the ills of society, holds up a mirror to human folly and corrects human beings of their vanities and hypocrisy.

 

In his Preface to "Joseph Andrews", Fielding concludes that affectation is the source of the ridiculous, springing from vanity or hypocrisy. Fielding intends to laugh mankind out of its follies and foibles. Fielding, thus, employs ironical and satirical humour in several places. But he does not confine himself to these two varieties. Essentially a comic genius, he often indulges in other forms of humour, among which pure fun is very common.

 

Joseph Andrews has a large variety of humour. Farce is not excluded. Several farcical situations such as the fight scene at the inn, Joseph falling from his horse and hurting his knee, Joseph sitting by the fireside while the hostess of the inn rubbing his knee, Parson Adams in a pan of hog's blood, the hounds of the Squire tearing at Parson Adams' cassock, Mrs. tow-wouse discovering Betty in Tow-wouse's bed, the bed-room scene in Booby Hall, Didapper mistaking the room and entering Mrs. Slipslop's room and Adams mistaking Didapper for the distressed lady and getting hold of Mrs. Slipslop as the attacker, punching her mercilessly till Lady Booby arrives on the scene with a lighted-candle. Adam's taking a wrong turn in Fanny's bed and goes to sleep; all these scenes are farcical.

 

We cannot dismiss the farcical scenes as a rough and 'low' kind of fun, but they embody a serious purpose. Fielding does not really forget that he was writing to 'laugh mankind' out of folly. But his satire is mild and amusing. The irony is, similarly, not devastating but gentle.

 

The patriot blanches in fear and trembles. He turns tail and runs away – a surprising reaction from a man who declares that all cowards should be hanged. Even Adams himself is not spared of ironical humour. His advice to Joseph on acceptance of misfortune is thrown to the winds when his own son is reported to be drowned. His desire to read to Mr. Wilson a sermon on vanity is riddled with irony. He is vain enough to consider his sermon a masterpiece. There are, of course, sharp touches of irony in Mrs. Slipslop's portraiture and Lady Booby's affectation.

 

Satire and irony mingle in the portraiture of Pamela. She is a priggish hypocrite. Indeed, Fielding does not leave an opportunity to satirize Richardson's Pamela.

 

Fielding develops the satirical theme most effectively in the scene where each of the coach passengers is stripped spiritually naked in their confrontation with naked Joseph.The lady's false delicacy, the old gentleman's selfishness and the lawyer's professional cautiousness, are all exposed. But the poor postilion swears and declares that he would rather go in a shirt than leave a naked man to die. The crowning irony is that the poor postilion who showed his human feelings was later transported for stealing a hen-roost.

 

The society of the day comes in for plenty of ridicule by Fielding. The corrupt and hypocritical clergy, similarly, comes in for attack. But through particular examples, through the individuals like Lady Booby, Mrs. Slipslop, Trilluber, Barnabas, the Squire of Fools and the Squire of False Promises, general human follies and foibles are satirized.

 

Joseph Andrews abounds in humorous characterization. The most remarkable figure Parson Adams is eccentric, forgetful, gullible, idealistic but entirely human. He is indulged in odd gestures and mannerism. Adams never loses his dignity, however much of humour is involved in his portraiture – that speaks of Fielding's skill as a comic artist.

 

Mrs. Slipslop is another entirely humorous character. She is almost disgusting in her short stature and bearded face, with small eyes and a long nose. She affects long words wrong under the impression that she seems very learned.

 

Parson Trulliber is another comic creation. Rearing pigs and being with them continuously has made him appear increasingly like a pig.

 

In Joseph Andrews there is plenty of burlesque in diction. The mock-heroic technique produces plenty of humour in the novel. The discrepancy between the high style and the ridiculous situation produces laughter.

 

Fielding was basically a comic artist, master of the various forms of humour – farce, satire, irony, humorous characterization, and the comic style. Joseph Andrews manifests these various forms of humour. Fielding's comic vision is based on a genial acceptance of human folly, which he endeavours to correct. Fielding's humane viewpoint makes him broadminded and realistic. Fielding's humour "shines like a sun on the evil and the good".

Joseph Andrews: Comic Epic Poem in Prose

It is true that we can term "Joseph Andrews" as a 'comic epic poem in prose' because it has almost all the prerequisites that are important for labeling it as a 'comic epic poem in prose'.

Fielding himself termed it as a 'comic epic poem in prose' in the "Preface to Joseph Andrews". Fielding claimed that he was founding a new genre of writing but this was not entirely accurate. There was a long tradition of such writing before him, though it was not completely developed or established. According to Aristotle, Homer had produced a 'comic epic in verse' but again according to Aristotle verse is not the only criterion for poetry. Fielding has only combined the ideal of 'comic epic' and the 'prose epic' to produce what he termed as 'comic epic poem in prose'.

