Joseph Andrews - A comic Epic in Prose

Joseph Andrews

Novel by Henry Fielding

Joseph Andrews as a comic epic in prose / Parson Adams

Fielding claimed that he was writing a new type of literature — 'a comic epic in prose.' The preface of Joseph Andrews is significant in that it endeavours to expand the theory of the novel. He writes, "Now, a comic romance is a comic epic in prose; differing from comedy, as the serious epic from tragedy: its action being more extended and comprehensive; containing a much larger circle of incidents and introducing a greater variety lf characters; it differs in its characters by introducing personsof inferior rank whereas the grave romances sets the highest before us." In Joseph Andrews, Fielding sketched the outline of this theory and it was to be elaborated in Tom Jones. Byron called Fielding "The prose Homer of human nature" and of Joseph Andrews, Wyatt and Collins says, "This first novel straightway gives us a prose epic of the England of its day."

A comic epic promises a variety of characters involveld in a comprehensive action on an epical scale. Joseph Andrews tells us from the countryside to Londonand from there back to the countryside via an Odyssey of the roadside. At both the places the action is confined to the personal involvement of a handful of characters with a fair sprinkling of the country. Side rusticity or the voices of London to give the narrative a peculiar colouring. But everything is on a small scale.

E.M. Thornbury, in his book "Hemry Fielding's Theory of the Comic Prose Epic" establishes a parallel between the basic plot of Odyssey and Joseph Andrews. The plot of the Odyssey can be reduced to a very somple struggle. Joseph Andrews is thus reduced to a simple plot. A man having incurred the displeasure of a lady, his superior in rank and power, tricks to go hom, meets with many misfortunes on the way and at last arrives home only to find before he is happily brought out of his difficulties, the lady and her relatives trying to thwart his efforts.

Joseph Andrews tries to follow the principles of the epic structure other ways too. One example is his battle between Joseph and Adams on one side and the hounds on the other. This supplies a broad comedy, but with the form of a serious conflict in whicb our sympathies are engaged. At point Adams flees. Here Fielding says, "If there be any modern so outrageously behave that he cannot admit of fight in any circumstances without whatever, I say."

The interoolation of the irrelevant looking tales like the story of Leonara is according to the traditional epic formula. Interpolation like this are used by Fielding in Joseph Andrews to introduce variety in the narrative; the epic writers used them as embellishments. The formula of discovery, as enunciated by Aristotle is also used by Fielding. In the scene in which the mystery of Joseph and Fanny's parents are being straightened out, Fielding makes use of this sort of discovery.

While Fielding follows cartain epic conventions in a most natural manner, he also adapts it to the comic purpose of his own. He declared in the preface that he would expose the affection to ridicule. As a result each character, typical or individual exhibits a streak of vanity and hypocrisy in an amusing way. Even good person is not spared and it is clear as how he declares, "I have never been a greater enemy to any passion than that silly one of vanity."

Fielding never thought novel to be more source of entertainment but a serious form of literature imbued with as serious a moral purpose as our epic. 'In prose' is not merely a tag to fill out the phrase 'comic epic in prose.' Prose brings us closer to the real and actual earth and as such is much more suitable for Fielding's purpose of dealing with human nature, in general.

Thus, in Joseph Andrews, Fielding applies all the rules of the comic epic. Thornbury points out that we are not conscious of the rules, as we are in the work of French writers of epic in the 17th century. But this arises from the fact that Feilding is a great artist. Thornbury again says, "The formal principles give unity to his materials without our being aware of them. Here is the art which conceals art but is the art of conscious artist."

Recommendations:

• Character of Parson Adams in Joseph Andrews