本篇論文主要在於敘述亨利˙費爾丁的「湯姆瓊斯」中男、女角色對於財產的互動與回應。我把財產區分為兩種所有物：財富與自由。財富扮演一個操縱工具，藉以反映人性對於道德議題的微妙變化。再者，自由的剝奪彰顯了女性在婚姻中的地位及社會中的兩性平等。不論道德或者性別議題對於18世紀來說都是一種對傳統的挑戰。我主要分析費爾丁是如何將這兩議題放入他的小說當中及他所企圖傳達給我們的訊息。
本論文共分為三章。在第一章裡，我著重人性和財產的互動。在第二章裡，我處理了婚姻中男性支配凌駕於女性自主的問題。在最後一章，從瓊斯和他的三個情人的例子中，我去探討有別於第二章的兩性地位互換的議題。

This thesis mainly elaborates on male and female characters’ interaction with and response to property in Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones. I divide property into two possessions: fortune and liberty. Fortune plays a controlling means to reflect the subtle change of human nature on the matter of morality. Also, the deprivation of liberty shows female’s position in marriage and gender’s equality in society. Either morality or gender issue is a challenge to tradition in the eighteenth century. I particularly analyze how Fielding puts these two issues into this novel and the messages he attempts to deliver to us.
This thesis consists of three chapters. In chapter one, I focus on the interaction between human nature and property. In chapter two, I deal with male dominance over female autonomy in marriage. In the last chapter, I discuss the reverse positions between men and women as they stand upon in chapter two by the examples of Jones and his three lovers.

Acknowledgments...............................................................i
English Abstract...................................................................ii
Chinese Abstract.................................................................iii

I. Introduction.......................................................................1
II. Chapter One The Allure of Money: Social Status
and Human Nature.............................................................6
A. Allworthy’s Fortune as a Means................................6
B. Squire Western: An Act of Fatherly Love.....................9
C. Captain Blifil: Money-Driven Love...............................12
D. Bridget’s Dilemma between Family’s Honor
and a Baby’s Birthright...................................................14
E. Partridge: Restoration of Life......................................15
F. Mrs. Deborah Wilkins: Hypocritical Loyalty...............16
G. Two Landladies: Judging by Appearances..............19
H. A Man of Perfection: Mr. Allworthy...............................21
I. Helplessness, Malevolence and Capriciousness...23
III.Chapter Two The Stolen Rights for Marriage...........28
A. House Arrest..................................................................30
B. Mrs. Western’s Silence.............................................32
C. Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s Blindness.....................................35
D. Nightingale’s Choice................................................37
E. Filial Piety and Arranged Marriages..........................40
F. A Woman of Financial Independence: Lady
Bellaston.............................................................................44
IV.Chapter Three The Subjection of Jones’s Liberty
to Objects............................................................................49
A. The Shackles of Sophia’s Muffs, Pocket-Book and
Bird.......................................................................................50
B. Jones’s Sense of Duty: Molly’s Unborn Child...57
C. Under Lady Bellaston’s Supervision.....................61
V.Conclusion......................................................................67

Appendix..............................................................................71
Notes...................................................................................74
Works Cited........................................................................77

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