Joseph Andrews
by Henry Fielding
About_
Joseph Andrews is Henry Fielding’s comic novel about a virtuous young footman who leaves service in London and
journeys home with his friend Parson Adams, meeting hypocrites, villains, and kind-hearted strangers along the
way. It is a satire of vanity and affectation that celebrates charity and goodness. This study guide covers the
Preface and all four Books through a series of chapter sections, along with supporting activities. This study guide
contains 143 questions across 11 chapter sections (110 Factual + 33 Critical), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1
Character Focus Activity.
What’s Included_
This study guide features 11 sets of 10 Factual Questions with an answer key (110 total), 11 sets of 3 Critical
Analysis Questions (33 total), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity (8 traits + evidence
prompt + critical thinking question).
Target Grades_
Grades 10-12 (suitable for advanced Grade 9 and introductory college literature)
Teacher Note_
This study guide breaks a long, richly layered eighteenth-century novel into manageable sections, building
comprehension through factual questions and deeper thinking through critical analysis prompts. It encourages
students to notice satire, character, and theme while giving them confidence with challenging text. We hope it
saves you valuable preparation time and sparks lively classroom discussion.
Henry Fielding and the Birth of the Novel
Henry Fielding (1707–1754) was an English playwright, magistrate, and novelist who helped shape the form of the modern
novel. Joseph Andrews, published in 1742, was one of his first novels and was written partly as a parody of Samuel
Richardson’s popular book Pamela. Fielding described his work as a comic epic in prose.
Eighteenth-Century England: Class and Society
The novel is set in a society sharply divided by rank, from wealthy landowners to servants and wandering travelers. Roads
were rough, inns were the main places to eat and sleep, and legal power often rested with local gentlemen. Fielding uses this
world to show how people treat each other according to their wealth and status.
Satire, Humor, and Big Ideas
Fielding uses satire, which is humor that points out human faults in order to correct them. He is especially interested in
affectation, which means pretending to be better than you really are. As you read, watch for how he mocks the grand style of
ancient epics and how he values kindness over show.