❖Irony in Joseph Andrews❖

Irony is a linguistic device or form of humour that takes its effect from stating
the opposite of what is intended: it may be verbal, situational, or dramatic. Henry
Fielding is also famous for the use of Irony in his novels. But Fielding's irony is different
from Swift's irony. Here irony is healthy and constructive and not destructive. In
comparison with Swift's, his irony: is less intellectual, more muscular, less subtly
integrated, more vehement, proceeding less from a profound inner organization of mind
more from the feel of practical reformer.

Fielding never thought that novel was merely a source of entertainment. He

considered it a very serious form of literature which can be used to renovate the
corrupted society so he used it with ironical touches. In the novels, his special targets of
irony are the selfish uncharitable hypocritical people and also those who exercise
arbitrary powers. Walter Allen has rightly observed:

"This whole hearted acceptance of life is nowhere more

apparent than in the irony with which his mind is pervaded."

It is his great weapon against pretence, vanity, hypocrisy and inhumanity.

Nakedness as exposure of inner-self: Fielding criticizes vanity and hypocrisy

whenever he comes across them. In this novel, he tries to expose various sections of
society and holds mirror before society to look its true face. With him nakedness is one
of the important themes of the novel through which Fielding succeeds in achieving his
purpose. We find almost all major characters in naked condition, for example Lady
booby, Parson Adams and Joseph Andrews. The first instance of nakedness in the novel
is that of Lady Booby, when she reveals her white neck to Joseph, it is the visual
revelation of the naked just she can scarcely conceal. When Joseph is dismissed from his
services, we are clearly told that he has been stripped off his livery. This is symbolic of
the fact that he has left the role he was supposed to play at Lady booby's, and now
returns to his own world. Then we see Joseph stripped off by highway man who assaults
him and leaves him for dead. In this case the nakedness emphasizes not so much
innocence as the starkest image of need for Christian charity but no passenger though
all Christian, wants to help him. Towards the end of the novel, Adams appears in a night
shirt, and his nakedness reveals his worth. He enters Fanny's bed by mistake but goes to
sleep without even knowing who is there in the bed. By using this method, Fielding
ironically takes off the mask of the hypocrite people and exposes their base facts.

Mild and Human: Irony in Joseph Andrews is vastly mild and human. It is never
barbed with poison. Such irony can be found when he points out cowardice of a patriot.
Adams comes across a patriot who condemns all cowards and declares that who cannot
sacrifice his life for the sake of his country deserves to be hanged. But when they hear
the shrieks of a lady, this patriot turns pale and runs away. Generally, women are

1 Edit & Compossed by Saeed Qureshi, M.Arif MA English-2 Govt. College Civil Lines Multan
 ❖Irony in Joseph Andrews❖
considered to be sensitive and tender hearted, but here we find a lady in the coach who
initially desires the coach to be stopped, is too decent to stand the sight of a naked man,
but does not mind the man to be left behind to die. Here Fielding gives a brilliant
example of social satire through ironical exposure. Again the remarks of Mrs. Tow-
Wouse are very important when betty asks her for a shirt of Mr. Tow-Wouse, so that she
could take it to Joseph: She says:

"Common charity teaches us to provide for ourselves

and our families, and I won't be ruined by your charity."

It is also a deep satire on that society in which Fielding lived and which was considered a
high class society.

Exposure of Professional Dishonesty: He also criticizes the professional

dishonesty of the countrymen. By looking at the picture of a surgeon, we come to know
that even the medical profession was not free from such evil. There is a surgeon in the
inn who claims that he carries with him Galan and Hippocrates (names of two great
physicians). Most probably he has not even read Galan and Hippocrates. He is so selfish
and greedy that he refuses to leave his bed to attend to Joseph's wounds since he
cannot pay the fee. To keep in view the religious virtues; Fielding criticizes the rich and
respectable people of his time. The rich people pretend to be religious and pious but
actually they are not. For example, Lady Booby and Mrs. Slipslop are apparently
respectable but inwardly corrupt. Both of them try to ensnare and seduce Joseph under
the veil of respectability and vanity. Nothing escapes from the grip of Fielding's irony,
ecclesiastical characters. He criticizes the general behavior of the clergymen that they
are woefully ignorant. They are as corrupt, mean and materialistic in their daily life as of
any man of the world. Parson Trulliber's chief interest is his hogs. When Parson Adams
meets him, he mistakes him for a pig-dealer and pushes him into the pigsty to handle his
hogs. There is no remorse even when he discovers his reality, he is such a miser that he
does not help another clergyman in the time of need. Fielding gives the order to enjoy
the comforts of life. Parson Barnabas is also interested in his drinks than performing his
religious duties. Irony can be found in many cases which shows the wide gulf between
the poor and the rich. Fielding's strategy is frontal and conceived in daylight , and it is
not recondite (hard to understand) and ambiguous. Other great ironists like Swift,
Gibbon, Butler and Shaw invite a reader to realize his own assessment of mind. On the
other hand, Fielding's art is reverse in this fashion. He is not writing for a very
experienced audience, but for the 18th century "Common Man".

We may conclude the discussion with A.R. Humphrey's remark:

"Fielding's irony illuminates the whole temper of his mind,
and a superb felicitousness (apt expression) of detail."

2 Edit & Compossed by Saeed Qureshi, M.Arif MA English-2 Govt. College Civil Lines Multan