How did Henry Fielding use irony and social criticism in Joseph Andrews?

In Joseph Andrews (1742), Henry Fielding employs irony and social criticism to move beyond his initial intent of creating a burlesque of Samuel Richardson’s Pamela. While the novel begins by parodying Richardson’s work, it evolves into a sophisticated narrative that utilizes sustained irony to expose the moral failings of society.123

Fielding centers the novel on Parson Adams, a character whose profound innocence and guilelessness serve as a foil to the world around him. Through the various adventures shared by Joseph and the parson, Fielding highlights the hypocrisy and affectation prevalent in others. By placing a "positively good man" in situations where he appears ridiculous, Fielding effectively critiques the social norms and moral pretenses of his time.12

Furthermore, Fielding adopts a "comic Epic-Poem in Prose" style, frequently interjecting as a narrator to engage the reader directly. This authorial presence allows him to discuss ethical questions and the artifice of his own fiction with a calm, urbanely sophisticated tone, reinforcing his critique of contemporary society.23