Henry Fielding
1. Masterpiece : A History of Tom Jones, a Foundling
2. Fielding has been regarded by some as “Father of the English Novel” for his contribution to the establishment of the form of the modern novel.
3. Fielding’s language is easy, unlaboured and familiar but etremly vivid and vigorous.
4. Of all the 18th century novelist, he was the first to set out. Both in theory and practice. To write specially a “comic epic in poem” the first to give the modern novels its structure and story; he use epistolary form and “ the third-person narration”.
5. In planning his stories, he tries to retain the grand, epical of the classical works but at the same time keeps fatithful to his realistic presentation of common life as it is.
A. 戏剧创作
The best known are The coffee-House Politician, The Tragedy of Tragedies, Pasquin, and The Historical Register for the Year1736.
B. 小说创作
a. The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and of his friend Mr. Abraham Adams, the book quickly turns into a great novel of the open road, a “comic epic in prose”.
b. The History of Jonathan Wild the Great, points out the Great Man is no better than a great gangster.
c. The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling and The History of Amelia. The former is a masterpiece on the subject of human nature and the latter the story of the unfortunate life of an idealized woman.
C. 对文学的贡献
About novel:
A). The purpose of the novel was not just to amuse, but to instruct. The object of his novel was to present a faithful picture of life, to teach men to know themselves.
B). Fielding has been regarded by some as “Father of the English Novel,”
a. He was the first to set out, to write specifically a “comic epic in prose”.
b. The first to give the modern novel its structure and style.
c. Fielding adopted “the third-person narration”.
d. In planning his stories, he tries to retain the grand epical form of the classical works but at the same time keeps faithful to his realistic presentation of common life as it is.
About language:
A). Fielding’s language is easy, unlaboured and familiar, but extremely vivid and vigorous.
B). His sentences are always distinguished by logic and rhythm, and his structure carefully planned towards an inevitable ending.
