Class Conflict in Henry Fielding’s Joseph Andrews
AWEJ for Translation & Literary Studies, Volume 4, Number3. August 2020 Pp.74 -86
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awejtls/vol4no3.6
Class Conflict in Henry Fielding’s Joseph Andrews
Bechir Saoudi
English Department, College of Science and Humanities, Hotat Bani Tamim, Prince Sattam Bin AbdulAziz
University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Danah Al-Dhafyan
English Department, College of Science and Humanities, Hotat Bani Tamim, Prince Sattam Bin AbdulAziz
University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Ghayda Al-Tamimi
English Department, College of Science and Humanities, Hotat Bani Tamim, Prince Sattam Bin AbdulAziz
University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Khouloud Al-Tamimi
English Department, College of Science and Humanities, Hotat Bani Tamim, Prince Sattam Bin AbdulAziz
University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Nouf Al-Shaman
English Department, College of Science and Humanities, Hotat Bani Tamim, Prince Sattam Bin AbdulAziz
University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Raghad Al-Aqili
English Department, College of Science and Humanities, Hotat Bani Tamim, Prince Sattam Bin AbdulAziz
University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Wasmiyya Al-Ajmi
English Department, College of Science and Humanities, Hotat Bani Tamim, Prince Sattam Bin AbdulAziz
University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Abstract:
The basis of this paper is a research project that studies the struggle between classes in Henry Fielding’s novel Joseph Andrews. It has been carried out during the second semester of the academic year 2019-2020 at the College of Science and Humanities, Hotat Bani Tamim, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since the issue of classes and class struggle dominates almost all aspects of life, it is natural to consider the importance of this phenomenon in literature, especially through theories that view literature as a reflection of real life. The most suitable school of literary criticism to tackle such a subject, according to the authors, is that of Marxism. Two basic Marxist principles are at the center of the study: class conflict and the notion of base and superstructure. The novel is studied as part of the superstructure which is a reflection of the ongoing class conflict occurring at the base mainly between feudal landlords and peasants. Three main questions have been addressed: 1) Is the novel a mere perpetuation of the upper class ideology and interests? 2) Is it a subversion of that ideology? or 3) Does it signify both a perpetuation of a class-structured society while condemning the negative aspects of the dominant ideology? The study reaches the conclusion that while Fielding favors a perpetuation of the already existing social order, he, nevertheless, levels bitter criticism at various upper class beliefs and practices that hinder the advancement of poor class causes.
Keywords: Base and superstructure, class conflict, Joseph Andrews, Marxist criticism
Cite as: Saoudi, S., Al-Dhafyan,D., Al-Tamimi,G., Al-Tamimi,K., Al-Shaman, N., Al-Aqili,R., Al-Ajmi,W. (2020). Class Conflict in Henry Fielding’s Joseph Andrews. Arab World English Journal for Translation & Literary Studies 4 (3) .74 -86 .
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awejtls/vol4no3.6
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