La figura de Julio César en las novelas de Henry Fielding

Abstract

This chapter explores the presence of Julius Caesar within the novelistic corpus of Henry Fielding. I emphasize how Fielding, with a solid classical education, infuses his texts with sharp satire by using historical figures such as Caesar, serving both as a tribute to and criticism of traditional epic. The analysis focuses on several major novels by Fielding, such as Joseph Andrews, Amelia, and Tom Jones, where Julius Caesar is evoked both in explicit quotes and through subtle parallels with the characters. In Amelia, for example, the quotation from Lucan’s Pharsalia exposes the tensions between aristocratic ideals and bourgeois realities. I also explore Jonathan Wild, where Caesar is used in a more ironic and critical manner, parodying epic grandeur by equating it with the figure of a criminal. This novel exceptionally demonstrates how Fielding uses the figure of Caesar to question and sati- rize the narrative of greatness and heroism, a recurring theme in neoclassical literature. Moreover, the study highlights Fielding’s relevance in the development of the novel as a genre. Through his innovative use of narrative and his dialogue with classical forms, Fielding not only contributes to the evolution of the English novel but also offers insights into the transition from heroic values to a bourgeois domestication of the epic and the tragedy.