As for the form of the novel, Fielding has introduced a completely new idea and has himself claimed

that
the form of novel he is intending to write has not been “intended before” and which he does not
“remember to have seen hitherto attempted in our language” (Author’s Preface). Fielding calls his novel
Joseph Andrews a “Comic Epic in Prose”, since according to him this novel contains all the other parts of
an epic including “fable, action, characters, sentiments, and diction, and is deficient in meter only”
(Author’s Preface). A lot of references can be picked from this novel,that befit the claims made by
Fielding about this novel being an epic in prose. Since, it is in the form of prose, therefore we cannot
expect the novel to have some rhyme or meter. Considering the rest of the elements of an epic, we find
them as we turn the pages going through different happenings and events of the novel.

Joseph Andrews has a fable which is not teemed with magic or supernatural elements; rather it is of
more realistic sort. However, we do come across the idea of spirit or ghost at a point when Parson
Adams, Joseph Andrews and Fanny are chased by the robbers. They ran for their lives but to their
sorrow and surprise, the shadows stopped for a moment, and then disappeared (Fielding 183). The next
element of an epic found in this novel is the action. The action can be seen in various situations;
however, unlike an epic poem, the action in Joseph Andrews is mild. In the twelfth chapter of the first
book when Joseph leaves Lady Booby’s house, we come across a fight scene between Joseph and the
robbers. Joseph tries to fight the robbers as they attempt to strip him naked, intending to rob him
completely; however, one of the robbers “damning his eyes, snapped a pistol at his head; which he had
no sooner done that the other leveled a blow at him with his stick” (Fielding 39). When Joseph tried to
defend himself, he received a blow from the other robber “which felled him to the ground, and totally
deprived him of his senses” (Fielding 39-40). Some other events containing action can be also be
included which Parson Adam meets Fanny first and saves her from being raped. Likewise, the event in
the last book where Fanny encounters Beaus, who allegedly attempts to harass her sexually, she is saved
by Joseph at the eleventh hour by fighting with Beaus. In addition to these, sentiments are also an
integral part of Joseph Andrews. The extreme sentiments of passion and love can be seen when Joseph
meets Fanny at the in having her in his arms. Fanny inquires with affection: “Are you Joseph Andrews?”
– “Art thou my Fanny?” Joseph answers and pulls Fanny to his heart. However, the sentiments in the
novel not comprise of love, rather the sentiments of anger (Lady Booby), hatred (Slipslop), jealousy
(Betty), generosity (Parson Adams) and a diverse range of others can also be found. Moreover, the
diction and language, that are important elements of an epic, can be observed within this novel.
Although, Fielding remains quite simple and clear in his writing, yet we see the allusions and references
made to different languages and people, use of phrases borrowed from other languages, literary devices
and archaic language. When Parson Adams meets Parson Trulliber, the submissiveness of Mrs. Trulliber
has been depicted by the allusion of Sarah – the wife of Abraham. Aeschylus has been repeatedly talked
of within the novel, and we find Parson Adams keeping a copy of it with him all the time. References to
Homer have been made in book 3 and has been regarded as “the father of drama as well as the epic; not
of tragedy only, but of comedy also” (Fielding 187). Greek language has been emphasized at various
occasions and we find Fielding expressing his love for this language through the words of Mr. Wilson as:
“Why, truly, there is a dignity in the Greek language which I think no modern tongue can reach” (Fielding
187). In addition to this, the device of personification has been employed in order to pen down a lively
debate on the vices such as vanity (Fielding 57). Other epic elements include theme, discovery and
characters. The theme, or purpose, of this novel as selected by the writer is primarily ‘the reformation of
society’ from the ills of vanity, hypocrisy and affectation. We also come across certain discoveries made
by different characters, particularly the one made by Joseph Andrews about his and Pamela’s and
Pamela’s and Fanny’s relation. And for the characters, Fielding introduces us to a number of characters
from different classes of the society including clergies, lawyers, surgeon, book-seller, judge, footman,
inn-keepers, ladyships, chamber women, squire, soldier and many other characters belonging to
different classes and professions. Many of these characters can be met in the in the twelfth chapter of
the first book which is the crux of the novel.