Henry Fielding

Henry Fielding
Born(1707-04-22)22 April 1707
Sharpham, Somerset, England
Died8 October 1754(1754-10-08) (aged 47)
Lisbon, Kingdom of Portugal
Pen name"Captain Hercules Vinegar", "H. Scriblerus Secundus"; some work published anonymously
Occupationnovelist, dramatist and essayist
NationalityEnglish
EducationEton College
Period1728–1754
Genrecomedy, satire, picaresque
Literary movementEnlightenment, Augustan Age
RelativesSarah Fielding, John Fielding

Henry Fielding (22 April 1707 – 8 October 1754) was an English writer and magistrate known for the use of humour and satire in his works.[1] His 1749 comic novel The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling was a seminal work in the genre. Along with Samuel Richardson, Fielding is seen as the founder of the traditional English novel. He also played an important role in the history of law enforcement in the United Kingdom, using his authority as a magistrate to found the Bow Street Runners, London's first professional police force.

  1. ^ Levine, George R. (1967). Henry Fielding and the dry mock: a study of the techniques of irony in his early works. Berlin/Boston: De Gruyter. p. 11. ISBN 978-3-11-140039-6. OCLC 971364640.