An epic is a story of "a conspicuous man who falls from prosperity to adversity because of his some error of judgment i.e. Hamartia. His death is, however, not essential. But his fall arises a sense of pity and fear in us". It also has heroic style and bombastic language. And a comic epic is just reverse to it in most of its prerequisites except a few.

A heroic epic has a conspicuous hero, grand theme, a continuous action, a journey to underworld, wars, digressions, discovery, high seriousness, a high moral lesson and bombastic diction in it and in "Joseph Andrews" there is an ordinary hero, a journey from one place to another place, mock-wars, digressions, discovery, humour, a high moral and a bombastic diction in it. So, it can be termed as a 'comic epic poem in prose'. We can also call "Joseph Andrews" as "The Odyssey on the road" because both the works, Homer's "Odyssey" and Fielding's "Joseph Andrew" in the first place involve a journey. Like Odysseus, Joseph Andrews after the displeasure of a lady, who is superior from him in position and power, sets out on his way home and meets with many misfortunes on the way by the lady who has fallen in love with him. So it would be fairly justified to call "Joseph Andrews" an "Odyssey on the road". Hence it is a 'comic epic poem in prose' as well.

Unlike a heroic epic, the hero of "Joseph Andrews" is an ordinary boy. He is a foot-man of Lady Booby who has fallen in love with him. But Joseph is very innocent and virtuous. Therefore, he leaves the service of the Lady and goes to meet his beloved Fanny. On the way he has to face many hardships.

Though the action of the novel is not as great as the action of an epic yet it is enough to term the novel a comic epic. Joseph sets out from London to Somersetshire to see Fanny. On the way, Joseph crosses many roads, highways, country sides, stays at many inns and meets many people; all this constitute a big action.

Through the journey of Joseph, Fielding satirizes the society of the day and ridicules them. The corrupt and hypocritical clergy, Parson Trilluber and Parson Barnabas, individual like Lady Booby and Mrs. Slipslop, the Squire of Fools and the Squire of False Promises have been satirized.

The element of wars is very important in an epic and it is no exception in "Joseph Andrews". We see a war took place in an inn where Joseph was insulted by the host. Parson Adams was annoyed and challenged the host. There started the first war between both the parties. Soon Mrs. Slipslop and landlady also joined in the battle. There are many other epical elements in the novel to call it a comic epic.

Another epic convention is the use of digression. There are two major digressions in "Joseph Andrews". There are, seemingly, irrelevant stories of Leonara and Mr. Wilson. Epic writers considered them as embellishments. Fielding, however, makes the interpolations thematically relevant. For, these are not irrelevant in reality.

The formula of discovery, as described by Aristotle, an essential element of an epic, has also been used by Fielding. In the end of the novel, we see that Joseph is recognized to be Mr. Wilson's child and Fanny as the sister of virtuous Pamela.

High seriousness is an important element in epic. But in "Joseph Andrews" there is a great deal of comedy and humour, because it is a comic epic novel. But behind this comedy, there lies a serious purpose of reformation. We have a gamut of vain and hypocritical characters in Parson Trilluber, Parson Barnabas, passengers in the stage-coach, Mr. Tow-wouse, Mrs. Slipslop, Peter Pounce and the various Squires. The surgeon and the lawyer and the magistrate are also some other example of hypocrisy and vanity. Each of these characters provides a great deal of humour and amusement under a serious purpose.

Every epic has a moral lesson in it and this is no exception with a comic epic. Fielding's views on morality are practical, full of common sense and tolerance, liberal, flexible and more realistic. These are devoid of prudish and rigid codes. Fielding wanted to tear the veil of vanity and hypocrisy.

The use of grand, bombastic and elevated language is an important element in an epic. It has heroic diction. But in "Joseph Andres" we see that Fielding has used prose for poetry because it brings us close to the real and actual life and it is much more suitable for Fielding's purpose of dealing with human nature. However, his use of prose is very good, up to the mark and apt for his novel.

So, we can conclude that the theory of the 'comic epic poem in prose' as described by Fielding in the preface of "Joseph Andrews" manifests itself in the novel. Fielding has assimilate the rules and adapted them to his way of writing so well that we are not consciously aware of the formal principles which give unity to his materials. According to Thornbury, "Joseph Andrews" by Fielding is:

"An art which conceals art, but is the art of a conscious artist."

It is true that in "Joseph Andrews", the scale is not as large as one can except in an epic, though it has all other elements of a 'comic epic poem in prose', as claimed by Fielding.

Morality in Joseph Andrews

Henry Fielding undoubtedly holds moral views far-ahead of his times. Morality is an approval of adherence to principles that govern ethical and virtuous conduct.

 

Fielding was accused of being immoral in his novels. Dr. Johnson called his novels "vicious and corrupting". Richardson echoed the "charge of immorality" against him. Modern critics, however, has justified Fielding and gave him a credit of "an estimable ethical code". Strachey declared him a "deep, accurate, scientific moralist". Indeed neither "Joseph Andrews" nor "Tom Jones" strikes the modern sensibility as 'low' or 'immoral' either in purpose or in narration. Behind the truthful portrait of life, lies his broad moral vision. His writings are informed by an aim of correcting mankind with laughter.

