Joseph Andrews: Book 2: Chapters (1- 9)

Story, Text and Critical Analysis

Dr. Sarwet Rasul

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Review of Previous Session

• Book 1 (Chapter 11 onwards)• Headings of chapters• Summaries• Points of Discussion• Important parts of text with reference

to themes, development of characters etc.

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Current Session

• Book 2 has 17 chapters, however, in this session we will cover first nine chapters. (Chapter 1 to 9)

• Headings of chapters• Summaries• Points of Discussion• Important parts of text with reference to

themes, development of characters, plot and structure, Fielding as a moralist, his art of characterization etc.

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Heading of Book 2, Chapter 1

• Of Divisions in Authors.

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Opening text of Book 2, chapter 1Text:

“THERE ARE CERTAIN MYSTERIES or secrets in all trades, from the highest to the lowest, from that of prime-ministering to this of authoring, which are seldom discovered unless to members of the same calling. Among those used by us gentlemen of the latter occupation, I take this of dividing our works into books and chapters to be none of the least considerable.”

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Cont…Opening text of Book 2, chapter 1• TEXT:

“But in reality the case is otherwise, and in this as well as all other instances we consult the advantage of our reader, not our own; and indeed, many notable uses arise to him from this method; for, first, those little spaces between our chapters may be looked upon as an inn or resting-place where he may stop and take a glass or any other refreshment as it pleases him. Nay, our fine readers will, perhaps, be scarce able to travel farther than through one of them in a day. As to those vacant pages which are placed between our books, they are to be regarded as those stages where in long journies the traveller stays some time to repose himself, and consider of what he hath seen in the parts he hath already passed through; a consideration which I take the liberty to recommend a little to the reader; for, however swift his capacity may be, I would not advise him to travel through these pages too fast; for if he doth, he may probably miss the seeing some curious productions of nature, which will be observed by the slower and more accurate reader. A volume without any such places of rest resembles the opening of wilds or seas, which tires the eye and fatigues the spirit when entered upon.”

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Comment on Book 2, Chapter I• At the start of Book II, Fielding justifies as an author

his practice of dividing literary works into books and chapters.

• He rightly compares the chapters of a book to the stages of a physical journey, with the white spaces between them standing for inns and resting-places. At the ends of chapters, Fielding suggests, the reader should pause to consider what he has read, just as a traveller considers the “curious Productions of Nature.”

• According to him the “Contents prefixed to every Chapter” are parallel to the inscriptions over the gates of inns indicating what entertainment the traveller can expect to have there.

• Fielding goes on to claim Homer as a precedent in dividing a literary work into books. To support his claim he also gives examples of Virgil and Milton.

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Book 2, Chapter 2, Heading

• A surprizing instance of Mr Adams’s short memory, with the unfortunate consequences which it brought on Joseph.

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Opening text of Book 2, Chapter 2, TEXT: “MR ADAMS AND JOSEPH were now

ready to depart different ways, when an accident determined the former to return with his friend, which Tow-wouse, Barnabas, and the bookseller had not been able to do. This accident was, that those sermons, which the parson was travelling to London to publish, were, O my good reader! left behind; what he had mistaken for them in the saddlebags being no other than three shirts, a pair of shoes, and some other necessaries, which Mrs Adams, who thought her husband would want shirts more than sermons on his journey, had carefully provided him.”

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Book 2, Chapter 2,Text that tells how it was revealed

TEXT: This discovery was now luckily owing to the presence of Joseph at the opening the saddlebags; who, having heard his friend say he carried with him nine volumes of sermons, and not being of that sect of philosophers who can reduce all the matter of the world into a nutshell, seeing there was no room for them in the bags, where the parson had said they were deposited, had the curiosity to cry out, “Bless me, sir, where are your sermons?” The parson answered, “There, there, child; there they are, under my shirts.” Now it happened that he had taken forth his last shirt, and the vehicle remained visibly empty. “Sure, sir,” says Joseph, “there is nothing in the bags.” Upon which Adams, starting, and testifying some surprize, cried, “Hey! fie, fie upon it! they are not here sure enough. Ay, they are certainly left behind.”

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Insights into Characters Book 2 Chapter 2

• Parson Adams is optimistic and a positive minded person by nature. When he comes to know that he has in fact left his manuscript sermons back home, he, looking on the bright side, interprets the disappointment as a providence intended for his good.

