Talk:Joseph Andrews

Not one of the first novels in the English language
This is a terribly outmoded statement that would have been suspect in the 1950s and should simply be deleted. How can Joseph Andrews be one of the first novels in the English language when even the most conservative critic views Defoe as a novelist, and he was writing novels in 1719? English novels exist in the 1680s, and even earlier. A novel published in 1742 is not one of the first! Moreover, this entire article is riddled with inaccuracies and comes across as written by a person with no background in 18th century novel studies. It is very, very bad. I do not have the time to correct it, but someone needs to correct it or to put a disclaimer above it. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 132.177.236.160 (talk) 15:43, 23 February 2015 (UTC)

Objections
re: ''removed inaccuracies and obvious biases. imprecise understanding of the history of the novel or of the print culture of the day. this page needs help''

Thanks for clearing up a few of the inaccuracies, and I will concede that I know little about the print culture of the day, so please do add something. However, you have the wrong end of the stick on the other point, and seem to be misreading pretty standard rhetorical devices at face value. It shouldn't be necessary to punctuate every sentence with 'perceived,' 'supposed,' or 'in Fielding's opinion,' but I've added a couple where there was the most ambiguity.Alanmlny (talk) 05:19, 28 November 2007 (UTC)

Plot summary is too long
The plot summary to Joseph Andrews is even longer than that of War and Peace! Someone ought to pare it down to a respectable length. 219.74.15.134 (talk) 09:37, 25 January 2015 (UTC)