 

"I have endeavored to laugh at mankind, out to their follies and vices."

 

 

His satire is prompted by the positive and healthy desire to reform. He not merely presents society, but also criticizes it.

 

Fielding reacted sharply against the code of ethics as incited by Richardson in "Pamela". He feels that Pamela's virtue is an affectation and a commodity, exchangeable for material prosperity. Virtue cannot and should not be to chastity alone. Mere external respectability is not morality. For Fielding:

 

"Chastity without goodness of heart is without value."

 

A truly virtuous man is disregardful of material benefits. He is devoid of an affectation which is necessary to avoid for becoming a virtuous man He finds:

"A delight in the happiness of mankind and a concern at their misery, with a desire, as much as possible, to procure the former and avert the latter …"

Fielding's moral vision is much wider that Richardson's. Morality is no longer equated with chastity or outward decorum. It is broad enough to include every aspect of human behaviour. Ones intentions, instincts, motives are equally important in judging a man.

 

Fielding aims to show human beings in various shades of vanity and hypocrisy and it is done ruthlessly and wittily in "Joseph Andrews". Hypocrisy is worse than vanity. Morality is concerned with inner truth according to Fielding. A person of affected behaviour is immoral than an unchaste woman. Fielding exposes the follies, hypocrisy, corruption, affectation and the vices of his so-called society.

 

The stage-coach passengers, the coachman, the lawyer, the lady, all are models of hypocrisy. Each refuses to place Joseph in the coach on various excuses exposing their inner lack of worth. "O Jesus", cry'd the lady, "A naked man! Dear coachman, drive on". A man motivated by selfishness rather than social duty "makes all haste possible". Only the poor postilion favours Joseph and gives him his warm coat. The journey undertaken by Joseph and Parson Adams reveals vanity or hypocrisy at every stage.

 

It is significant that Parson Adams jumps with joy at the reunion of Fanny and Joseph. It reflects an ability to sympathize with other's feelings. He can feel the joys and sorrows of others as keenly as he can feel his own. Simple, kind, generous and courageous, Adams is the epitome of true feeling and goodness of heart which is a vital aspect of Fielding's concept of morality. Adams impulses always prompt him to help anyone in distress. He saves Fanny's life two times.

 

 

"He is an innocent … so completely sincere in his beliefs and actions that he can't imagine insincerity in other; he takes everyone he meets at face-value."

 

 

Kindness achieved supreme importance in Fielding's moral code. A good and a moral man takes joy in helping others. Fielding says:

 

"I don't know a better definition of virtue, than it is a delight in doing good."

 

Fielding is as liberal in ridiculing affectation as he is hard on the lack of charity. Adams' definition:

 

"A generously disposition to receive the poor."

 

 

The simple test employed to man by Fielding to see check the capability of charity is to ask him for loan. When Parson Adams asks for some shillings to Parson Trulliber, he declares in frenzy:

 

"I know what charity is better than to give it to vagabonds".

 

This shows 18th century's clergy's degeneracy reluctant to give some shillings. The rich Parson Tulliber, Mrs. Tow-wouse, Lady Booby and Peter Pounce lacks natural kindness whereas the poor postilion, Betty and Pedler are true Christians, for they are ready to help other man in distress asking nothing in return. But Mrs. Tow-wouse is of opinion,

 

"A man should die on their hands without the money to pay his bills."

Fielding is against the prudish morality which considers sex as an unhealthy and dangerous for human life. He favours a healthy attitude towards sex. In his view, the restraint of natural impulses leads to unhealthy inhibition which is more immoral. Modern opinion is very close to him. But he does not approve of Lady Booby's desire for Joseph nor does he favour Mr. Slipslop's extreme whims. But Betty's desires spring from a natural heart and feeling. It is worth noticing that Betty is free of hypocrisy. She acts as ordered by her nature.

 

 

"She is good-natured generosity and composition."

 

Fielding's concept of religion is linked with his views on morality and is practical. He does not confine religion to going to church on Sundays only. He criticizes two sorts of ethics. One who thinks that virtue can exist without religion. In Mr. Wilson's story, they have no belief in Devine command. They are selfish and unable to resist immoral temptations. The other sort accepts religion but insists that faith is more important than good works. True religion encourages both faith and good deeds. Parson Adams is the best representative of his ideas.

 

Fielding's views on morality are practical, liberal, full of common sense and free from hypocrisy that the conventional morality preached by many of his contemporaries.. He does not believe in prudish or rigid codes. His concept of human nature is realistic, tolerant, broad and fairly flexible. Modern opinion has vindicated the moral vision of Fielding as healthy, wide and practical.