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Summary of further happenings in this chapter

• When the inn bill comes, Mr. Adams has only a shilling to spare, and he would have been even worse off if a servant belonging to the coach and six had not lent him a guinea.

• He and Joseph together leave for the country seat of the Booby family, planning to take turns riding the horse.

• While Mr. Adams starts on foot, however, the Hostler detains Joseph at the inn, demanding payment for the horse’s board. Joseph is not ready to pay with the gold piece that belonged to Fanny, so it leads to a dispute.

• Meanwhile, Mr. Adams has forgotten all about Joseph during a meditation on Æschylus. After a time he remembers his companion and gradually begins to wonder why he has not joined him.

• He sits down and starts reading. As Joseph still does not appear, he enters a nearby alehouse.

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Book 2 Chapter 3, Heading

• The opinion of two lawyers concerning the same gentleman, with Mr Adams’s inquiry into the religion of his host.

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Book 2 Chapter 3• In the alehouse, Mr. Adams overhears two travelers

discussing Joseph’s quandary; he resolves to return to the inn, though he has no real plan for making the payment.

• A rainstorm prevents him, however, and he stays for a beer with the two travelers, who give him their separate opinions about a neighboring gentleman landowner: one considers the gentleman a cruel tyrant and an arbitrary Justice of the Peace, and the other considers him reasonable and just.

• Confused, Adams asks the Host, who explains to him that the two travelers were opposing parties in a recent case so none of them spoke a single word of truth.

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Cont… Book 2 Chapter 3

• A stage coach arrives and Mrs. Slipslop comes there. She has paid for Adams’s horse during a stopover at the inn.

• Later Joseph arrives on the horse, and he and Mr. Adams settle between them that the curate should continue the journey in the stage coach while Joseph continues on horseback.

• As now Mr. Adams and Mrs. Slipslop are together in the coach they discuss the recent developments in the Booby family.

• Slipslop tells him how Lady Booby has been acting like a “Madwoman” since the departure of Joseph. Being good natured Adams expresses his regret over all this but Slipslop is not ready to accept this and believes she is worse than this. She also claims that Adams does not know anything about Lady Booby.

• She also asserts that Sir Thomas would have been more generous to the poor in the parish if his wife had let him.

• There is an interruption by another lady in the carriage who informs her fellow passengers that “yonder lives the unfortunate Leonora,” and this leads the passengers back to the story of Leonora.

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Chapter 4: Heading

• The history of Leonora, or the unfortunate jilt.

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Book 2, Chapter 4• Leonora, eighteen years old, was the daughter of a rich

gentleman of fortune and now lived with an aunt. • This young but vain girl would attend each and every

party or other public meeting and had singled out a young gentleman, Horatio, from her many admirers at these gatherings.

• Horatio was a handsome and dignified young man who asked for her hand, and Leonora accepted.

• Everything was settled well; even the wedding date was fixed and was now but a fortnight away. At this time, Horatio, who was a barrister, went off to the county sessions; meanwhile, Leonora, at home, spied a coach passing by her window and declared: "O, I am in love with that equipage!"

• Bellarmine, the owner of the coach had lately arrived from Paris.

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Cont… Book 2, Chapter 4

• He came in all his French finery at an assembly held that evening; and was immediately impressed by Leonora's perfect beauty.

• Leonora who had earlier decided not to dance in Horatio's absence, now decided to dance with him as she was attracted towards him.

• The next afternoon Bellarmine proposed to Leonora. Thoughts of Horatio pricked her conscience for a little while, but her aunt soon put a stop to these thoughts by saying: "I assure you there is not anything worth our regard besides money."

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Cont Book 2, Chapter 4• That evening Leonora and Bellarmine were at dinner, when

suddenly Horatio came.• He was shocked to see that Leonora treated him as if he was

no more than a "common acquaintance," while Bellarmine hummed an opera tune and strolled around the room.

• This lead to a quarrel. The aunt entered then and appraised Horatio of the true state of affairs. Temporarily the situation was controlled but next morning when Leonora woke up she received the news that Bellarmine had been mortally wounded by Horatio.

