第七章 5 Samuel Johnson and Henry Fielding.ppt

II. Fielding’s ideas relating to fiction 1. The definition of the novel as a genre 2. The fictional nature of the novel 3. The formal features of fiction 4. Characterization 5. The qualifications of a novelist 1. The definition of the novel as a genre Henry Fielding’s definition is the first attempt to define the novel as a prose epic (“Prosai-comic-epic Writing” as he calls it) that is not inferior to an epic poem. A novel is comic but not grotesque with its lively and funny plot, its vulgar and crude common characters, and its humorous mood. It is representation of real life. 2. The fictional nature of the novel Fielding sees the novel as a vehicle for moral inculcation, a mirror and an imitation of nature and life. All the characters and eventsshould come from the author’s observations and experience. Truthfulness includes probability and invariability in representing the reality of human nature and the inner world of man. His emphasis on psychic reality has contributed well to the growth of psychological realism. Within the frame of probability, Fielding encourages the depiction of the extraordinary and disapproves of total copying, thus making distinction between artistic reality and real life. 3. The formal features of fiction He emphasized sequential movement, priority and probability. 1) The author-narrator is like a God figure, planning, creating, and manipulating as he pleases, and the story as an organic whole moves sequentially from the beginning to the middle to the end. 2) Priority should be given to important scenes and events, and plots must be made probable by the coherent actions and personalities of the characters. 4. Characterization Fielding sees it as important for portraying real people and true human nature which is a mixture of good and evil, and for describing types and archetypes to reveal universal human characteristics. He touches upon the possible differences that exist between individuals and insists on their individuality. He attach