Aafaq 1

Muhammad Aafaq Imran

(0332-BH-ENG-2015)

Dr. Sajjad Ali Khan

December 18, 2017.

________________________________________________________________________

Hypocrisy and Deformity in the Character of Mrs. Slipslop in Joseph Andrews

Argument: This paper argues about hypocrisy as a psychological response to the physical

deformity in the character of Mrs. Slipslop in Joseph Andrews.

Proposal: Almost all the characters in the novel including Mrs. Slipslop are shown as flat

characters by Henry Fielding. He has fashioned them in such a way that they stay on the

same course even with the changing circumstances within the novel. So, the researcher

aims to examine one of the most negative characters in Joseph Andrews i.e. Mrs. Slipslop

who can be termed as an exemplar of hypocrisy and could be proved as not being a flat

character through the evidences in the text. The purpose of the researcher to write this

research essay is to justify Mrs. Slipslop’s hypocritical behavior i.e. a response of

frustration due to her physical and other deprivations in life.

 Aafaq 2

Defined as the incongruence in beliefs and feelings what one professes and what

one actually possesses, hypocrisy is one of the major themes of Joseph Andrews. There

are multitudes of hypocrisy in the novel but Mrs. Slipslop’s character stands out. Even

her name suggests her hypocritical nature. The significance of her name is completed by

adding the “sloppy” quality of her personal care to a “slip” in her behavior. Fielding

attacks violently against hypocrisy by using Mrs. Slipslop’s obnoxious appearance, as a

weapon put into relief by her recurrent changes of fidelity. Fielding argues in his preface

that hypocrisy equals to hiding your real nature in order to deceive. This is how,

hypocrisy becomes a psychological response to hide one’s true nature in the case of Mrs.

Slipslop which the researcher aims to ascertain.

Fielding deliberately designs the character of Mrs. Slipslop in such a way that her

moral profile surpasses her repulsive physical appearance. Fielding’s intention of

satirizing the ‘Affectation’ of character is marked by the ‘pseudo-rhetorical’ speech of

Mrs. Slipslop which shows her inferiority complex hidden in her grand choice of words.

It is in fact, an offshoot of her baseless vanity and hypocrisy. An example of her mock-

heroic style of speech can be observed in this excerpt from the novel,

If we like a man, the lightest hint sophisticates whereas a boy proposes

upon us to break through all the regulations of modesty, before we can

make any oppression upon him'. Joseph, who did not understand a word

she said, answered: 'Yes, Madam.' 'Yes, Madam!' replied Mrs. Slipslop

with some warmth, 'Do you intend to result me passion? ... Barbarous

monster! How have I deserved that my passion should be resulted and

treated with ironing? (Fielding. 15)

 Aafaq 3

According to a critic, Claude Rawson,

the incidents are ill laid...but the characters have a great deal of nature,

which always pleases even in her lowest shapes. Parson Adams is

perfectly well – so is Mrs. Slipslop’. It is also true that the understanding

of ‘character’ here does not have a subtle, extended, Jamesian depth, but is

derived from the principle Fielding learned in comic drama, that selfhood

has to be quickly recognizable and not subject to much change or

development.

Fielding ridiculed the character of Mrs. Slipslop to invoke a sense of humor in his

mock-epic poem in prose. Whereas, the critic is of the view that the character of Mrs.

Slipslop is not established much and is a flat character. But the researcher disagrees with

the critic and sees her character in the light of formalism. According to the researcher, the

‘physical deformity’ in the character of Mrs. Slipslop gains the sympathy of the reader,

engaging him to see the real reason behind her demeanor. Therefore, in the content of

formalism and reader-response theory, which argues in the words of Wolfgang Iser, who

spoke of it as gaps or blanks that the reader is required to fill in by means of implication,

reason, fantasy and so on (Herman 35), the researcher can analogize that in this particular

context, many readers do sympathize with Slipslop and render her nuisance to her

circumstances.

Hypocrisy and Deformity in the Character of Mrs. Slipslop in Joseph Andrews

Mrs. Slipslop was 45 years of age and a maiden gentlewoman of Lady Booby.

Fielding gives quite substantial description over her appearance,

 Aafaq 4

She was not at this time remarkably handsome; being very short, and

rather too corpulent in body, and somewhat red, with the addition of

pimples in the face. Her nose was likewise rather too large, and her eyes

too little; nor did she resemble a cow so much in her breath as in two

brown globes which she carried before her; one of her little legs was also a

little shorter than the other, which occasioned her to limp as she walked.

(Fielding. 21)

It is quite clear that Fielding deliberately gives Mrs. Slipslop, such an ugly outlook that

may be a reflection of her equally abhorrent and abominable nature.

The egoistic attitude of Mrs. Slipslop is a marker of her hypocritical nature.

Vanity and hypocrisy are both very closely associated with each other. She is not devoid

of vanity too. She is shown to be the daughter of a curate and owing to her knowledge in

theology, she likes to engage in arguments with Parson Adams regarding theology. But

she has a too high opinion of herself and condescends upon Parson Adams because he

had not been to London as much as she has been there. She uses ‘hard words’ to confuse

the parson about what she was saying (p. 15). She was more concerned about winning the

argument rather than learning what religion had in store for her, which happens to be

completely unscholarly. Her vanity over her theological knowledge proves her hypocrisy

as pride is one of the deadliest of sins.

