What do you know about Allworthy and his sister?

Answer

What do you know about Allworthy and his sister?

In Henry Fielding’s (1707-1754) “Tom Jones” (1749), Mr. Allworthy and his sister, Bridget Allworthy, are two important characters. Miss Bridget is the real mother of Tom. So, Tom is actually Mr. Allworthy’s nephew.

Mr. Allworthy: Mr. Squire Allworthy is a rich, kind, and honest man. He lives at Paradise Hall. The narrator describes Allworthy as:

“An agreeable person, a sound constitution, a solid understanding, and a benevolent heart;”

He is loved by the poor because he helps them. One night, he finds a baby on his bed. Instead of throwing it away, he decides to raise the baby as his own. He names the baby Tom Jones.

Mr. Allworthy always tries to do what is right, but he sometimes makes mistakes in judging people. He trusts Blifil, who is evil. Under the influence of Blifil, he banishes Tom from his house, thinking Tom is bad. Later, he learns the truth and forgives Tom. He loves justice and kindness. He becomes a father figure to Tom.

Bridget Allworthy: Bridget Allworthy is Mr. Allworthy’s unmarried sister. She is plain-looking and jealous of beautiful women. She secretly falls in love with Mr. Summer, a young clergyman who stays at Allworthy’s house. Miss Bridget becomes pregnant by Mr. Summer and gives birth to a baby boy, Tom. With the help of Jenny Jones, she hides the baby’s real identity to protect her honour. She lets people think the baby is found on Mr. Allworthy’s bed, and the mother of the baby is Jenny Jones.

Later, Bridget (Tom’s mother)  marries Captain Blifil, and they have a son named Blifil. Bridget loves both Tom and Blifil. But before her death, she loved Tom more because of his kind nature and good looks.

In short, Mr. Allworthy is a kind, just, and forgiving squire. His sister Bridget is secretive but a kind mother. Their actions and secrets shape Tom’s life and move the story forward in