Themes of Joseph Andrews and Modern Times
Janet and I are both English majors. While my personal concentration is not type-specific, I enjoyed examining the theme of Joseph Andrews. I enjoyed elaborating on them and making them reader friendly below. However, Janet has a concentration in film. All semester she has been enthusiastic about her film courses and what she has learned. Our page below combines our love of English and Janet’s personal conviction to film.
Recurring Themes in Joseph Andrews
- Reality versus Appearance: What should be considered evidence?
- Throughout the novel, Joseph Andrews and the other characters struggle with the idea of how exactly they know what they know. The line between face and fiction becomes very blurred, making the two seemingly interchangeable.
- Examples:
- The Story of Lennard and Paul
- Who knows what is best for Joseph Andrews- a surgeon or a clergyman?
- The truth behind the thief’s escape
- Parson Adams cannot understand Latin?
- Histories versus Biographies
- Mr. Wilson’s version of his own life
- Vanity: How damaging are the effects of pride?
- Parson Adams particularly exhibits vanity throughout the novel. It is demonstrated through his belief of his extension amount of knowledge. It is by this knowledge that he judges others, and is judged.
- Examples:
- The surgeon versus the clergyman can also be seen as an example of vanity in Chapter 16 of Book 1. Both men are see themselves as knowing what is best for Joseph Andrews. They are vain and cannot see past their own reflection.
- Adams believes that he is superior to those that lack his knowledge, especially in Chapter 17 of Book 2. He advocates reading and learning as the necessities of life, while in the end his words are thrown back in his face by the in-keeper. The in-keeper states that the one thing that can be told about a man by his face is whether or not he has small pox.
- In Chapter 2 of Book 3, Adams is tested by Mr. Wilson on his knowledge of the classics. Like other prior instances, this only adds to Adams’ inflated ego when he passes Mr. Wilson’s test. Not only does Adams pass, but he also impresses.
- Only the very best for Adams! In Chapter 5 of Book 3, Adams expresses his preference of private education. When Joseph Andrews disputes the need for tutors, Adams becomes quite defensive due to his vanity.
- Adams is completely vain concerning his sermon on vanity.
- Chastity: Important or not?
- Joseph Andrews is so eager to marry Fanny, but is love the sole reason or is he looking forward to the consummation?
- Examples:
- Is chastity necessary or is it simple a blurred, secretive line? Book 1 ends with the maid, Betty, caught in bed with a married man. The man simple remarks that his wife will remind him of the affair every single day. Seems like the consequences of the affair are merely an annoyance.
- It is made known in primary introductions and throughout the novel that Joseph is Fanny’s “true love”. True love is supposed to change a person entirely and shake one’s core. True Love? Really?
- In the nude Joseph Andrews in not allowed in the carriage. I suppose chastity is somewhat important since it was so utterly inappropriate for a man without clothing to be in the presence of women.
- Joseph and Fanny are related? Good thing they waited.
- Mrs. Slipslop’s “rape”
- Joseph finds Parson in bed with Fanny. Horrifying, though nothing happened!
- Throughout the novel, Fanny wants to for marriage to be intimate with Joseph. It is important to her, therefore it is important to him. However, is this sincere?
The Prominent Themes in Joseph Andrews Displayed Today: Hitting Box Offices
It is convenient to compare themes of novels to movies of today. It helps better visualize the situations described in writing.
The themes of Joseph Andrews are not only recurrent in the novel but are seen in works of today, especially in film. However, since the themes in Joseph Andrews are not obscure they can most definitely be seen in more works than the ones listed below. Below though are current works that especially highlight the themes of the novel. To understand the novel, it is important to not only see examples throughout the work but to be able to compare them to modern works. Film is a medium through which these themes are be easily defined. To fully understand Joseph Andrews, one must look at the bigger picture- and what is bigger than something projected on the silver screen.
- Theme of Evidence
- The theme of evidence is quite prevalent throughout motion pictures today. Just like the novel Joseph Andrews by Fielding, these movies deal with trying to figure out what is reality based on facts that are presented to them. The question is whether or not to believe the tangible evidence or their own intuitions.
- Citizen Kane
- The opening scene of this movie is Charles Foster Kane speaking the word “Rosebud”. The viewers wonder, what is Rosebud and what its significance is. The whole movie then deals with this issue and tries to find enough evidence to form a conclusion.
- The question of evidence in this film directly connects to the theme of evidence in Joseph Andrews. There are many examples, like the one’s listed above, that show how the characters relied upon evidence. These examples exercised the point that Fielding made through his section on the difference between histories and biographies. Fielding’s point was that histories are simply just someone’s version of the truth. The evidence that the characters in the novel used to determine truth, was it really truthful? During Citizen Kane was the evidence picked up really truthful? How does one determine the difference between fact and fiction?
- The opening scene of this movie is Charles Foster Kane speaking the word “Rosebud”. The viewers wonder, what is Rosebud and what its significance is. The whole movie then deals with this issue and tries to find enough evidence to form a conclusion.
- Citizen Kane
- The theme of evidence is quite prevalent throughout motion pictures today. Just like the novel Joseph Andrews by Fielding, these movies deal with trying to figure out what is reality based on facts that are presented to them. The question is whether or not to believe the tangible evidence or their own intuitions.