• While Leonora assumed various frantic poses of grief, her aunt prudently advised her to make up with Horatio.

• However, soon a letter arrived from Bellarmine that there was nothing mortal about his wound. Leonora's remorse immediately vanished, and she resolved to visit Bellarmine despite her aunt's advice.

• Adams who is listening to the story at this point comes to know that has arrived at the inn. So, his curiosity remains unsatisfied.

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Heading Chapter 5

• A dreadful quarrel which happened at the Inn where the company dined, with its bloody consequences to Mr Adams.

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Book2, Chapter 5• Joseph is already at the inn, sitting in the kitchen and

is badly injured because of a heavy fall from Adams' eccentric horse.

• The hostess, who is attending them is berated by her husband for wasting time on a mere footman.

• Parson Adams comments on this that he believes the devil has more humanity.

• This leads to a quarrel sparking off a fistfight in which Adams lays out the host, then promptly receives from the hostess a panful of hog's blood in the face.

• Mrs. Slipslop enters and finds Adams dripping with blood. She thinks it is Adam’s blood so she holds the hostess, whose anguished cries bring the rest of the company into the room.

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Cont… Book 2, Chapter 5• One of the two men who had earlier quarrelled

over the character of the justice (in Chapter 3) advises the host to recover damages against Adams; "I must speak the truth," he says, and offers his own distorted views as evidence.

• The host has no faith in the law, however, and turns on his wife for wasting his hog's puddings.

• Meanwhile, the other gentleman encourages Parson Adams to go to the court against the host, but Adams admits that it was he who struck the first blow.

• He is also shocked to hear the suggestion of this gentleman that Joseph who is the only witness to this event should lie in Adams' favour.

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Cont… Book 2, Chapter 5• The quarrel is finally settled, and the coachman is

anxious to be on his way. • Mrs. Grave-airs, however, refuses to admit a mere

footman (Joseph) into the coach. • This leads to a hot exchange between her and Mrs.

Slipslop.• However, this comes to an end by the arrival of Mrs.

Grave-air's father, who takes his daughter away with him.

• Once in the coach, the women begin criticizing the character of Mrs. Grave-airs.

• As far as Mrs. Slipslop is concerned, entertains notions of playing the good Christian to Joseph and is suspiciously affectionate.

• To avoid any improper consequences, one of the ladies begs for the story of Leonora to be resumed.

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Some Text : A Social Commentary• TEXT:

“Everything being now adjusted, the company entered the coach, which was just on its departure, when one lady recollected she had left her fan, a second her gloves, a third a snuff-box, and a fourth a smelling-bottle behind her; to find all which occasioned some delay and much swearing to the coachman. As soon as the coach had left the inn, the women all together fell to the character of Miss Grave-airs; whom one of them declared she had suspected to be some low creature, from the beginning of their journey, and another affirmed she had not even the looks of a gentlewoman: a third warranted she was no better than she should be; and, turning to the lady who had related the story in the coach, said, “Did you ever hear, madam, anything so prudish as her remarks?”

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Discussion Points• Theme of Appearance and Reality:• The arrogant behaviour of the host is based on his false

interpretation of appearance as he thinks that Joseph does not merit any attention because he wears the uniform of a footman.

• Adams who is in his usual rough state is also scorned and hated for the same reason.

• Condemning the host, Fielding once again proves his humanitarian and moralistic standpoint.

• Theme of Virtue and Vice:• Again in the hostess's care for Joseph, we can say that Betty

may not be a model of perfection, but we admire her for her charity and even for her loyalty to her husband.

• We also need to contrast the behaviour of truthful Adams to that of the two gentlemen, who are ready to falsify evidence to suit themselves.

• Theme of Vanity:• It is her vanity which makes Mrs. Slipslop engage in a hot

exchange with Mrs. Grave-airs. But, later on she is worried about the consequences.

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Plot and Structure• Chapter 5 provides an interlude in Fielding's

long digression about Leonora. It is an insertion of scrappiness, of real life, placed midway in a polished and well-turned tale; in a sense, Chapters 4, 5, and 6 are a microcosm of Joseph Andrews itself.

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Heading Book 2, Chapter 6

• Conclusion of the unfortunate jilt.

