This paper deals with the analysis of Henry Fielding’s ‘Joseph Andrews’ (published in 1972) in relation to Samuel Richardson’s ‘Pamela’ (published in 1740). It has been claimed that Fielding wrote his novel as a response to ‘Pamela’, according to several allusions included in his novel ‘Joseph Andrews’. To describe the relationship between these two texts, the notion of transtextuality, coined by the French literary scholar Gérard Genette, will be used. Here the focus will lie on the so called hypertextuality, which describes the ‘overlapping’ of two different texts.
The aim of this paper is to analyse ‘Joseph Andrews’ in terms of parody, which is one of the possible hypertextual operations that occur in literature. In order to do so, the notion of parody will be defined, mostly by opposing and comparing two recent accounts of the term. With the help of the knowledge of hypertextuality and parody, Fielding’s novel will be examined in detail. The main purpose is to find out whether Fielding parodied ‘Pamela’ or not. Therefore structural and functional criteria of ‘Joseph Andrews’ will be taken into account.
The first two chapters will provide the fundamental knowledge that is necessary for the analysis of the novel in the end. The important literary terms and their definitions will be introduced. Afterwards Henry Fielding’s ‘Joseph Andrews’ will be analysed.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Background Knowledge
1.1 Intertextuality
2. Parody
2.1 General definition of the term parody
2.2 Historical development of the term parody and related forms
2.3 Definitions of parody by Gérard Genette and Simon Dentith
3. Analysis of Henry Fielding’s ‘Joseph Andrews’
Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
This paper examines Henry Fielding’s novel ‘Joseph Andrews’ in relation to Samuel Richardson’s ‘Pamela’ to determine whether the work constitutes a parody. By applying the theoretical frameworks of transtextuality and hypertextuality proposed by Gérard Genette and the broader cultural perspective of Simon Dentith, the research investigates how Fielding utilizes structural and functional literary techniques to mock, respond to, and critique the moral and societal themes present in Richardson’s original text.
- Transtextual and hypertextual relationships between literary works
- Definitions and historical evolution of the concept of parody
- Comparative analysis of writing techniques in Fielding and Richardson
- Role of irony, satire, and humor in literary response
- Critique of 18th-century social constructs, including virtue, marriage, and education
Excerpt from the Book
3. Analysis of Henry Fielding’s ‘Joseph Andrews’
The following section is the analysis of Henry Fielding’s ‘Joseph Andrews’ in terms of parody. The aim is to attempt a classification of the work. This paragraph centres on writing techniques and structural criteria which can be found within the work. Therefore Genette’s classification of hypertextual operations is just right. So it will be concentrated on Genette’s definitions. Nevertheless it will be tried to include some of Dentith’s aspects in the analysis.
Henry Fielding’s ‘Joseph Andrews’ was written in response to Samuel Richardson’s ‘Pamela; or, Virtue rewarded’ (published in 1740). Pamela is an epistolary novel, consisting of letters and a diary of the heroine Pamela Andrews. She is a maid at Booby Hall and suffers from the repeated attempts of her master Mr B. to seduce her. Attaching great importance to her ‘virtue’, Pamela rejects him until Mr B. sincerely proposes to her. They marry though Pamela is only a servant. With the help of the marriage, Pamela rises to the upper-class.
The novel ‘The history of the adventures of Joseph Andrews, and of his friend Mr Abraham Adams’ (as the full title is called), was published two years later than Richardson’s novel (in 1742). As mentioned above, ‘Pamela’ inspired Fielding’s work. His hero is Joseph Andrews, Pamela Andrews’ brother. Joseph, like his sister, is a servant in the household of Squire Booby’s aunt, Lady Booby. Being the footman, Joseph must protect his virtue from his lustful mistress, her maid Mrs Slipslop and their attempts to seduce him. Joseph withstands the advances of each of them and remains constant in his chaste devotion to Fanny, an illiterate servant maid who is his true love. Since Joseph refuses to be seduced by Lady Booby, he finally gets discharged. Joseph and his old tutor Parson Adams then set out from London to visit Fanny. On their way several adventures with people in inns and on the road follow. In the end the plot takes an unexpected turn, when it is found out that through certain circumstances Joseph and Fanny have not been bred up in the ‘right’ family.
Chapter Summary
Introduction: This chapter outlines the paper's aim to analyze whether Henry Fielding’s ‘Joseph Andrews’ constitutes a parody of Samuel Richardson’s ‘Pamela’ using the concept of transtextuality.
1. Background Knowledge: This section introduces the concept of intertextuality as a central issue in literary studies, contrasting the broad theoretical approach of Bakhtin and Kristeva with the systematic approach of Gérard Genette.
2. Parody: This chapter traces the historical development of the term parody from Aristotle to the 19th century and presents competing definitions by Gérard Genette and Simon Dentith.
3. Analysis of Henry Fielding’s ‘Joseph Andrews’: This section applies the previously defined theoretical frameworks to analyze how Fielding’s novel uses character names, plot, and irony to respond to and critique themes in ‘Pamela’.
Conclusion: This final chapter summarizes that while hypertextual operations like parody are useful for analysis, the complexity of Fielding’s work defies a single, clear-cut classification and highlights the importance of historical and social context.
Keywords
Intertextuality, Parody, Hypertextuality, Henry Fielding, Samuel Richardson, Joseph Andrews, Pamela, Transtextuality, Literary Theory, Satire, Irony, Narrative Techniques, 18th-century Literature, Chastity, Cultural Practice
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this academic paper?
The paper provides a formal literary analysis of Henry Fielding’s ‘Joseph Andrews’ in relation to Samuel Richardson’s ‘Pamela’, focusing specifically on whether Fielding’s novel functions as a parody of the former.
Which theoretical models are used to examine the text?
The study utilizes the hypertextuality model developed by the French literary scholar Gérard Genette and the cultural, discourse-based approach to parody proposed by Simon Dentith.
What is the main objective of the research?
The core objective is to determine if ‘Joseph Andrews’ qualifies as a parody under Genette’s structural criteria and to understand how Fielding uses it as a tool to critique social norms of the 18th century.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author performs a comparative literary analysis, utilizing structural and functional criteria to classify the hypertextual relationship between the two novels while also accounting for historical and social contexts.
What does the main body of the paper cover?
The main body defines intertextuality and parody, explores the specific textual allusions in ‘Joseph Andrews’, analyzes character portrayals and moral themes, and discusses how the narrator guides the reader's interpretation.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Intertextuality, Parody, Hypertextuality, Fielding, Richardson, ‘Joseph Andrews’, ‘Pamela’, Transtextuality, and Satire.
How does Fielding challenge Richardson’s notion of virtue?
Fielding introduces the concept of 'Male-Chastity' through his protagonist Joseph, effectively reversing the gendered expectations of the time and highlighting the hypocrisy inherent in Richardson’s portrayal of female virtue.
Why is the classification of 'Joseph Andrews' as a parody problematic?
The analysis suggests that while the beginning of the novel functions as a parody, the plot subsequently deviates and introduces new characters and adventures, leading the author to conclude that the novel is better described as an imitation rather than a strict parody.
- Quote paper
- Lena Wandschneider (Author), 2005, Henry Fielding’s 'Joseph Andrews' in terms of parody , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/78921
