The Benefits of Failure in Henry Fielding's Tom Jones

Abstract

This project argues for the positive ideas Henry Fielding had about the failure of the individual, because it represented the key to personal improvement through the acquisition of prudence and benevolence. Failure had its benefits especially in the good-natured individual. This research is divided into three main parts: the former explores the historical and philosophical context, with special attention to the development of crime in London and the spread of moral vice. The second part focuses on the concept of failure, which contributes to men’s amelioration. The third and last part argues for the special technique Fielding had in mind in order to educate the masses, which is the need for the active role of a reader.