Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding

First published: 1742, as The History of the Adventures of Joseph Andrews, and of His Friend Mr. Abraham Adams

Type of work: Novel

Type of plot: Social realism

Time of plot: Early eighteenth century

Locale: England

Principal Characters

• Joseph Andrews, a footman to Lady Booby
• Pamela Andrews, his sister and the wife of Squire Booby
• Lady Booby, Squire Booby’s aunt
• Fanny, Joseph’s sweetheart
• Mrs. Slipslop, Lady Booby’s maid
• Parson Adams, the parson of Booby parish and a friend of Joseph Andrews

The Story

For ten or eleven years, Joseph Andrews was in the service of Sir Thomas Booby, the uncle of Squire Booby, who was married to the virtuous Pamela, Joseph’s sister. When Lord Booby dies, Joseph at first remains in the employ of Lady Booby as her footman. This lady, much older than her twenty-one-year-old servant and apparently little disturbed by her husband’s death, is attracted to the pleasant-mannered, handsome young man. Joseph, however, is as virtuous as his famous sister, and when Lady Booby’s advances become such that even his innocence can no longer overlook their true nature, he is as firm in resisting her as Pamela was in restraining Squire Booby. The lady is insulted and discharges Joseph on the spot, despite the protests of Mrs. Slipslop, her maid, who is herself attracted to the young man.

With very little money and even fewer prospects, Joseph sets out from London to Somersetshire to see his sweetheart, Fanny, for whose sake he holds firm against Lady Booby’s advances. On the first night of his journey, Joseph is attacked by robbers, who steal his money, beat him soundly, and leave him lying naked and half dead in a ditch. A passing coach stops when the passengers hear his cries, and he is taken to a nearby inn.

Joseph is well cared for until the innkeeper’s wife discovers that he is penniless. He is recognized, however, by a visitor at the inn, his old tutor and preceptor, Parson Adams, who is on his way to London to sell a collection of his sermons. He pays Joseph’s bill out of his own meager savings; then, discovering that in his absentmindedness he forgot to bring the sermons with him, he decides to accompany Joseph back to Somersetshire.

They start out, alternately on foot and on the parson’s horse. Fortunately, Mrs. Slipslop overtakes them in a coach on her way to Lady Booby’s country place. She accommodates the parson in the coach while Joseph rides the horse. The inn at which they stop next has an innkeeper who gauges his courtesy according to the appearance of his guests. When he insults Joseph, Parson Adams, despite his clerical cassock, challenges the host, and a fistfight follows that extends to a tussle between the host and Mrs. Slipslop. When the battle finally ends, Parson Adams comes off looking the bloodiest, since in her excitement the host doused him with a pail of hog’s blood.

The journey continues, this time with Joseph in the coach and the parson on foot, for with typical forgetfulness the good man left his horse behind. Nevertheless, because he walks rapidly and the coach moves slowly, he easily outdistances his friends. While he is resting on his journey, he hears a woman shriek. Running to her rescue, he discovers a young woman being cruelly attacked by a burly fellow. The parson belabors the attacker with such violence that he fells him. As a group of fox hunters rides up, the ruffian rises from the ground and accuses Parson Adams and the woman of being conspirators in an attempt to rob him. The parson and the woman are quickly taken prisoners and led off to the sheriff. On the way, the parson discovers that the young woman he aided is Fanny. Having heard of Joseph’s unhappy dismissal from Lady Booby’s service, she was on her way to London to help him when she was so cruelly molested.

After some uncomfortable moments before the judge, the parson is recognized by an onlooker, and both he and Fanny are released. Upon going to the inn where Mrs. Slipslop and Joseph are staying, Joseph and Fanny are overjoyed to see each other. Mrs. Slipslop is displeased to see Joseph’s display of affection for another woman and drives off in the coach, leaving Parson Adams and the young lovers behind.

None of the three has any money to pay the bill at the inn. With indomitable optimism, Parson Adams goes to visit the clergyman of the parish to borrow the money, but he is unsuccessful. Finally, a poor peddler at the inn gives them every penny he has, which is just enough to cover the bill. They continue their trip on foot, stopping at another inn where the host is more courteous than any they have met and more understanding about their financial difficulties. Still farther on their journey, they come across a secluded house at which they are asked to stop and rest. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are a charming couple who give their guests a warm welcome. Mr. Wilson entertains the parson with the story of his life, telling them that in his youth he was attracted by the vanity of London life, squandered his money on foppish clothes, gambling, and drinking, and eventually was imprisoned for debt. He was rescued from this situation by the kindly cousin whom he later married. The two retired from London to this quiet country home. They have two lovely children and their only sorrow, but that a deep one, is that a third child, a boy with a strawberry mark on his shoulder, was stolen by Gypsies and was never heard of again.

After a pleasant visit with the kindly family, the travelers set out again. Their adventures are far from over. Parson Adams suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a hare hunt, with the hounds inclined to mistake him for the hare. Their master goads on the dogs, but Joseph and the parson are victorious in the battle. They find themselves face-to-face with an angry squire and his followers; but when the squire catches sight of the lovely Fanny, his anger softens, and he invites the three to dine.

Supper is a trying affair for the parson, who is made the butt of many practical jokes. Finally, the three travelers leave the house in great anger and go to an inn. In the middle of the night, some of the squire’s men arrive, overcome Joseph and the parson, and abduct Fanny. An old acquaintance of Fanny, Peter Pounce, meets the party of kidnappers, however, and rescues Fanny.

The rest of the journey is relatively uneventful, but when they arrive home further difficulties arise. Joseph and Fanny stay at the parsonage and wait eagerly for their wedding banns to be published. Lady Booby also arrives in the parish, the seat of her summer home. Still in love with Joseph, she exerts every pressure of position and wealth to prevent the marriage. She even has Fanny and Joseph arrested. At this point, however, Squire Booby and his wife Pamela arrive. Booby insists on accepting his wife’s relatives as his own, even though they are of a lower station, and Joseph and Fanny are quickly released from custody.

All manner of arguments are presented by Pamela, her husband, and Lady Booby in their attempts to turn Joseph aside from his intention of marrying Fanny. Her lowly birth makes a difference to their minds, now that Pamela made a good match and Joseph was received by the Boobys. Further complications arise when a traveling peddler reveals that Fanny, whose parentage until then was unknown, is the sister of Pamela. Mr. and Mrs. Andrews are summoned at this disclosure, and Mrs. Andrews describes how, while Fanny was still a baby, Gypsies stole the child and left behind them a sickly little boy she brought up as her own. Now it appears that Joseph is the foundling. A strawberry mark on Joseph’s chest, however, soon establishes his identity. He is the son of the kindly Wilsons. Both lovers being now secure in their social positions, nothing further can prevent their marriage, which takes place soon afterward to the happiness of all concerned.

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