The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

Squire Western takes Sophia to his lodgings and locks her in her room. An army captain visits on behalf of Lord Fellamar, who requests permission to court Sophia. The Squire refuses, insisting that she marry Blifil.

Black George delivers a meal to Sophia, and she finds a letter from Tom inside her dish. Tom writes that he is distressed to learn of her captivity. He entreats her to run away with him, but says if she chooses not to, he wishes her only happiness.

Aunt Western arrives and berates her brother the Squire for his impetuous and improper handling of Sophia. The Squire is furious with his sister but reminds himself that he is in her will.

Sophia writes to Tom that she is now with her aunt and is still determined not to marry against her father’s consent. She asks Tom not to write to her again. He takes comfort in her declaration that she will not marry another man. He accompanies the Millers to the theater, where they see Hamlet.

Blifil still wants to marry Sophia for her fortune, even though she ran away from him, but he knows Allworthy will object to Sophia’s hand being forced. He therefore pretends to Allworthy that he desperately loves Sophia and is determined to win her over.

The Squire brings Blifil to see Sophia. The Squire and his sister quarrel once more.

Fellamar desires Sophia, so Lady Bellaston suggests that Fellamar have Tom impressed into service on a British ship to get him out of the way. Aunt Western is delighted by a lord’s interest in Sophia. Lady Bellaston shares the letter in which Tom proposed marriage to her.

Mrs. Fitzpatrick runs into Tom at the theatre and invites him to call on her, hoping to use him to try to reconcile with the Westerns. She suggests that Tom try what Fitzpatrick did and pretend to woo Aunt Western while having his eye on Sophia. As Tom praises Sophia, Mrs. Fitzpatrick grows increasingly attracted to Tom.

Mr. Fitzpatrick, who has tracked down his wife, finds Tom exiting her lodging and assumes they are sleeping together. Fitzpatrick attacks Tom, and Tom wounds him in return. The gang of men whom Fellamar hired to kidnap Tom take Tom to the constable. He is thrown in jail, and there receives a letter from Sophia informing him that she has seen his proposal of marriage to Lady Bellaston and never wants his name mentioned in her presence again.

The narrator wonders how to extract his hero from the troubles in which he is now embroiled. He is determined not to use supernatural means.

Blifil joins Allworthy and Mrs. Miller for breakfast and relates Tom’s villainy. Mrs. Miller accuses Blifil of being Tom’s enemy, and Allworthy defends his nephew.

Squire Western complains to Allworthy that a lord is courting Sophia. Allworthy, hearing that Sophia does not wish to marry Blifil, asks to dissolve their engagement. Allworthy admires Sophia and does not wish to see her compelled against her will. The Squire insists on his right to govern his own child. He is delighted to hear that Tom might be hanged.

The narrator notes that, in town, an attractive young woman of fortune is pursued as relentlessly as a doe in the hunt, and so is Sophia. Aunt Western lectures Sophia to accept Lord Fellamar. Sophia reminds her aunt that she herself spurned all offers of marriage.

Mrs. Miller, Nightengale, and Partridge visit Tom in jail. Tom says he has resolved to quit a life of wickedness and folly. He apologizes to Mrs. Miller for his behavior under her roof and swears he will reform.

Mrs. Miller takes a letter from Tom to Sophia. In it he swears he can explain about Lady Bellaston. Sophia accompanies her aunt and Lady Bellaston to a drum (a party at someone’s house) and sees Fellamar.

Mrs. Miller praises Tom to Allworthy, who is still angry since he believes, at Blifil’s suggestion, that Tom had plotted to undermine Allworthy’s favor of Blifil. Blifil enters with Mr. Dowling, the lawyer, who is doing business for both Allworthy and Squire Western.

Lady Bellaston encourages Aunt Western to push Lord Fellamar on Sophia. Sophia does not wish to marry a man who tried to rape her and asks Fellamar to leave her alone. Aunt Western assures Fellamar that Sophia will be “brought to Reason” (699) and threatens to send Sophia back to her father.

Tom is told that Fitzpatrick’s wound is probably mortal, and the men who witnessed the quarrel are claiming that Tom dealt the first blow. Tom tries to reconcile himself to being hanged as a murderer. Mrs. Waters visits his cell. She has been Fitzpatrick’s companion since they came to town and informs Tom that Fitzpatrick isn’t likely to die. Tom again repents of his past misdeeds and takes his predicament as warning to amend his behavior. He laments that Sophia wants nothing to do with him.

The narrator, addressing the reader as a fellow traveler on a stagecoach, wishes him well and hopes he has been an entertaining companion. He resolves to resume his narrative.

Partridge sees Mrs. Waters leaving Tom’s jail cell and identifies her as Tom’s mother. Aunt Western returns Sophia to the Squire and quarrels with both of them.

Mr. Allworthy visits the elder Mr. Nightengale, hoping to reconcile him with his son. Mr. Nightengale relates that Black George has been to see him about making an investment of 500 pounds. He shows Allworthy the bank bills, which Allworthy recognizes as the very notes he sent with Tom when he turned him out. Mr. Dowling relates that Mr. Fitzpatrick is in no danger of dying, which means Tom will not be tried for murder. Allworthy reaffirms that he has what he believed “the justest Cause” (714) for casting Tom off but would be glad to find he is mistaken about the young man’s character.