Pretentiousness is the signature trait of Mrs. Slipslop. Behind the facade of a

chaste and kind lady, she is a nasty and voracious woman with an insatiable lust.

Although she had been practicing celibacy, but had secretly developed feelings for

Joseph which were based entirely on lust and not love. “She started cajoling Joseph by
 Aafaq 5

presenting him tea, sweetmeats, wine and many other delicacies from time to time in

order to fulfill her wicked desires of making love with him.” (p. 21)

Fielding exposes the hypocritical nature of Mrs. Slipslop in the scene when she

invites Joseph for a glass of wine. There she inquires him of why had not he returned her

passions for him? But gets frustrated and furious to hear that Joseph never thought that

way and he considers her as his mother. At this point, Slipslop under the influence of her

wild passions gets out of control. Fielding describes the scene like, “Mrs. Slipslop

prepares to lay her violent amorous hands on the poor Joseph” (p. 23). Her wicked sexual

desires are the mere reason for her compassion with Joseph. Her (so called) love for

Joseph is completely physical in nature and lacks spirituality in it. The reality of lust is

adorned with the mask of compassion.

Fielding gradually reveals the true villain inside the character of Mrs. Slipslop.

After receiving a disappointing and cold response from Joseph, she plots a horrifying

plan against him. She accuses Joseph of having an affair with Betty. Mrs. Slipslop says to

Lady Booby that:

O madam! He is so lewd a rascal, that if your ladyship keeps him much

longer you will not have one virgin in your house except myself. And yet I

can’t conceive what the wenches see in him, to be as foolishly fond as

they are; in my eyes he is as ugly a scarecrow as I ever upheld. (p. 24)

Later in the novel, we see Mrs. Slipslop uttering these words, “I assure you, I look upon

myself as his betters. I am no meat for a footman”. (p. 246)

 Aafaq 6

One can clearly see the hypocrisy of the nature of Mrs. Slipslop here. Being

herself a malevolent and lewd character lady, she accuses poor Joseph and pretends

herself to be all pure and chaste. She calls Joseph ugly to show her lack of interest in him,

while the case was completely otherwise. And later, denies of having any feeling for

Joseph.

Hypocrisy is innate in Mrs. Slipslop. She says things in front of someone to please

them but as soon as they get out of sight, blurts her actual thoughts out about them. One

can easily comment upon her to be a witch who, on one hand, appears to be gentle and

kind shown outwardly to the world and on the other is, evil.

Mrs. Slipslop’s attitude towards Lady Booby is also hypocritical. She pretends to

be sober and respectful in front of her but calls her names (called her ‘a mad woman’) in

front of Parson Adams while having a dialogue with him at the inn (p. 84). It shows that

Mrs. Slipslop was true to no one except herself.

The hypocrisy of Mrs. Slipslop can also be seen at another instant in the novel,

when Lady Booby asks her opinion about Pamela and Fanny. Mrs. Slipslop addresses

both of them with extremely harsh words, just to please her ladyship (p. 259). Mrs.

Slipslop keeps changing her statements throughout the course of the novel. She rarely

expresses what she actually thinks, most of the time she just replies what the next person

wants to hear. “You’re always an echo”, Lady Booby said in order to acknowledge her

thoughts. (p. 260). It signifies that Mrs. Slipslop says what she thinks would please her

mistress.
 Aafaq 7

The last scene of hypocrisy is seen by Mrs. Slipslop when Beau Diddaper

accidently enters her room in place of Fanny. Although Mrs. Slipslop has been craving

for physical intimacy since long but she conceives it as a chance to restore her mistress’s

opinion about her impregnable chastity. So she gets hold of Beau’s sleeve and starts

shouting violently as to portray herself as a rape victim. (p. 293)

Fielding, himself, comments about his characters in his novel that all of these

characters are not individuals rather they are representative of a species. Mrs. Slipslop is

the representation of all those who like to live under a false image, people who never

reveal their true self because it is so hideous and malicious in nature. Throughout the

novel we observe a sharp contrast in what Mrs. Slipslop says and what she does. There is

rarely any conformity found in her actions and her words. Moreover, she keeps changing

and altering her statements with the changing circumstances. So, the researcher is

successful in proving that the physical deformity and its frustration of not having a

normal life as a psychological turbulence leads Mrs. Slipslop towards hypocrisy and also

establishing her as not a flat character because of her changing attitudes and allegiances.
 Aafaq 8

Works Cited

 Fielding, Henry. Joseph Andrews. London: Pan Books, 1742. Print.

 Azevedo, Mail Marques De. “Dynamics of Characterization in Joseph Andrews.

http://revistas.ufpr.br. N.p., July 2002. Web. 19 Dec. 2017

 Rapaport, Herman. The Literary Theory Toolkit: A Compendium of Concepts and

Methods. Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com. Wiley-

Blackwell, 27 May 2011. Web. 19 Dec. 2017

 Baines, Paul. “Joseph Andrews.” Ed. Claude Rawson. The Cambridge

Companion to Henry Fielding. New York: Cambridge UP, 2007. 50. Print.