human nature and of the need for control of sexuality in "Jospeh Andrews" by Henry Fielding

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Joseph Andrews is a novel written in the middle eighteenth century by Henry Fielding. In this novel, Fielding talks of human nature and of the need for control of sexuality. He does not just come right out and say it, but instead expresses his concern through examples of the constant sexual advances through the entire novel, Mr. Wilson's experiences, and the little self control people have in containing themselves properly.

The most obvious example of the advances on Joseph, is made by Lady Booby in the first few chapters of Book I. She would take walks with Joseph in the park, and spend a lot of time alone with him. Then, not even a week after her husband's death, she invites Joseph into her room a talks with him about women, when she intentionally lifts her head so Joseph would find out that she is naked under the covers of the bed.

To urge him on, she plays an actress' role in saying:

'I have trusted myself with a man alone, naked in bed; suppose you should have any wicked intentions upon my honor, how should I defend myself?'

The second example of the sexual advances and the lack of control of their barbaric nature, was made by a man who had promised to take Fanny to London, but instead had ideas of his own. If it wasn't for Abraham Adams, Fanny might have been raped by the man who was accompanying her to London.

The next show of a sexual advance on Fanny was made by a Squire that they had encountered after leaving Mr. Wilson's house. Since the Squire's dogs had attacked Adams, he defended himself by hitting them with his cane. When the Squire arrived, and saw the bruises on his dogs, he would have probably had...