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Book 2, Chapter 6• Leonora's story is resumed in this chapter.• Her too much attention to the wounded Bellarmine led

towards some gossip amongst the ladies of the town.• But when Bellarmine recovered from the injuries, he

went to discuss the terms of his marriage to Leonora with her father.

• Her father was a callous man who looked on his children as rivals in the enjoyment of his own ruthlessly amassed fortune.

• When Bellarmine asked for dowry, the father refused. • The result was within a few days, Leonora received a

letter from Bellarmine, now returned to Paris, in which she learned that he was not going to marry her.

• The narrator of the story tells that completely dejected, Leonora retired to the house seen earlier from the coach.

• Today, Horatio prospers, but he is still single and never hears the name of Leonora without a sigh. With this the chapter comes to an end.

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Discussion Points: Book 2, Chapter 6• Plot and Theme• At first, the story of Leonora would appear to be an

isolated narrative inserted in the main plot just as a filler or digression.

• But, if we look at it keenly we come to know that its main concern is central to Joseph Andrews and it expresses the same theme of Appearance vs. Reality.

• Fielding’s main concern is “What lies behind a person's clothes and appearance?”

• Horatio, though living up to the dignity apparent in his own bearing, is deceived by the appearance and beauty of Leonora.

• On the other hand Leonora manufactured all manner of passion on the strength of Bellarmine's French affectations.

• The cause of this passion, which "distorted her person into several shapes, and her face into several laughs, without any reason," is vanity, that according to Fielding is one of the sources of the affectation.

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Cont… Discussion Points: Book 2, Chapter 6Fielding as a moralist:• Discussing Horatio Fielding writes that he was made of

sterner stuff and, like Adams, had the ability to the heart of the matter with physical courage.

• Fielding comments :"The seat of valor is not in the countenance,”, and it is only just that the cowardly Bellarmine should be a victim of the active virtue of Horatio.

• Fielding as a moralist has presented the themes of affectation and self-interest throughout the chapter.

• Despite all the affectations of love, passion, and devotion, Bellarmine's interest in Leonora was purely financial. But Leonora's father — who had the reputation of being a good parent, loved his gold better than his daughter.

• Interestingly and ironically, it was only Horatio who eventually made money though it was the memory of Leonora that mattered the most to him.

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Headings Book 2, Chapters 7, 8, 9 • Chapter 7 • A very short chapter, in which parson

Adams went a great way.• Chapter 8• A notable dissertation by Mr Abraham

Adams; wherein that gentleman appears in a political light.

• Chapter 9 • In which the gentleman discants on bravery

and heroic virtue, till an unlucky accident puts an end to the discourse.

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Book 2, Chapters7-9• The coach now catches up with Adams, who is so

pleased at getting Joseph into the coach that he has quite forgotten to redeem the horse from the stable.

• Despite the efforts of the coach to overtake him, Adams goes fast enough to leave the coach behind. The result is very soon he misses his way.

• Resting on the summit of a hill, he starts reading his copy of Aeschylus, but is shocked and frightened to hear a gunshot.

• Soon he is into conversation with the sportsman there.

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Cont… Book 2, Chapters7-9• At first suspicious of Adams' disheveled appearance, he starts to

talk to him, complaining that the soldiers quartered nearby have killed all the game. If only they were as accurate with the enemy, the man complains. Then he launches into praise for a man who is willing to lay down his life for his country.

• Adams rebukes his companion's swearing, but appreciates his patriotism.

• Here Adams starts relating how in various elections his vote and influence over his nephew, an alderman of a corporation, have been sought after by fickle politicians, culminating with Sir Thomas Booby who, for all his apparent good intentions, failed like the others to reward Adams with the living he had promised him — perhaps because Lady Booby did not think his clothes "good enough for the gentry at her table." Now that his nephew is dead, Adams no longer considers himself such a political wedge, but he has continued to put a dash or two of politics into his sermons, hoping that Sir Thomas might eventually procure an ordination for his thirty-year-old son, in whom Adams has inculcated his own principles of serving God and Country.

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Cont … Book 2, Chapter 7-9• The gentleman then launches forth on his theme of bravery once

again, telling Adams that he has disinherited a nephew whom he believed to be dragging his feet, with regard to active service; Adams advises a more forgiving attitude.

