Page 86 - DENG404_FICTION

Fiction

Notes 7.4 Joseph Andrews: Comic Epic in Prose

It is true that we can term “Joseph Andrews” as a ‘comic epic poem in prose’ because it has
almost all the prerequisites that are important for labeling it as a ‘comic epic poem in prose’.
Fielding himself termed it as a ‘comic epic poem in prose’ in the “Preface to Joseph Andrews”.
Fielding claimed that he was founding a new genre of writing but this was not entirely
accurate. There was a long tradition of such writing before him, though it was not completely
developed or established. According to Aristotle, Homer had produced a ‘comic epic in verse’
but again according to Aristotle verse is not the only criterion for poetry. Fielding has only
combined the ideal of ‘comic epic’ and the ‘prose epic’ to produce what he termed as ‘comic
epic poem in prose’.
An epic is a story of “a conspicuous man who falls from prosperity to adversity because of
his some error of judgment i.e. Hamartia. His death is, however, not essential. But his fall
arises a sense of pity and fear in us”. It also has heroic style and bombastic language. And a
comic epic is just reverse to it in most of its prerequisites except a few.
A heroic epic has a conspicuous hero, grand theme, and a continuous action, a journey to
underworld, wars, digressions, discovery, high seriousness, a high moral lesson and bombastic
diction in it and in “Joseph Andrews” there is an ordinary hero, a journey from one place to
another place, mock-wars, digressions, discovery, humour, a high moral and a bombastic
diction in it. So, it can be termed as a ‘comic epic poem in prose’. We can also call “Joseph
Andrews” as “The Odyssey on the road” because both the works, Homer’s “Odyssey” and
Fielding’s “Joseph Andrew” in the first place involve a journey. Like Odysseus, Joseph Andrews
after the displeasure of a lady, who is superior from him in position and power, sets out on
his way home and meets with many misfortunes on the way by the lady who has fallen in love
with him. So it would be fairly justified to call “Joseph Andrews” an “Odyssey on the road”.
Hence it is a ‘comic epic poem in prose’ as well.
Unlike a heroic epic, the hero of “Joseph Andrews” is an ordinary boy. He is a foot-man of
Lady Booby who has fallen in love with him. But Joseph is very innocent and virtuous.
Therefore, he leaves the service of the Lady and goes to meet his beloved Fanny. On the way
he has to face many hardships.

Task Write a note on comic epic poem in prose.

Though the action of the novel is not as great as the action of an epic yet it is enough to term
the novel a comic epic. Joseph sets out from London to Somersetshire to see Fanny. On the
way, Joseph crosses many roads, highways, country sides, stays at many inns and meets many
people; all this constitute a big action.
Through the journey of Joseph, Fielding satirizes the society of the day and ridicules them.
The corrupt and hypocritical clergy, Parson Trilluber and Parson Barnabas, individual like
Lady Booby and Mrs. Slipslop, the Squire of Fools and the Squire of False Promises have been
satirized.
The element of wars is very important in an epic and it is no exception in “Joseph Andrews”.
We see a war took place in an inn where Joseph was insulted by the host. Parson Adams was
annoyed and challenged the host. There started the first war between both the parties. Soon
Mrs. Slipslop and landlady also joined in the battle. There are many other epical elements in
the novel to call it a comic epic.
Another epic convention is the use of digression. There are two major digressions in “Joseph
Andrews”. There are, seemingly, irrelevant stories of Leonara and Mr. Wilson. Epic writers
considered them as embellishments. Fielding, however, makes the interpolations thematically
relevant. For, these are not irrelevant in reality.

80 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY