How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
The morning in which Mr Jones departed, Mrs Western summoned Sophia into her apartment; and having first acquainted her that she had obtained her liberty of her father, she proceeded to read her a long lecture on the subject of matrimony; which she treated not as a romantic scheme of happiness arising from love, as it hath been described by the poets; nor did she mention any of those purposes for which we are taught by divines to regard it as instituted by sacred authority; she considered it rather as a fund in which prudent women deposit their fortunes to the best advantage, in order to receive a larger interest for them than they could have elsewhere. (7.3.1)
Mrs. Western dismisses the idea of marriage "arising from love." Instead, she tells Sophia that marriage is an investment for women, so that they can increase their own fortunes. Clearly, considering how foolish Mrs. Western is as a character, the narrator doesn't want us to agree wholeheartedly with this vision of marriage as a business transaction. But let's be realistic: marriage was a kind of job opportunity for ladies, at least in Fielding's day and age. At a time when it was not customary for women—especially upper class women—to work outside the home, how else were women supposed to guarantee their financial and social positions but through good marriages? And even if Fielding is pro-love, we can't help but notice that Sophia and Tom don't get married until after Tom's fortune has been settled.
Quote #5
"Yes, upon my truly was it," says she: "the gentleman speaks very much like a gentleman, and I see very plainly is so; and to be certain the house is well known to be a house of as good reputation as any on the road, and though I say it, is frequented by gentry of the best quality, both Irish and English. I defy anybody to say black is my eye, for that matter. And, as I was saying, if I had known your ladyship to be your ladyship, I would as soon have burnt my fingers as have affronted your ladyship; but truly where gentry come and spend their money, I am not willing that they should be scandalized by a set of poor shabby vermin, that, wherever they go, leave more lice than money behind them; such folks never raise my compassion, for to be certain it is foolish to have any for them; and if our justices did as they ought, they would be all whipt out of the kingdom." (9.4.8)
We can't help but notice that the landlady here imagines the same punishment for prostitutes (that they be "whipt out of the kingdom") that Mrs. Wilkins wants for the mothers of bastards (that they be "whipt at the cart's tail" (1.3.5)). When the landlady at Upton speaks to Mrs. Waters once she realizes that she's not a prostitute, her face is still scratched with the marks of Mrs. Waters's fingernails. And Mrs. Waters is still wearing a pillowcase across her chest. Nothing has really changed about either of them from one minute to the next, but the label that the landlady uses—from prostitute to "ladyship"—seems to transform Mrs. Waters into an entirely different species of woman in the landlady's eyes.
Quote #6
Mr Jones, of whose personal accomplishments we have hitherto said very little, was, in reality, one of the handsomest young fellows in the world. His face, besides being the picture of health, had in it the most apparent marks of sweetness and good-nature. […]
It was, perhaps, as much owing to this as to a very fine complexion that his face had a delicacy in it almost inexpressible, and which might have given him an air rather too effeminate, had it not been joined to a most masculine person and mien: which latter had as much in them of the Hercules as the former had of the Adonis. He was besides active, genteel, gay, and good-humoured; and had a flow of animal spirits which enlivened every conversation where he was present. (9.5.5-6)
It's interesting to contrast the narrator's description of Tom here with Squire Western's character. The squire loves hunting above everything else, he's constantly drinking, he has a furious temper, and he hates women. He associates himself with extremely stereotypical masculinity. What makes Tom so attractive, on the other hand, is that he doesn't go overboard with the whole manly man thing. In fact, his face is "rather too effeminate." But while his appearance may be filled with "delicacy in it almost inexpressible," his body is 100% beefcake. So Tom combines the sweetness associated with femininity with marked masculine strength. And it's this combination of feminine and masculine qualities that makes him appealing and likable to both women and men.