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Unit 2: Joseph Andrews-I: Detailed Study of the Text

Chapter IV Notes
In London, Joey falls under the influence of the big-city footmen, who succeed in getting him
to change his hair but fail to make him pick up any of their vices. He spends most of his free
time on music, about which subject he becomes very learned. He becomes less obviously
devoted to his religion, but “his Morals remained entirely uncorrupted.” Lady Booby now
flirts incessantly with him and seeks opportunities of leaning on his arm when he accompanies
her on her walks. Other ladies in town begin to gossip about Lady Booby and her footman.
The footman himself remains oblivious to the gossip and to his lady’s intentions, and Lady
Booby finds that his restraint makes him even more attractive.

Chapter V

Sir Thomas Booby dies, and Lady Booby accordingly confines herself to her room, ostensibly
to mourn his passing but really to play cards. On the seventh day of her “mourning” she sends
for Joey and hints around at her amorous intentions. When he does not catch her drift, she
“accidentally” exposes her neck but fails to produce the desired result. When Lady Booby
pretends to worry whether it is safe for her to be alone in her bedroom with Joey, he vows
that he would “rather die a thousand Deaths” than commit any sexual transgression. Lady
Booby finally dismisses him in frustration.

Chapter VI

Joseph writes a letter to his sister Pamela, reporting on the strange behavior of Lady Booby
since the death of Sir Thomas. He attributes her baffling conduct to grief over the loss of her
husband, despite the fact that he always thought that they did not like each other. He then
recounts the incident in Lady Booby’s bedroom, remarking that “if it had not been so great a
Lady, I should have thought she had had a mind to me.” Joseph anticipates losing his place
soon because of this falling-out, and in any case he does not wish to remain in her employ if
she is going to continue to be psychologically unstable.
After finishing this letter, Joseph walks downstairs and comes upon the hideous Mrs. Slipslop,
whose physical person Fielding describes in some detail. Like her mistress, Mrs. Slipslop is
strongly attracted to Joseph, and she has tried in the past to entice him with “Tea, Sweetmeats,
Wine, and many other Delicacies.” Now Joseph accepts her offer of a glass of cordial, and they
sit down together for a chat. Mrs. Slipslop suggest that Joseph has been ungrateful in failing
to return her affections; Joseph denies this charge, angering Mrs. Slipslop, who springs at him
with the intention of satisfying her lust and wrath.

Notes Lady Booby rings the bell, however, in time to deliver Joseph from the clutches of
the waiting-gentlewoman.

2.1.1 Analysis

The Preface makes clear that while Fielding’s outlook is undoubtedly comic; his comic writing
nevertheless has a serious point. Fielding rejects the genre of conventional romance because
it contains “very little instruction or entertainment,” whereas Fielding’s twofold goal is precisely
to instruct and entertain. The notion that good art is “utile et dulce,” both useful and sweet,
educational and enjoyable, comes from the Roman poet Horace, an authoritative source of
classical thinking on the purposes of art. Fielding makes ironic reference to Horace in Chapter

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