• Adams sees that the stagecoach is now three miles ahead of him, but the gentleman persuades him not to try and catch up with the coach so late in the evening, and offers him accommodations at his house. On their way there, the gentleman continues to praise bravery, but, when they hear a woman shrieking for help, this same gentleman runs to the safety of his house, while Adams, snapping his fingers, makes for the fray and finds a woman being assaulted. Adams promptly cracks his crabstick on the fellow's head, but the thick-skulled assailant manages to give Adams a drubbing before the parson finally lays him out with a solid clip to the chin — so solid indeed that Adams fears he has killed the man. The woman explains to Adams how she had been traveling to London and had fallen in with this man for company, only to find that his intentions went far beyond those of a mere traveling-companion.

• Adams thanks Providence for sending him to the rescue in time and — if the fellow is indeed dead — Adams relies on the goodness of his intention to excuse him in the next world and on the woman's evidence to acquit him in this.

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Discussion Points

• Adams may lose his way in the most short-sighted manner, but we already know that his innocence has a surer foundation of virtue than that suggested by the bluster of the sportsman. Both his virtue and his innocence are apparent in the account he gives of his unfortunate brushes with political matters, occasioned by the importance of his nephew. He stands by his word in all good faith whatever the temptation, yet is consistently surprised that those he supports always fail to fulfill their promises to him. Nevertheless, he interprets the failings of such men as Sir Oliver Hearty and Sir Thomas Booby in the most charitable light, and there is justification as well as innocence — and a touch of vanity — in the hope that if his son is ever "of as much consequence in a public light as his father once was," he will use his talents as honestly.

• Such names as Colonel Courtly and Esquire Fickle are part of Fielding's satire, and this account may well refer to Fielding's own experience when he broke his long-standing association with The Champion and his opposition to Walpole. In their race for power (which they gained in February, 1742), the opposition — the Patriots — forgot their obligations to such allies as Fielding, who consequently broke with them despite his need for money. The sportsman's patriotic protestations of valor on behalf of his country prove to be as empty as the principles and promises of the actual so-called Patriots.

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Discussion Points• In contrast to the rapid retreat of the sportsman,

we are presented with Adams' example of bravery; appearances have again proved to be deceptive. In his mocking comments about the thickness of the ravisher's head (comments which extend to the commanders of armies and empires), Fielding is again discrediting those whom we traditionally regard as heroes so that he can highlight the real heroism of Adams, who, regretting the death — so he thinks — of his opponent, nonetheless says: "but God's will be done." Virtue, come what may, must always be put into practice, according to Adams' code.

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Book 2, Chapter 9 - Text shedding light on Adam’s character

• TEXT:

“But Adams, who was no chicken, and could bear a drubbing as well as any boxing champion in the universe, lay still only to watch his opportunity; and now, perceiving his antagonist to pant with his labours, he exerted his utmost force at once, and with such success that he overturned him, and became his superior; when, fixing one of his knees in his breast, he cried out in an exulting voice, “It is my turn now;” and, after a few minutes’ constant application, he gave him so dexterous a blow just under his chin that the fellow no longer retained any motion, and Adams began to fear he had struck him once too often; for he often asserted “he should be concerned to have the blood of even the wicked upon him.”

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Cont… Book 2, Chapter 9 - Text shedding light on Adam’s character

• Text of Last paragraph:

“Adams encouraged her for saying she had put her whole trust in Providence, and told her, “He doubted not but Providence had sent him to her deliverance, as a reward for that trust. He wished indeed he had not deprived the wicked wretch of life, but G—’s will be done;” said, “He hoped the goodness of his intention would excuse him in the next world, and he trusted in her evidence to acquit him in this.” He was then silent, and began to consider with himself whether it would be properer to make his escape, or to deliver himself into the hands of justice; which meditation ended as the reader will see in the next chapter.”

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Reference list of sources• http://www.cliffsnotes.com• www.gradesaver.com• www.enotes.com• www.bartleby.com • www.gutenberg.org• http://www.helium.com• http://www.studymode.com

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Summary of Today’s Session

• Book 2 (Chapter 1 to 9)• Headings of chapters• Summaries• Points of Discussion• Important parts of text with

reference to themes, development of characters, plot and structure, Fielding as a moralist, his art of characterization etc.

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Thank you very much