ielding’s concept of morality focuses on a person’s intentions rather than just their actions. For him, true morality comes from being kind, generous, and honest, even if someone occasionally makes mistakes. Tom Jones is a good example. Tom behaves recklessly at times. He steals food to help Black George. He also engages in many romantic affairs. Yet, his heart is pure, and he always acts out of generosity and love. Mr. Allworthy sees Tom’s good nature and says:

“I am convinced, my child, that you have much goodness, generosity, and honour, in your temper.”

Fielding suggests that a person’s goodness is not about being perfect. Goodness is about having the right intentions and learning from mistakes.

In contrast, characters like Blifil and Thwackum represent fake morality. They follow the outward rules of religion and society. Yet, their hearts are full of selfishness and malice. Fielding’s narrator says:

“Both religion and virtue have received more real discredit from hypocrites than… infidels could ever cast upon them.”

This means hypocrites harm the name of religion and goodness more than openly bad or non-religious people ever can. Here, Fielding is criticising hypocrisy, particularly in characters like Thwackum and Blifil. They use religion and morality as tools for manipulation. Blifil pretends to be virtuous, but he schemes to ruin Tom and gain Mr. Allworthy’s favor. Thwackum uses religion as a tool to control and punish others. Through these characters, Fielding shows that people can hide their bad intentions behind a mask of morality.

Fielding also shows the importance of learning from life. Tom’s journey from innocence to experience shows that morality is not something fixed. But it is something that grows with time. By the end of the novel, Tom recognizes his flaws and becomes wiser.

Sexuality in the Novel: Fielding’s approach to sexuality is remarkably open-minded for his era. He does not blame sexual desire outright. He treats it as a natural part of human life. Tom’s romantic adventures show that physical attraction and love are important aspects of relationships. However, Fielding also warns about the dangers of uncontrolled passion and the chaos it can cause.

Tom’s relationships with women, like Molly, Mrs. Waters, and Lady Bellaston, often lead him into trouble. These relationships show that sexual desire without genuine love can create problems. For example, Tom’s affair with Molly is about physical attraction. It lacks true commitment. Similarly, his relationship with Lady Bellaston is based on jealousy and lust, which creates a lot of trouble. Lady Bellaston even tries to harm Sophia to separate her from Tom.

“She [Lady Bellaston] resolved to get rid of her [Sophia] by some means or other.”

On the other hand, Tom’s love for Sophia is true. This love is based on respect and mutual commitment. Sophia is not just beautiful but also virtuous and intelligent. Tom’s love for her grows stronger as he matures.

In fine, Fielding presents a realistic and forgiving view of morality and sexuality in his masterpiece “Tom Jones”. He believes that true morality is about having good intentions, learning from mistakes, and kindness. At the same time, he recognizes that sexuality is a natural part of life. But sexuality must be guided by love and respect to create harmony.