Showing results by author "Henry Fielding" in All Categories

Tom Jones, a foundling, is brought up by the kindly Mr. Allworthy as if he were his own son. Forced to leave the house as a young man after tales of his disgraceful behavior reach his benefactor's ears, he sets out in utter despair, not only because of his banishment but because he has now lost all hope of gaining the hand of the beautiful Sophia. But she too is forced to flee her parental home to escape an undesirable marriage and their stories and adventures intertwine.

Tom Jones is a splendid Hogarthian panorama of 18th century English life and morals, encompassing both city and country, and comprising some of the greatest comic characters in British literature. First published in 1749, it was an instant success and has gone on to become a classic of its genre. Quite simply, there has never been anything like it.

In this timeless classic, first published in 1749, we delve into the captivating story of Tom Jones, a foundling raised by a kind-hearted squire. Amidst the backdrop of Somersetshire, two neighboring squires—one affable and generous, the other a fiery lover of the hunt and drink—embark on a comedic scheme to marry the formers nephew to the latters daughter, much to her dismay. For her heart belongs to Tom, whose charming yet reckless nature has led him into a series of misadventures, both real and perceived. With a cast of characters who fervently believe in their own righteousness, the ...

A foundling of mysterious parentage, Tom Jones is brought up by the benevolent and wealthy Squire Allworthy as his own son. Tom falls in love with the beautiful and unattainable Sophia Western, a neighbor’s daughter, whose marriage has already been arranged. When Tom’s sexual misadventures around the countryside get him banished, he sets out to make his fortune and find his true identity.

Riotous, sexy and groundbreaking, Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews: The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews and His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams, published in 1742, was one of the first English novels. Fielding was melding and parodying the two major forces battling for control of the fiction market at the time - the mock heroic, neoclassical tradition as practiced by Pope and Swift and the popular and populist fiction of the new novelists such as Defoe and Richardson.

Dubbed 'the father of the English novel' by Sir Walter Scott, Henry Fielding is well known for his ribald humour and ironic, satirical fiction. Collected here are four of his most famous works, including his comic masterpiece Tom Jones, as well as a fascinating documentary exploring the foundling motif in fiction.

Fielding's rollicking comic masterpiece sparkles with life in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatization. Abandoned child Tom is raised by the rich and benevolent squire Mr. Allworthy, much to the chagrin of Allworthy's mean-natured nephew Blifil, and develops into a good-natured rake. But Tom's inability to resist a pretty face lands him in hot water when he impregnates Blifil's betrothed. When the lovely Sophia runs away to London, Tom pursues, embarking upon a series of riotous and amorous adventures.

In one of the first novels in the English language, we follow the picaresque adventures of Joseph Andrews, a virtuous young man who is keen to maintain his innocence despite being coerced by nearly every woman he encounters.

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Henry Fielding's rollicking comic masterpiece. Found one evening in the bed of the rich and benevolent Mr Allworthy, baby Tom grows up in the guardianship of the kindly squire. He develops into a good-hearted fellow who is nonetheless resented by...

Shamela is a bawdy, spirited, and hilarious response to Samuel Richardson's hugely popular 1740 novel, Pamela. In this pointed satire, Shamela (which transpires to be the real name of Richardson's Pamela) reveals the ulterior motives behind the events that took place in Pamela. Shamela is unlike the virtuous young lady portrayed in Richardson's novel and she takes command of her master, Squire Booby. Our heroine has planned it all out from the start and she is determined to entrap her master into marriage.

Dive into the whimsical yet poignant world of Life and Death of Tom Thumb the Great, a satirical play that parodies the grand narratives of heroic biographies. Follow the journey of Tom Thumb, a mighty little hero with a big heart, as he navigates love, ambition, and the absurdities of court life. With a blend of biting humor and clever footnotes by the fictitious H. Scriblerus Secundus, this play offers a unique take on the events and personalities of its time. Beware, as the title suggests, this is not your typical fairy tale with a happy ending. Rumor has it that Jane Austen even performed ...

Penguin Classics presents Henry Fielding's Tom Jones, adapted for audio and available as a digital download as part of the Penguin English Library series. Read by the actor Robert Lindsay. '"Sir, I am concerned at the Trouble I give you; nay indeed my Nakedness may well make me ashamed to look...

The real Jonathan Wild, born about 1682 and executed at Tyburn in 1725, was one of the most notorious criminals of his age. His resemblance to the hero in Fielding's satire of the same name is general rather than particular. The real Jonathan (whose legitimate business was that of a buckle-maker) like Fielding, won his fame, not as a robber himself, but as an informer, and a receiver of stolen goods.

The ‘Voice of the Year’ competition introduced and sponsored by Naxos AudioBooks and The Times books pages, edited by Erica Wagner, took place in Spring 2004. Readers without any formal drama training or professional acting experience were invited to send in recordings of a short extract of either Dickens, Austen or from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and an own choice. The judging panel - Martin Jarvis, Juliet Stevenson, and Anton Lesser, with John Tydeman, David Timson, and Christina Hardyment....

Penguin Classics presents Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews, adapted for audio and available as a digital download as part of the Penguin English Library series. Read by the actor Sean Barrett. 'Kissing, Joseph, is but a prologue to a Play. Can I believe a young fellow of your Age and Complexion...

Often regarded as Fieldings first novel, History of the Life of the Late Mr. Jonathan Wild the Great was likely penned before his more well-known works like Shamela and Joseph Andrews. This sharp satire targets Robert Walpole, drawing an intriguing parallel between the notorious gang leader and highwayman Jonathan Wild. Fielding cleverly likens the Whig party in Parliament to a band of thieves led by Walpole, whose relentless ambition to be seen as a Great Man—a title he often claimed—ultimately leads to his ironic downfall being hanged. (Summary by Wikipedia)

An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews, commonly known as Shamela, is a biting satirical novel penned by Henry Fielding and first released in April 1741 under the pseudonym Mr. Conny Keyber. Although Fielding never officially claimed authorship, the work is widely attributed to him. This novel serves as a scathing critique of the then-cherished Pamela by Samuel Richardson, Fieldings literary rival. Presented in the epistolary format, Shamela reveals an astonishing twist on the life of Pamela Andrews, unraveling her true identity as Shamela—a cunning and immoral character intent on ...

In this delightful adaptation, we find Don Quixote and his loyal squire Sancho transported to the English countryside. At a quaint inn, the Knight of the Woeful Countenance encounters a host of eccentric characters, each as mad as he is. Join us for a whimsical journey filled with humor and adventure, as these beloved characters navigate the quirks of their new surroundings.

Embark on a memorable sailing voyage from England to Portugal in the mid-eighteenth century, as narrated by one of the eras leading humorists, satirists, novelists, and playwrights. This poignant work, recorded during the final chapter of his life, interweaves the authors declining health with the captivating details of his journey.

Tom is thrown out of his foster father's house for "crimes" that he didn't commit, and proceeds to have numerous bawdy adventures and fights, eventually finding that only his true love can save him from a life that could possibly end at the gallows.