Joseph Andrews

-Henry Fielding

Henry Fielding

Q) Picaresque Tradition related in Joseph Andrews?

Q) Joseph Andrews as a Picaresque novel?

Picaresque Tradition belongs to Spain and derived from the word “Picaro" which means a rogue or a villain. The Picaresque originally involved the adventures or rather misadventures of the rogue Hero , mainly on the highway ,and often of a rather extravagant kind.

The romances of the Picaresque Tradition is marked by the two basic characteristics- they are episodic and comic.the first characteristics is the result of the action ,which is invariably that of a journey ,or wandering through the countryside..The comic elements lay in the nature of the hero's adventures ,through which ,generally society was satirised .Read Beowulf as an epic poems .

The Picaresque novel, of all possible forms of the novel, is the loosest in plot

The hero is literally let loose on the high road for his adventures.the writer got the opportunity to introduce a large variety of characters and events .The hero wanders from place to place encountering thieves and rogue ,rescuing themselves in distress , fighting, falling in love, being thrown in prison ,and meeting a vast section of society .

Henry Fielding acknowledged his debt to Cervantes,whose Don Quixote is the best known as picaresque novel. Don Quixote has obviously suggested the framework and character of the Joseph Andrews.

The central journey in Joseph Andrews is not mainly a quest of a adventure as it is in the Picaresque tradition.it is a sober return journey homewards.Joseph and lady booby are taken to London and the readers is given a glimpse of society's ways in that great city. Lady booby's attempt a seducing Joseph occurs ,closely followed by a parallel scene of Mrs slipslop attempted seduction of Joseph .the scene are made partly instrumental in the dismissal of Joseph and that prepares the situation for the journey and it's adventures. Read John Donne as a Metaphysical poet .

Picaresque tradition in Joseph Andrews

It is in the chapter 10 of book (I) that the Picaresque elements enter the novel.with Joseph setting out in a borrowed coat towards home.the Picaresque Tradition is maintained until the end of Book (III). Joseph meets with the first misadventures when he is set upon robber,beaten stripped and thrown into a ditch .the incident gives ample scope to Fielding for satirising the affection of an essentially in human society.

With the arrival of Parson Adam ,the Picaresque journey takes on a humorous tone ,with plenty of force thrown through the satire motif also continues .Mrs tow wouse is rescued by Adams in proper picaresque romance style with mock trial.it is now Adam who assume the role of hero ,with joseph and Fanny receding to the background.there are some amusing and interesting disputes and debates ,too, such as that between the poet and the player ,which illustrate eternal human follies ,then comes the abduction of fanny the reintroduction of something more serious .with Parson Adam jumping out of the carriage of Peter pounce ,the Picaresque nature of the novel comes to end.

Joseph Andrews has a rather rampling and narrative which gives believable quality to the contention that it is a Picaresque novel. The Picaresque motif helps Fielding to fulfil his aim of ridiculating the affectation of human beings. Fielding satire is pungent as he presents the worldly and craftily priests and vicious and inhuman squires . Malice , selfishness ,vanities ,hypocrisies ,lack of charity ,are all the ridiculed as human follies.