The epic novel by the outstanding English writer of the 18th century Henry Fielding (1707–1754) was created according to a classic plot for that time, designed to show that the nobility of the family is not at all a guarantee of spiritual nobility, and low origin does not mean that a person is only capable of baseness. “The Story of Tom Jones” tells the story of an orphaned young man who is brought up in a family of aristocrats and, despite his dubious origins, displays all the qualities of a true gentleman: unselfishness, honesty and sincerity. As it should be in such a story, it is precisely these qualities that will help the main character find happiness, and everyone who stood in the way will suffer a fair punishment... But it was not this banal plot that made Fielding’s work a classic of English literature. "The Story of Tom Jones" is a realistic and sometimes funny picture of English life and customs of that time.