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Parody
Definition of Personification
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down on the wedding guests, indifferent... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the sentence, "The rain poured down... read full definition
Personification is a type of figurative language in which non-human things are described as having human attributes, as in the... read full definition
Book 1, Chapter 5
Explanation and Analysis—Fanfare of Fame:
In Book 1, Chapter 5, Thomas Booby passes away—and Lady Booby stops going on her walks with Joseph Andrews, right at the moment that word is getting out around town that the pair have been spending time together. Through personification of Fame (which is to say, notoriety) and the aural imagery of music, Fielding conveys how this comes about at an ideal moment to preserve Andrews's reputation:
At this Time, an Accident happened which put a stop to these agreeable Walks, which probably would have soon puffed up the Cheeks of Fame, and probably caused her to blow her brazen Trumpet through the town;
If Andrews and Booby had not stopped their walks, Fielding writes, Fame would have played her “brazen Trumpet” (perhaps the trumpet of Gossip) and announced their flirtation for all to hear. In the invocation of a trumpet, and the fanfare of a parade or royal promenade, Fielding also uses sound imagery to emphasize the melodrama of this situation—and, more specifically, the melodrama of gossip circles.
This passage explores both themes of proper virtuous love—the possible relationship between Lady Booby and Joseph Andrews would not qualify as such, and is therefore treated as scandalous—and the trappings of high social class. Common folk, after all, would not be subject to the same treatment or the same scrutiny as Booby and Andrews must face.
Related Themes:
Book 2, Chapter 12
Explanation and Analysis—The Death of Aeschylus:
In Book 2, Chapter 12, Abraham Adams accidentally tosses his beloved copy of Aeschylus's plays into a fire. Fielding captures the devastation of this moment through personifying the book itself:
For as soon as the first tumults of Adams’s rapture were over he cast his eyes towards the fire, where Aeschylus lay expiring; and immediately rescued the poor remains, to wit, the sheepskin covering, of his dear friend, which was the work of his own hands, and had been his inseparable companion for upwards of thirty years.
In this personification, Adams's book transforms into Aeschylus himself, expiring upon the fire. The book, which has been Adams's devoted traveling companion throughout the novel, is now an actual friend, the remains of whom Adams rushes to save.
This book is a major symbol throughout the novel—a symbol of Adams's inherent hypocrisy as a supposedly learned man who really only knows about Aeschylus. The destruction of the book in the fire is therefore a major turning point for Adams, as it liberates him from his devotion to the work (which is really more of an obsession), implicitly freeing him up to do more important things like preside over Joseph and Fanny's wedding at the conclusion of the novel.
