class conflict in joseph andrew
The people who are kind to Joseph outside his
circle of acquaintances are members of the
lower classes, since the upper classes are
painted fairly broadly in the novel as lacking
charity and compassion. Parson Adams and
Joseph Andrews are the moral center of the
novel, and both make speeches about charity.
Joseph says that he doesn't understand why
there is so little charity among people or why
people don't at least practice charity so that
other people will honor or admire them. In
Joseph's view, being honored for charity is far
superior to being admired for being rich or
accomplished. He finds it strange that "all men
should consent in commending goodness" but
"no man endeavor to deserve that
commendation.Parson Adams continually
preaches charity, and his life is a testament to
his own charitableness. even though he himself
is quite poor.
Lady Booby is used to her wealth opening
doors. Joseph, on the other hand, doesn't care
about wealth or fame—all he cares about is
Fanny.Although Lady Bobby is rich, unlike
Joseph, she does not spend her money on
charitable work.
Corruption Increases Along Class Lines
In the novel the upper classes—called the high
people or fashionable people—are consistently
portrayed as immoral, while the low people, or
people with no fashion, are mostly portrayed as
moral. One exception to this rule is Mr. Wilson,
who was born a gentleman and has some
property. Nonetheless, he has a moderate
income and is not rich. He once was a rake, but
he has reformed himself with the help of a
woman who loves him. This approach to
characterization is radical for the 18th century,
since literary stories were pitched at the middle
and upper classes and most people thought
"bad people" came primarily from the lower
classes. While rakes and ravishers were
portrayed as aristocrats in other novels, for the
most part the high people were portrayed in a
positive light. But in Joseph Andrews, the
villains of the upper class rob and take
advantage of the poor and violate their rights,
which is shown time and again in the novel. For
example, Lady Booby uses her clout as an
aristocrat to have Fanny Goodwill and Joseph
Andrews falsely arrested, and the corrupt judge
sentences them to stripping and whipping and
one month in Bridewell for stealing a twig. They
are saved at the 11th hour by Squire Booby, an
aristocrat who is also decent now that he has
taken the servant woman Pamela Andrews (now
Booby) as his wife. Another corrupt magistrate
(the judges were always from the upper
classes) almost throws Fanny and Parson
Adams in jail on false charges. An evil squire of
the upper classes and Beau Didapper, a
patrician dandy, attempt to rape Fanny
Goodwill and assume they can do so with
impunity.
Parson Adams defines charity as " a general
disposition to relieve the distressed." Charity is
regarded as the basic Christian virtue of love,
however , many characters lacked charity.
Fielding criticizes the ignorant clergymen who
pretend to be knowledgeable about Christianity
and the concept of charity, but, in fact they are
just arrogant, cruel, and harsh. Parson Trulliber
is one prominent example for such priests as he
does not practice what he preaches.
