Pamela as an Epistolary novel

An epistolary novel by Richardson - Pamela is discussed here

1. Pamela As An Epistolary Novel Prepared by : Nidhi Dave MA sem 1 Paper 2- Literature of the Neo- Classical Period Submitted to – Department of English, MKBU

2. Pamela As An Epistolary Novel

3. Samuel Richardson Born in Derbyshire in 1689. Also became a novelist was due to his skill as a letter writer. His first novel is Pamela or virtue Rewarded. His last novel is the History of Sir Charles Grandison . Printed almost 500 different works, with magazines and journals. Died at London in 1761.

4. Samuel Richardson’s Pamela or Virtue Rewarded Pamela or Virtue Rewarded is an epistolary novel written by Samuel Richardson. First published in 1740. A bestseller of its time. Tells about the story of a 15 year old maidservant named Pamela. Richardson first began writing Pamela as a conduct book. Then later he decided to write in a different genre. Pamela displays such perfection in resisting her master’s advences that he ends marrying her.

5. WHAT IS EPISTOLARY NOVEL? The term “Epistolary Novel ” refers to the works of fiction that are written in the form of letters or other documents. “Epistolary” is simply the adjectival form of the noun epistle, form the Latinized Greek for letter. The letter as a written genre, of course, predates the novel itself. The first novel in English to be composed entirely of letters is usually considered to be “Love Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister”, published in 1684 and attributed to the versatile playwright and author Aphra Bahn. Although Behn’s characters are fictional, they were modelled on real- life likenesses.

6. Putting their narrative into the form of letters increased the realism of Behn’s account, making readers feel as though they were privy to a secret and private correspondence. But the epistolary novel really came into its own with the immensely popular novels of Samuel Richardson in the mid-18 th century: Pamela in 1740 and the even more massive Clarissa of 1748. “Pamela, or virtue Rewarded, in a series of familiar Letters from a beautiful young damsel to her parents.”

7. About “PAMELA” In the novel, Pamela write two kinds of letters. At the beginning, when she stay at Mr. B’s house after the death of his mother. She tells her parents about her various dilemmas and ask for their advise. After that Mr. B abducts her and imprisoned her in his country house. The second parts of letters are written from there. Pamela doesn’t know that whether her parents received her letters. The writings are also considered a diary.

8. The sub- title: “Virtue Rewarded” Typical Substantial 18 th century sub –title> In the novel the virtue is tied rewarded. Pamela will not give up her VIRTUE.( willing sleep with her master) He comes very close to attempting to rape her , but Ultimetly do not. Eventually proposes marriage to her , and this is her “reward” for her virtue. Pamela preserved her chastity and thus she was rewarded.

9. Example of the Letters:-

10. I was proceeding , and he said , a little hastily – Because you are a little fool, and know not what’s good for yourself. I tell you I will make a gentlewomen of you, if you be obliging ,and don’t stand in your own light; and so saying , he put his arm about me, and kissed me! It very difficult to keep one’s distance to the greatest of men , when they won’t keep it themselves to their meanest servents . Come in fool, said he angrily ,as soon as he saw me; you may well be ashamed to see me , after your noise and nonsense, and exposing me as you have done. I ashamed to see you ! Thought I: very pretty indeed! –But I said nothing.

11. The Success of “PAMELA” The close identification which the epistolary novel induced with the heroine in her distress and the unparalleled attention Richardson paid to the minutiae of daily life ravished his readers, while the pervasive tone of moral rectitude provided a convenient and much – needed rationale for the otherwise dubious taste for prose fiction. Pamela was a huge success and become something of a cult novel By may 1741 it reached a fourth edition and was dramatize in Italy by Goldoni, as well as in England.

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