Tuesday, October 8, 2024

Oct 8– Preface to "Joseph Andrews" by Henry Fielding (1742)

 This would enrage Henry Fielding

Oct 8– Preface to Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding (1742)

Summary: You need to really precisely and exclusively define genres in order to understand art.

Commentary: Fielding wants you to understand this isn't one of your silly English romances. Nor is it some sort of silly burlesque or caricature. Which the ancient Greeks didn't have. Satyr plays don't count, I guess. And, of course, "Now, a comic romance is a comic epic poem in prose; differing from comedy, as the serious epic from tragedy." Glad he straightened that out.

When I worked at a book store, sometimes someone would come in who was enraged that a book was in the "wrong" section according to them. This isn't (sci-fi) romance it's obviously (romantic) science-fiction. Fielding sounds like he would do that professionally.

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