Inheritance And Modification:Joseph Andrews And The Tradition Of Picaresque Novel

Joseph Andrews is the first published novel of Henry Fielding.Although this novel has not received as much critical attention as Tom Jones,multiple aspects of it have been scrutinized,especially its Preface,its narrative techniques,and its moral as well as cultural significance.However,criticism about the relationship between Joseph Andrews and the picaresque novel is generally too short or too broad.Inspired by Julia Kristeva's theory of intertextuality,this thesis attempts to carry out a systematic study of Fielding's inheritance and modification of the picaresque novel in Joseph Andrews.According to the theory of intertextuality,all texts are intertexts,containing the traces of other texts.In literature,all individual works both follow and modify existing literary traditions.The relationship between Joseph Andrews and the tradition of picaresque novel reflects this point.The picaresque novel is a genre originated in Spain in the 16th century,and it is characterized by a chaotic fictional world,a wandering hero who has slack moral standards,episodic structure,and satirical,humorous language.In 1742,when Joseph Andrews was published,the picaresque novel as a genre was already on the decline,but its influence was still enormous.This thesis intends to show that in many aspects,Joseph Andrews inherits the features of the picaresque novel.The novel has an episodic structure and a quick narrative rhythm,which enables it to present a vast gallery of human types;it is full of satire,often using satirical techniques like contradiction,irony,and burlesque;its hero is born low,lacks guidance from his parents,and faces a constant danger of being corrupted by society.However,this thesis also proposes that Joseph Andrews can be counted as a picaresque novel only in a very broad sense,because Fielding modifies many elements of the genre to achieve his didactic purpose.Firstly,the novel is written in the third-person point of view,instead of the first-person point of view that is employed by traditional picaresque novels.Secondly,the sense of confusion generated by the episodic structure is reduced by the constant reappearance of characters and Fielding's careful arrangement of interpolated stories.Thirdly,satire in the novel is not only destructive but also constructive,aiming to expose hypocrisy and promote real virtues.Lastly,the hero of the novel remains virtuous despite adversity and serves as a good example to the public.Through these modifications,Fielding effectively promoted his philosophy of good nature while revitalizing the picaresque genre.