View source for The Adventures of Roderick Random

{{Expand French|topic=cult}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2024}}{{Short description|1748 picaresque novel by Tobias Smollett}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox book
| name              = The Adventures of Roderick Random
| image             = Cruikshank Rodrick Random-thumb-440x389-17700.jpg
| author            = [[Tobias Smollett]]
| country           = Great Britain
| language          = English
| genre             = novel
| release_date      = 1748
| media_type        = Print
}}
'''''The Adventures of Roderick Random''''' is a [[picaresque novel]] by [[Tobias Smollett]], first published in 1748. It is partially based on Smollett's experience as a naval-surgeon's mate in the [[Royal Navy]], especially during the [[Battle of Cartagena de Indias]] in 1741. In the preface, Smollett acknowledges the connections of his novel to the two satirical picaresque works he translated into English: [[Miguel de Cervantes]]' ''[[Don Quixote]]'' (1605–15) and [[Alain-René Lesage]]'s ''[[Gil Blas]]'' (1715–47)

==Plot summary==
[[File:Houghton AC85.J2335.Zz831s2 - Roderick Random, frontispiece.jpg|thumb|Frontispiece by [[George Cruikshank]] for an 1831 edition]]
The novel is set in the 1730s and 1740s and tells the life story (in the first person) of Roderick "Rory" Random, who was born to a Scottish gentleman and a lower-class woman and is thus shunned by his father's family. His mother dies soon after giving birth and his father is driven mad with grief. Random's paternal grandfather coerces a local school master into providing free education for the boy, who becomes popular with his classmates (some of whom he encounters again in subsequent adventures) and learns Latin, French, Italian and ancient Greek. The language accomplishments are despite, rather than because of, the abusive tutor who oppresses Random at every opportunity. Finally Random is cast out after the tutor exacts revenge for one of Random's escapades and denounces him to his grandfather. With none of his paternal family willing to assist him in any way, Random relies on his wits and the occasional support of his maternal uncle, Tom Bowling.

The naive Random then embarks on a series of adventures and misadventures, visiting [[inter alia]], [[History of London#18th century|London]], [[Bath, Somerset|Bath]], [[Early Modern France#France in the 17th and 18th centuries|France]], the [[History of the Caribbean|West Indies]], West Africa and [[South America#European colonization|South America]]. With little money to support himself, he encounters malice, discrimination and [[sharper]]s at every turn. His honest and trustworthy character and medical skills do however win him a few staunch friends. Roderick spends much of the novel trying to attract the attention of various wealthy women he meets, so that he can live comfortably and take up his rightful entitlement as a gentleman. To that end he poses as a nobleman several times, including once while he is in France. Roderick and his companion Hugh Strap end up serving twice on British ships, once on a [[privateer]] and once on a warship after being [[Impressment|press-ganged]]. The novel ends happily when Random is reunited with his wealthy father in Argentina. He inherits some funds immediately, enabling him to marry the lovely Narcissa without the consent of her [[legal guardian|guardian]] brother.

==Characters==
Typical of a picaresque novel, there is a wide range of characters but few central ones.

'''Roderick''' "'''Rory'''" '''Random'''

The hero and narrator, son of a Scottish gentleman and a lower-class woman. 

; Hugh Strap
Hugh Strap, a simple-hearted barber's apprentice and former schoolmate who is Roderick's companion through most of the novel. He adopts the name "Monsieur d'Estrapes" while in France.

; Narcissa
A [[gentlewoman]] and the object of Random's advances during the second half of the novel. They eventually marry.

; Tom Bowling
Random's maternal uncle, he is a sailor who attempts to support Random as best as he can between voyages. His conversation is laced with nautical terminology.

The character of "Captain Whiffle" is said to be modelled on [[Harry Powlett, 6th Duke of Bolton|Lord Harry Powlett]], who became 6th Duke of Bolton.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Underdown |first1=David |title=Aristocratic Faction and Reformist Politics in Eighteenth-Century Hampshire: The Election of December 1779 |journal=Huntington Library Quarterly |date=2005 |volume=68 |issue=4 |page=603 |doi=10.1525/hlq.2005.68.4.601 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/hlq.2005.68.4.601 |issn=0018-7895|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==Themes==
Smollett offers a vicious portrayal of hypocrisy, greed, deceit and the snobbery peculiar to the times, especially among the upper and middle classes. He exposes the brutality, incompetence and injustice of the [[History of the Royal Navy#Wars with France, Spain and America, 1690–1815|Royal Navy]] at the [[Battle of Cartagena de Indias|Battle of Cartagena]] in 1741 and in relation to preferment, promotion and medical treatment. The novel embraces common 18th century topics such as [[privateer]]ing, slavery, prostitution, [[dowry|dowries]], homosexuality, [[debtor's prison]] ([[Marshalsea|the Marshalsea]]), political and arts patronage, the clergy, the practice of medicine, and corruption. Smollett experienced many of these first-hand and portrays them with a candid vigour. 

Throughout the novel, Random is referred to by the author and others as a  "[[North Briton]]". The relatively recent [[Acts of Union 1707|Act of Union]] between England and Scotland in 1707 was still controversial.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|The Adventures of Roderick Random}}
* 
* {{librivox book | title=The Adventures of Roderick Random| author=Smollett}}
* {{Nuttall|title=Roderick Random}}

{{Tobias Smollett}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adventures of Roderick Random, The}}
[[Category:1748 British novels]]
[[Category:Novels by Tobias Smollett]]
[[Category:British picaresque novels]]
[[Category:Novels set in London]]
[[Category:1748 debut novels]]