Squire Allworthy, a wealthy landowner, adopts baby Tom Jones, whose mother was a servant in his household. Years later, Tom develops into a young man with a passion for life, but he is hated by Belleville, the son of Squire. Tom falls in love with Sophie Western, the daughter of a neighboring landowner, but her father prefers to marry her to Belleville, who is plotting to drive Tom out of town.