A Comparison Between Two Foundlings

As I was reading the history of Tom Jones, I was reminded of a certain other foundling I had read about: Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff was found by Catherine's father in the streets, alone and abandoned, just as Tom was found by Mr. Allworthy; though he was actually put in Allworthy's own bed! Both Tom and Heathcliff were wild children and they both seem very driven by nature. Tom has an undying love for Sophia even though he sleeps with many other women, while Heathcliff does everything for Catherine; even courting Isabella to make her jealous. Yet, these two foundlings are very different from each other. For one thing, Heathcliff is not a likable person; he seems to hate everyone besides Catherine, and indeed treats everyone he knows rather badly. Tom, despite his sexual faults, is quite likable, and even though he constantly gets into trouble, he is plagued by any misfortunes he encounters. Tom loses sleep over any of his mishaps and repents for any wrong he does others. Heathcliff did everything he could to win over Catherine even though she was married to another man, yet he lost her to death in the end. Tom overcomes many obstacles to win Sophia's love and marries her at the end of his novel. Tom and Sophia have kids after their marriage, but since Tom Jones is only a history of the main character, we never delve into their lives, whereas Wuthering Heights goes on for many pages after the death of Catherine to deal with the lives of her daughter and Heathcliff's sons. Heathcliff's "son" Hareton, who is really Hindley's son but Heathcliff raised him, manages to find love with the second Catherine and marries her; something his "father" was never able to do with the original Catherine. Fortunately, Fielding's Tom Jones is much more lighthearted than Wuthering Heights, so we don't have to deal with serious losses and can congratulate Tom for finally getting his girl in the novel's finale.