Joseph Andrews as A Social Satire
A satire is a humorous or witty exposure of the follies, absurdities, and vices of individual
human beings, or of a particular segment of society, or of the society of a particular period of
time, or of mankind in general.
Fielding’s brilliant novel Joseph Andrews is an amazing summarization of the 18th century
English social life and manners. It mirrors with realism and the blemishes of mankind in its true
face. The novel, in gross, is a satire on the moral and social ills that were there in 18th century
English society. In this novel we are confronted with a chameleonic society that frequently
changes its appearance to satisfy personal lusts of various kinds. The social life portrayed by
Fielding can be seen through every angle of that society. The novel depicts human
beings camouflaged in various shades of vanity and hypocrisy. Here, Fielding becomes a
spokesman of his age and comes out strongly against the affected behavior of that so-called
respectable society. The reader becomes a witness of characters who have a life of their own,
but it is the essence of humanity through Fielding’s own vision. It is presented to us through the
lines:
“I describe not men, but manners, not an individual, but species”.
Fielding's exploration begins with his survey on the nature and temperament of women of his
time. According to him women of all classes were snobbish and lustful to some extent. The
passion of women is reflected at its best through the representatives like Lady Booby, Mrs.
Slipslop and Betty. Lady Booby feels greatly attracted by Joseph’s manliness and personality and
seeks to evoke his sexual response to satisfy her sensual appetite. Mrs. Slipslop also follows her
mistress’ path and tries to win Joseph as a lover. Even Betty falls in love with Joseph and seeks
in vain, to have sexual gratification from him. All these amorous intentions show a fair picture
of the immoral side of the 18th century women.
The society that Fielding portrays in Joseph Andrews is extremely inhuman, cold-hearted,
indifferent, uncharitable and egotistical. The insensitive hardness of this society is clearly
exposed in the stage-coach scene in which we find inhuman stubbornness. When Postilion tells
the Coachman that someone is groaning within a ditch, he bids the Postilion to "Go on, Sirrah,
we are confounded late”. Then there is a lady who reacts in a hateful manner, when Postilion
relates Joseph’s nakedness: "O Jesus, a naked Man! Dear Coachman, drive on and leave
him". Thus both the coachman and the lady decide to leave Joseph to his own lot, the
coachman because he is behind schedule, and the lady because she cannot tolerate the idea of
aiding a naked man. Seeing the gentlemen, Joseph appeals to them and details the
circumstances of his situation, upon which an old gentleman cries: "Robbed! Let us make all
the haste imaginable, or we shall be robbed too", showing again a similar willingness as the
others have displayed to abandon Joseph. In addition, the other gentleman, who studies law,
deems that they should not abandon Joseph at all, although for contemptible reasons. Although
he agrees with the rest that "he wished they had passed by without taking any notice”, his
final conclusion is that they would be held accountable for murder if Joseph died in that
situation and he therefore thought “it advisable to save the poor creature's life, for their own
sakes”. Although Joseph required clothing to fight against the cold in that weak state, both the
lawyer and the older gentlemen do not patronize to grant him any assistance. The coachman
also declines, in spite of his two large coats, because of fears that “they should be made
bloody". At last, it is the Postilion, "a lad who hath been since transported for robbing a hen-
roost, voluntarily strips off a great coat, his only garment" and swore that he would rather
remain in a shirt than "suffer a fellow-creature to lie in so miserable a condition". Here
Fielding shows the contrast between the attitude of the rich passengers and that of the
poor Postilion. What sets him apart is not his class, but the fact that he alone dismisses his own
comfort and he is the only person who considers Joseph a "fellow-creature" worthy of such
rescue. Fielding emphatically declares: "High People" are "People of Fashion", but that they
are not “higher in their Dimensions" nor in "their Characters" The incident gives sufficient
scope to Fielding for satirizing the pretenses and affectations of an essentially inhuman society.
Fielding also provides some glimpses of the chaotic, greedy, opportunistic and insincere
sides of the 18th century society. The chaotic side is exposed by the robbery incident. It is also
revealed by the incident in which a villain attempts to rape Fanny. Human greed is exposed by
the characters of the surgeons and the clergymen. The surgeon refused to treat Joseph because
he was unable to pay fee. The clergymen of the time were the most selfish and materialistic.
Parson Barnabas and Parson Trulliber are the true representatives of corrupt clergy. Then there
is a squire who is fond of hunting hares, tries to satisfy his lustful desire from Fanny taking
advantages of her poor condition. The insincerity of the society is also revealed by the depiction
of the justices, who were as dishonest as the clergymen and the squires. Justice Frolick, for
instance, goes out of his way to send Joseph and Fanny to prison, without any trial, only to
satisfy a whim of Lady Booby.
In brief, Joseph Andrews is a fine social document that represents an inclusive picture of
the 18the century English society. The novel directs its satire not only against particular
individuals but also against the follies and vices of the entire society.
