Henry Fielding (Magill’s Literary Annual 1991-2005)
At a glance:
- Author: Martin C. Battestin
- First Published: 1989
- Type of Work: Biography
- Time of Work: 1707-1754
- Setting: England, chiefly London and the West Counties
- Principal Characters: Henry Fielding, General Edmund Fielding, Sarah Fielding, Beatrice Fielding, Andrew Millar
- Genres: Nonfiction, History, Letters, Biography
- Subjects: Family or family life, Journalism or journalists, Politics, Crime or criminals, Police, Friendship, Poetry or poets, Poverty or poor people, Incest, Law or legislation, England or English people, Plays or playwrights
- Locales: London, England
Henry Fielding died at the age of forty-seven, a short life even by eighteenth century standards. Yet he lived a life of extraordinary literary productivity, including a startling range of political hackwork, and public service. Accounted by no less an authority than George Bernard Shaw as the best dramatist between Shakespeare and himself, he was also one of the parents of “the English novel” and the creator of the first organized police force in London during his tenure as “Mr. Justice Fielding” for Middlesex and Westminster. Known for his conviviality and social nature,...
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