The Picaresque influence on the rise of the eighteenth century English novel

The introduction gives general information on the picaresque tradition, anddraws attention to the general characteristics of this genre.Chapter I discusses the origins of the novel, the plot and character pattern in thepicaresque novel. It also contains background information on the history of Spain bydiscussing Lazarillo de Tormes.Chapter II points out the similarities and differences between the traditionalSpanish picareque plot and usage of the picaresque in the Eighteenth century Englishnovel. Chapter II also focuses on differences between the picara and the picaro anddifferent characteristics of them in eighteenth century English literature especially inMoll Flanders, Roderick Random and Tom Jones.Conclusion establishes the general features of picaresque novel, and it focuseson how the 18th Century English novel writers Daniel Defoe, Tobias Smollett and HenryFielding.