Line #31 Literature/TheHistoryOfTomJonesAFoundling


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tom_jones.jpg]]
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3	''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling'', also known as simply ''Tom Jones'', is a classic {{picaresque}} novel by Creator/HenryFielding, published in 1749, telling [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin the adventures of the title protagonist]], a deeply honorable HandsomeLech. It is full of social {{parody}} both subtle and ham-handed. It has been adapted as a film (1963), a TV series (1997), and in opera form.
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5	The 1963 film, titled simply ''Film/TomJones'', starred Creator/AlbertFinney as Tom. It won four [[UsefulNotes/AcademyAward Oscars]], including Best Picture, Best Director for Tony Richardson, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Creator/JohnOsborne. ''Three'' of the actresses in the film got Best Supporting Actress nominations, but none of them won. The movie was also named the 51st best British film of all time by the Creator/BritishFilmInstitute.
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7	Not to be confused with Music/TomJones the singer--in fact, Tom Jones the singer took his stage name from the film.
8	----
9	!! ''The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling'' contains examples of:
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11	* AdaptationDistillation: Both the 1960s film and the 1990s miniseries are very faithful to the spirit of the novel and to its content to a fairly large extent (more so in the latter). The latter arguably improves on the book in its presentation of Sophia and its decision to pair Partridge and Mrs. Honour.
12	* AdaptationTitleChange: The film shortened the title to ''Tom Jones''.
13	* AbhorrentAdmirer: Blifil and Lord Fellamar for Sophia, Lady Bellaston for Tom.
14	* BetterThanABareBulb: Fielding loves to comment on the tropes he is using.
15	* BoisterousBruiser: Squire Western is a classic example, and played by Creator/BrianBlessed no less in the 1990s series.
16	** And then there's [[LargeHam Hugh Griffith's]] performance in the film.
17	* {{Bowdlerization}}: The 1997 miniseries lost some very explicit sex when it was aired in the United States.
18	* ChickMagnet / ChivalrousPervert / HandsomeLech: Ladies really love Tom Jones, and he usually returns the favors and, being a naturally kind-hearted fella, genuinely cares about them. At different times, he shows traits of all three tropes.
19	* HaveAGayOldTime: Hoo boy.... The amount of time spent touching, caressing, kissing, and talking about [[GetYourMindOutOfTheGutter Sophie's muff]].
20	%%* HeroicBastard: Tom himself
21	* HollywoodAtheist: Inverted with Square who basically chooses atheism as an excuse for wrongdoing (because, you know, atheists are immoral) and admittedly, he [[HeelFaithTurn reforms at the end with a death bed conversion]]. On the other hand, he's still always more likable than the HolierThanThou Thwackum and it's clear that he could have been a perfectly good person following his atheistic philosophy.
22	%%* HotBlooded: Western.
23	* MeaningfulName: Oh, where to begin...
24	** Sophie = Wisdom (our hero is on a quest to...dare I say...''acquire'' Sophie???)
25	** Mr. Square = Very severe and sharp edged.
26	** Squire Western = Is a pig (yes, this was intentional)
27	** Squire Allworthy = Is the kindest, nicest, and actively most-good character in the story.
28	** Mr. Thwackum = [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Need I spell it out?]]
29	* MudWrestling: The 1997 BBC adaptation turns the fight in the churchyard between Molly Seagrim and Goody Brown into this.
30	* ReallyGetsAround: Most of the ladies in the novel [[SesquipedalianLoquaciousness are not averse to promiscuity]].
31	* RoguishPoacher: Black George.
32	* SadistTeacher: [[MeaningfulName Thwackum]].
33	* SpiritualSuccessor: To Fielding's earlier novel ''Joseph Andrews''.
34	* StylisticSuck: Honour's letter and monologues.
35	* TakeThatCritics: Each of the novel's eighteen books has an introductory essay unrelated to the story. Two of them address how awful critics are.
36	* TwistEnding: Lampshadedly from tragedy to happy end for Jones, and the identity of Jones's mother.
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Context Literature / TheHistoryOfTomJonesAFoundling