Fielding states that the purpose of asking the reader to prepare for her reception is mainly because “tragick poets seldom fail to prepare their audience for the reception of their principal characters” [page 102], especially for characters as important as Sophia, whereas in novels; “the heroe is always introduced with a flourish of drums and trumpets, in order to rouse a martial spirit in the audience, and to accommodate their ears to bombast and fustian”. Fielding’s main purpose of showing Sophia with the reverence that a character of her description and importance in the story deserves, is mainly because he was inspired in his wife “Charlotte Cradock, who had died years before he wrote Tom Jones and whom he had loved faithfully, she became the model for Sophia and the heroine of his novel Amelia”.
Sophia appears at the beginning of chapter two, following an introduction full of respectful admiration as if she were to perform in the theatre, or receive a valuable prize. Described as an ornament of nature, Fielding begins his announcement of Sophia with a special invocation depicted on myth and art to resemble her image of “beauty, youth, sprightliness, innocence, modesty, and tenderness, breathing sweetness from her rosy lips, and darting brightness from her sparkling eyes, she appears not only in the novel but in the reader’s mind, who is reminded of the portrait of the beautiful “Venus de Medicis and the gallery of beauties at Hampton Court”[page 101]. This symbolic mental picture then gives part to more examples of beautiful women in art and history and concludes with an ironical remark to the reader about the simplicity of beauty: "If thou hast seen all these without knowing what Beauty is, thou hast no Eyes; if without feeling its Power, thou hast no Heart". He continues his description by telling the reader that it is possible for him to have seen all those images without having a clear image of Sophia, ever since,
“she did not exactly resemble any of them.
She was most like the picture of Lady Ranelagh:
and, I have heard, more still to the famous dutchess of Mazarine;
but most of all she resembled one whose image never can
depart from my breast, and whom, if thou dost remember, thou hast
then, my friend, an adequate idea of Sophia”. [page 108]
Fielding dedicates a whole chapter in which he shifts from the mock-heroic style with which he opens the narration of the novel, to the over-sentimental narration, in order to describe Sophia’s beauty, and intelligence as a result of being educated by a learned aunt, and the reason why she was therefore perfectly well bred. He also states in a few lines that the only thing that she lacks of in her perfect humanity is a little ease in her behaviour, necessary for her to survive in her polite circle. Although Sophia has more education that Tom she remains naive and compassionate, which makes her a weak character.
As mentioned before in the introduction, the word Sophia comes from the Greek word, Sopho, which means wisdom, according to Plato, the Greek philosopher who says that “Anyone who learned a craft through apprenticeship to a master had learned a form of Sophia”, a teoary with which Fielding agrees, wisdom is the highest virtue a person can achieve. In Sophia’s introduction in book IV, chapter II, Fielding attempts to put across an image to the reader, the image of Sophia, by implying not the image of Sophia’s beauty in philosophical terms, but the concept of physical beauty. Fielding does not give further description of Sophia’s wisdom; instead he tells the reader that:
[…]“there are no Perfections of the Mind which do not discover themselves, in that perfect Intimacy, to which we intend to introduce our Reader, with this charming young Creature; so it is needless to mention them here: Nay, it is a Kind of tacit Affront to our Reader's Understanding, and may also rob him of that Pleasure which he will receive in forming his own Judgment of her Character”. [page 107]
Ironically Fielding leaves it to the reader’s judgment, by not giving further information on intricate trifles related to Sophia's qualities, which may disappoint the reader. What the reader obtains from Fielding is no more than a description which he might convey of Sophia and a poor idea of her beauty, the only thing clear to the reader is that; she was not corrupted by the practises of the so-called polite circles or by the education of her experienced aunt.
Therefore, it is not Sophia who should obtain wisdom, it is Tom Jones who should do this in order to achieve happiness, ever since, Sophia as her name resembles it; is the embodiment of wisdom, not because she possesses intellectual wisdom, and it is precisely that which along the novel Tom Jones struggles for in order to marry her. It is near the end of the novel, that he attains this quality by rejecting Mrs. Fitzpatrick and Mrs. Waters indecorous proposals, that he shows to be worthy of the wisdom he needs in order to achieve the embodiment of wisdom itself, Sophia.
CONCLUSION:
The first two chapters of book four are fully dedicated to Sophia’s description. Fielding writes his comments in the first chapter of each Book in the novel. In book four, the first chapter is devoted to the style which he considers to be necessary in order to introduce the heroine Sophia. Compared to the rest of the characters, Sophia is the only one to be introduced with such reverence and splendour. Two whole chapters are devoted to an “introduction” of her physical qualities; Fielding even prepares the reader for such amusing occurrence. Fielding makes it clear that she is the heroine of the story and therefore she deserves such an introduction. It is also clear for the reader that not only the hero [Tom Jones] but also the author of the book is extremely in love with her, ever since, she was made after one of Fielding’s wife, who he loved.
As Fielding states in his description of Sophia, we as readers will also love her character, that is something with which we as readers agree with, Sophia’s character is one we tend to feel sympathy with, and as a human being in the story, she has several flaws, she is at certain points naïve and lacks a certain sense of ease, she is proud and firm in her convictions, although these qualities are not incorrect, they tend to keep her away from Tom. She detests Blifil [so does the reader] and loves Tom passionately. She does not consent of infidelities, but forgives Tom for having them, the reader might question himself about Sophia’s forgiveness, but she is convinced that Tom’s love for her is true, she is a round character, ever since, she falls in love rapidly the same way she falls out of love in the novel. And it is precisely love that Sophia and Tom feel for each other that brings them to the altar, which is the best ending this novel could have after all the struggles they went through.
Sophia is the perfect prototype of a woman, delicate, tender and full of vitality, she possesses innocence, good sense, and natural gentility. She is also the representation of wisdom, in which reason and heart are united, ever since those who think with the heart are rewarded with wisdom. Wisdom usually refers to knowledge, something deeper. Here wisdom means love, a transforming love. That which illumines Tom’s consciousness is wisdom. Tom is the best example of a person who achieves wisdom by listening to his heart, whereas his enemy Blifil, who follows his interests, is left with the corruption of his soul.
CONSULTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1.- FIELDING. Henry. The History of tom Jones, a Foundling. Chicago. Encyclopaedia Britannica. 1952
2.- DRABBLE. Margaret. The Concise Companion to English literature. New York. OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS. 1993
DRABBLE, Margaret. The concise Oxford Companion to English Literature. p. 198
“Plato” found in Encarta 2007.