Allworthy receives a letter from Square, who is dying. Square repents of how he treated Tom. He goes on to claim that Tom’s faults do not include ingratitude. Thwackum’s letter, by contrast, calls Tom a villain who deserves to be hanged. Allworthy suspects that Tom’s character has been unjustly represented to him.

Nightengale discovers that the men who were present when Fitzpatrick attacked Tom had been hired to impress Tom aboard a ship. The lawyer, Mr. Dowling, arranged for them to claim that Tom attacked Fitzpatrick. Allworthy asks Blifil if he hired Dowling. Blifil claims he hired Dowling to persuade the men to soften their evidence against Tom. Allworthy summons Partridge to get to the bottom of the accusations about Tom sleeping with his mother.

Partridge insists to Allworthy that he is not Tom’s father. He tells a long and sorrowful tale of what happened to him after he lost his school and how he met Tom. Mrs. Waters arrives.

Mrs. Waters is the former Jenny Jones. She reminds Allworthy of a young man named Summer, whose education Allworthy had paid for, and who lodged with them. He and Miss Bridget had an affair, and Bridget became pregnant. Summer died of smallpox, and Bridget had Jenny put the baby in Mr. Allworthy’s bed, hoping that he would adopt it. To protect Bridget, Jenny pretended to be the child’s mother. She reveals that Dowling offered to assist if she wished to bring a suit against Tom for injuring Fitzpatrick. Allworthy guesses that Blifil was behind this suggestion.

Squire Western announces that he is going to break Sophia’s will by feeding her only bread and water. Allworthy asks that Sophia be released from her room. Mrs. Waters explains that, after she was abandoned by a man who had promised to marry her, she had little choice but to take up with Captain Waters. Allworthy says he is sorry she made so ill use of her learning. She explains how she met Tom and assures Allworthy that Tom has resolved to amend his life, as has she.

Allworthy confronts Dowling, who explains that Blifil hired him to investigate the matter of Tom’s duel and convince the witnesses to blame Tom. Dowling reveals that Mrs. Blifil (Bridget Allworthy) sent Allworthy a letter from her deathbed revealing that Tom is her son. However, Dowling gave the letter to Blifil. Allworthy asks Blifil to produce his mother’s letter.

Mr. Allworthy visits Sophia. He reveals that Tom is his nephew and suggests that Sophia could marry Tom instead of Blifil. Sophia says she will not under any circumstances consider a suit from Tom. Squire Western now advocates Sophia’s marriage to Tom as strongly he did her marriage to Blifil, but Allworthy again requests that he not use force.

Tom, who has been released from prison, reunites with Allworthy and assures him that he has repented of his follies and vices. Allworthy lectures Tom on prudence and warns him of Sophia’s “vehement Declarations” (744) against him. Mrs. Miller rejoices that Tom is free but also warns him that Sophia detests “the Character of a Libertine” (745). Squire Western invites Tom to visit Sophia.

The narrator relates that Lord Fellamar, who felt guilty over his schemes, helped to have the charges against Tom dropped. Tom asks Allworthy not to be too harsh with Blifil. Tom forgives Blifil for plotting against him but advises him to leave Allworthy’s house. In much distress, Blifil complies. Tom learns that George took the 500 pounds that Allworthy intended for him. Tom is inclined to forgive the matter since George’s family can use the money, but Allworthy refuses to forgive George’s dishonesty.

Tom dresses up to call on Sophia, who likewise dresses up to receive him. She scolds him for carrying on with Mrs. Waters and Lady Bellaston while insisting his heart was bleeding for her. She asks how she can believe him now, with such evidence of his inconstancy. Tom repents, and Sophia says time will be the proof of his sincerity. He asks that the trial be short, and she suggests at least a year. The Squire breaks in and insists that they marry the next day. To prove she is an obedient daughter, Sophia submits, and Allworthy congratulates them both.

Nightengale reconciles with his father, who approves of his marriage to Nancy. His uncle reconciles with his own daughter and approves of her marriage as well. Sophia and Tom are married the next morning. The narrator closes his tale by recounting the fates of his other principal characters.

Blifil goes north and turns Methodist in hopes of marrying a rich widow. Square dies of illness. Thwackum vainly tries to reconcile with Allworthy and Jones. Mrs. Fitzpatrick remains the mistress of her Irish peer. Mrs. Western is reconciled to Sophia. Lady Bellaston pretends not to know Tom when she sees him in town. Mr. Nightengale buys his son and his wife a small estate near Tom. Mrs. Waters marries Parson Supple. Black George runs away, and Tom settles the 500 pounds on his family. Partridge sets up another school and courts Molly Seagrim. Tom and Sophia have two children, to the Squire’s great delight, and Tom has a strong mentor in Allworthy. Tom and Sophia enjoy a marriage full of affection and esteem, have amiable relations with their friends and relatives, and show great generosity to all.