Biography and Eighteenth Century Novel

Readers assumed that the scope and shape of biography were the same as
those of the novel. The essay discusses the features of the 18th-century novels

Novel takes the shape of a biography

Dependence of the eighteenth century novel on biography can be summarized

on the following points:

1. The titles of the eighteenth century novels were based on peoples' names
such as Robinson Crusoe, Moll Flanders, Colonel Jack, Roxana, Pamela
etc. Also, all of Fielding's long novels have titles of names of persons
such as Joseph Andrews, Jonathan Wild, Tom Johns, and Amelia. Other
forms of the eighteenth century biographical novel used names of setting
such as The Castle of Otranto.
2. The eighteenth century novels concentrated on a single human figure,
whose life is the center of the novel. In certain cases, there are few novels
that focused on two persons such as The History of The Adventures of
Joseph Andrews and of his friend Mr. Abraham Adam.
3. Novels in the eighteenth century are concerned about the place of themes
rather than ideas. For example, Tom Jones and Clarissa do not tell
anything about the social, economic, political, or philosophical
background. Critics considered the eighteenth century novel as lacking an
interest with ideas.( in the novel there was a lesson to be learned )
4. Biography provided the eighteenth century novel with examples of
individuals' life for either emulation or eviation. Readers learn from these
models whether they are good or bad.
5. The eighteenth century novels have chronological organization by placing
the individual in time, space, and station. For example, Fielding's novels
contain contextual information about geography, society, and familial
circumstances. Such chronological order examines the individual life from
womb to tomb. ( chronological order it’s a mean sequence of events which
is related to the time
6. Biography of the hero represents the culture's characteristics and values.
The hero symbolizes his/her culture.
 Fielding talks less of his heroes' lineage. Such lack of information arouses and
encourages the reader's expectation about the biography of the hero.

There is a problem about the interrelationship of novel with other genres

because the novel is such an acquisitive genre which fixes up something from
everything. For example, the novel fixes up elements from romance, the adventure
story, the travel narrative, the scandal chronicle, the sermon, comedy, tragedy, satire,
epic, history, autobiography, biography and many other genres.

(In medias res )Literary diverse with the start of the story in the middle of events