The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling · Chapter
Chapter XIV explained
Sophia recovers from her faint with hartshorn and water, and is pressured by her father and the surgeon to be bled as a precaution.
What happens
Sophia recovers from her faint with hartshorn and water, and is pressured by her father and the surgeon to be bled as a precaution. She reluctantly agrees, and the surgeon performs the operation skillfully. Meanwhile, Jones's broken arm is set, and he is ordered to bed at Mr. Western's house. Mrs. Honour then praises Jones's beauty and behavior to Sophia, hinting at his affection for her by describing how he kissed her muff. Sophia is deeply affected but conceals her emotions.
Themes in this chapter
Appearance vs. Reality
Mrs. Honour's praise of Jones's white skin and handsomeness contrasts with the underlying social tensions about his birth and reputation.
Love and Marriage
Sophia's concealed feelings for Jones are stirred by Mrs. Honour's account of his affection for her muff, hinting at romantic attachment.
Characters to notice
- Sophia Western
Recovers from a faint, is bled against her will, and is deeply affected by Mrs. Honour's talk of Jones.
- Tom Jones
Has his broken arm set by the surgeon and is ordered to bed at Mr. Western's house.
- Squire Western
Insists on Sophia being bled and compels Jones to accept a bed at his house.
- Mrs. Honour
Praises Jones's beauty and behavior to Sophia, and recounts how he kissed Sophia's muff.
Key passages
“she said, “was so charming in so pretty a creature.” She then burst forth into much warmer encomiums on the beauty of his person; enumerating many particulars, and ending with the whiteness of his skin.”
Mrs. Honour praised Jones's charming behavior and then enthusiastically described his physical beauty, especially his fair skin.
Mrs. Honour's admiration for Jones's appearance and character.
“Sophia soon yielded to the commands of her father, though entirely contrary to her own inclinations, for she suspected, I believe, less danger from the fright, than either the squire or the surgeon.”
Sophia reluctantly obeyed her father's order to be bled, believing the fright was less dangerous than they thought.
Sophia's compliance with her father's medical advice despite her own judgment.
“he came into the room one day last week when I was at work, and there lay your ladyship’s muff on a chair, and to be sure he put his hands into it; that very muff your ladyship gave me but yesterday. La! says I, Mr. Jones, you will stretch my lady’s muff, and spoil it: but he still kept his hands in it: and then he kissed it”
Mrs. Honour told Sophia that Jones had recently put his hands into her muff and kissed it, showing his affection for her.
Mrs. Honour's revelation of Jones's romantic gesture toward Sophia's muff.