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| Picture from cinepad.com |
- Watch a clip of “Citizen Kane” at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jipboWI9uiE
- Premonition
- Linda Hanson’s husband dies in a car accident one day, then wakes up the next morning to find him alive and well sleeping next to her. Then the next day, he’s dead again. She struggles to figure out what reality is. Throughout the film she fights to gather enough evidence to decide whether or not her husband is actually dead.
- Similarly Joseph searches for answers. Who is he? Are he and Fanny truly related? Other characters in Joseph Andrews also search for answers. These answers lead them to define themselves and others. Evidence is key in both Premonition and Joseph Andrews. See other examples of the theme of evidence in Joseph Andrews above.
- Linda Hanson’s husband dies in a car accident one day, then wakes up the next morning to find him alive and well sleeping next to her. Then the next day, he’s dead again. She struggles to figure out what reality is. Throughout the film she fights to gather enough evidence to decide whether or not her husband is actually dead.
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| Premonition Movie Poster: yingxiang.org |
- Watch a clip of “Premonition” at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PfY_1wMfLo
- Theme of Vanity
- The definition of Vanity, according to Dictionary.com, is excessive pride in ones appearance, qualities, abilities and achievements.
- Mean Girls
- This movie is about a group of girls in high school who consider themselves social royalty. All the boys love them and all the girls want to be like them. The group extends their “friendship” to the new girl in school, Cady Heron; Cady is asked to join them. However, Cady’s goal is to deflate their egos. She does this by effecting their body image (such as gaining weight), clothing and reputation at school. It is clear that this clique is vain.
- This is similar to Parson Adams in Joseph Andrews. Though he is not vain concerning his looks, he is vain in terms of his intelligence. He willingly would put someone down to make himself more intelligent. He puts down those who do no advocate private tutoring and those who are not as intelligent as he is. Also, Adams has a sermon on the subject of vanity, but it completely vain about the sermon. See other examples of the theme of vanity in Joseph Andrews above.
- Watch a clip of “Mean Girls” at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0JPZiGInbg
- Mean Girls
- The definition of Vanity, according to Dictionary.com, is excessive pride in ones appearance, qualities, abilities and achievements.
- Theme of Chastity
- The theme of chastity is also shown in many movies. It relays the importance of finding ones true love. This theme is prevalent in the novel Joseph Andrews because he feels that Fanny is his one true love.
- Robin Hood Men in Tights
- This movie is a spoof of “Robin Hood”. The plot is still the same, therefore Robin Hood still tries to woo Maid Marion. However, the switch comes when the story begins to revolve around Maid Marion trying to find her one true love. This is established by her wearing a chastity belt that only her true love has the key to open.
- This relates to Joseph Andrews because Joseph loves Fanny and feels she is his one true love, but this shows that there’s more to love than just the physical aspect.
- This example explores the theme of chastity in Robin Hood Men in Tights. Couldn’t you imagine a similar dialogue in Joseph Andrews?
- Robin Hood: Oh, my darling, I’m ready for that kiss now.
- Maid Marian: But first, I must warn you. It could only be a kiss. For I am a virgin and could never… go all the way.
- Robin Hood: But…
- Maid Marian: Unless I were married. Or if a man pledged his endless love to me.
- Robin Hood: Yes.
- Maid Marian: Or if I knew that he desperately cared for me
- This movie is a spoof of “Robin Hood”. The plot is still the same, therefore Robin Hood still tries to woo Maid Marion. However, the switch comes when the story begins to revolve around Maid Marion trying to find her one true love. This is established by her wearing a chastity belt that only her true love has the key to open.
- Robin Hood Men in Tights
- The theme of chastity is also shown in many movies. It relays the importance of finding ones true love. This theme is prevalent in the novel Joseph Andrews because he feels that Fanny is his one true love.
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| Robin and Maid Marian.. before pre-marital sex was a concern from answers.com |
- 40 Year Old Virgin
- This movie is about a man, Andy Stitzer, who is 40 years old and has never slept with a woman. Andy hasn’t found that special woman yet in his life to have sexual relations with, so he decides to wait. His friends are utterly perplexed by this scenario and pressure him to sleep with random women. However it is important to Andy to have sex with somebody he actually cares about and loves.
- Chastity is one of the most important issues in this film. In Joseph Andrews, Chastity is a recurrent theme. Joseph and Fanny have the desire to be sexual with one another, but they want to wait for marriage. In their relationship, chastity is very important. Fanny and Joseph want to wait for marriage, yet Andy is merely waiting for love and the right woman. Andy sounds a bit more sincere. See other examples of the theme of chastity in Joseph Andrews above.
- This movie is about a man, Andy Stitzer, who is 40 years old and has never slept with a woman. Andy hasn’t found that special woman yet in his life to have sexual relations with, so he decides to wait. His friends are utterly perplexed by this scenario and pressure him to sleep with random women. However it is important to Andy to have sex with somebody he actually cares about and loves.
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| Movie Poster from about.com |
Works Cited:
yingxiang.org: http://yingxiang.org/howie/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/premonition-one-sheet.jpg
dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Vanity
The Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107977/quotes
Cinepad.com: http://www.cinepad.com/images/rosebud.jpg
Answers.com: http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/4/48/180px-Robin_Hood_and_Maid_Marian.JPG
About.com: movies.about.com
