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Tom Jones


Tom Jones, full title as 'The history of Tom Jones, a foundling' is a picaresque novel by Henry Fielding, which is devided in 18 books.

Mr. Allworthy, who lives in Somersetshire with his unmarried sister Bridget Allworthy, arrives home from a trip to London and finds child in is bed. Allworthy searches for the parents. Jenny Jones, maid of the house confesses that she is the mother of the child but denies to tell the name of the father. But her tutor, Mr. Partridge suspected and considered him guilty. Allworthy sends Jenny away from the county, and Partridge also leaves. Allworthy decides to raise the boy and gives him name Tom Jones.

Now Bridget Allworthy marries Captain Blifil, a visitor at Allworthy's estate, and gives birth to a son named Blifil. Captain Blifil was jealous of Tom Jones, because he wanted to inherit all of Allworthy's property. But he dies.

Now welve years passes. Blifil and Tom Jones grew up together. Tom was treated badly by tutors Square and Thwackum. Allworthy was only who shows affection for Tom. Tom sometimes steals apples and ducks to support the family of Black George, one of Allworthy's servants.

Now squire Western—Allworthy's neighbor had a daughter, Sophia Western, who falls deeply in love with Tom. Tom had already been in affair witaunnolly Seagrim, the poor but wild daughter of Black George. When Molly becomes pregnant, Tom prevents Allworthy from sending Molly to prison by admitting that he will take care of her child. Tom, also feels love for Sophia but still he had affections for Molly. But Tom's commitment to Molly ends when he discovers that she has been in affairs, and he is not the father of her child and frees him to confess his feelings to Sophia.

Allworthy falls ill and reads He his will, which states that Blifil will inherit most of his estate, although Tom is also provided for. Thwackum and Square are upset because they gets only a thousand pounds. Allworthy survives but a lawyer named Dowling arrives and announces the sudden and unexpected death of Bridget Allworthy.

Mrs. Western, the aunt of Sophia comes to stay with her brother. She and the Squire Western plans to marry Sophia to Blifil for property. Blifil thus begins his courtship of Sophia, but Sophia,  strongly opposes the proposal, and Squire Western gets very angry. Blifil poisons Allworthy's ears that Tom is a rascal who cavorted drunkenly about the house, and Allworthy banishes Tom from the county.

Tom begins to wander towards London. In Bristol, he meets Partridge, who becomes his loyal friend. Tom also rescues a Mrs. Waters from robber, and they begin an affair at a local inn. Meanwhile Sophia, runs away from home to avoid marrying Blifil, stops at the same inn and fimds that Tom is having an affair with Mrs. Waters. She leaves her muff in Tom's bed so that he can know she was there. When Tom finds the muff, he went in search of Sophia. The Irishman Fitzpatrick arrives at the inn searching for his wife, and Western arrives searching for Sophia.

On the way to London, Sophia was with her cousin Harriet, who also was Fitzpatrick's wife. In London, Sophia stays with her lady relative Lady Bellaston. Tom and Partridge arrive in London  and they stay in the house of Mrs. Miller and her daughters, one of whom is named Nancy who was in love with Nightingale. Nancy falls pregnant and Tom convinces Nightingale to marry her. Lady Bellaston and Tom begin an affair, although Tom privately, continues to pursue Sophia. When he and Sophia meets, Tom breaks relationship with Lady Bellaston by sending her a marriage proposal. Lady Bellaston was jealous and did not want to see Tom and Sophia together. She appointed a young man, Lord Fellamar, to rape Sophia.

Now Squire Western, Mrs. Western, Blifil, and Allworthy all arrive in London, and Squire Western locks Sophia in her bedroom. Mr. Fitzpatrick thinks Tom is in affair with his wife harriet and begins a duel with Tom. In defending himself, Tom stabs Fitzpatrick with the sword and thrown into jail. Partridge visits Tom in jail and says that Mrs. Waters is Jenny Jones, Tom's mother. Mrs. Waters meets Allworthy and explains that Fitzpatrick is still alive. She also tells that a lawyer acting on behalf of an unnamed gentleman tried to persuade her to conspire against Tom. Allworthy realizes that Blifil is this very gentleman, and he decides never to speak to him again. But Tom pities on Blifil and promises to give him annuity. Mrs. Waters also reveals that Tom's mother was Bridget Allworthy. Tom is released from jail. Now that Tom is Allworthy's inheritor, Squire Western had no problem for marriage between Tom and Sophia. They marry and live happily on Western's estate with two children, and deals everyone around them with kindness and generosity.


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