I am saddened to report that today's post will not be as extensive as I should like it to be. To be frankly honest, I'm a little further behind in reading Pamela than I would like to be (damn you time! how often I wished I had a time turner so I could read and get more accomplished... or even Wells' "New Accelerator" to accomplish the same desire in a fraction of the time). So instead of a response which in all likelihood should probably survey most of the first part of the novel (Vol. 1), I'll be looking at the "virtues" that are inherently featured on the page of Richardson's first few letters and consider how they interact with Samuel Johnson's famous "The Rambler" essay.
1. The first letter (or two letters. I'm not sure how we should number these letters. It is obvious to this reader that both compositions are related, and both are most likely "mailed" together if we are piecing together the framework of the unwritten narrative - the part where letters are sent and read by characters not presented on the page) immediately calls to our attention the ideals of puritan / protestant / "fun haters" / "splitters" ("Listen! If you wanted to join the PFJ, you'd have to really hate the Romans." Yes, I seriously just quoted Monty Python's The Life of Brian. You're welcome! ;p ) Christianity.
Pamela begins her first letter (1A) by updating her parents as to the nature of the death of her employer. We are then given that the widower, her now employer, has agreed to pay the salaries of all the staff. Pamela, in a move which certainly calls to the attention of the reader the fifth commandment ("Honor your mother and father....") when she selflessly decides to send her salary via carrier to her parents so that they, in good nature, may pay their debts and try to live comfortably. Pamela concludes the narrative of honorable daughter by stating: "If I get more, I am sure it is my duty, and it should be my care to love and cherish you both" (12). At the root of her (Pamela's) concern is the need to be "a good girl", and she concludes her initial letter with the request that her parent's "pray for your Pamela" so that she may find strength from the divine to continue striving in her goodness.
In relationship to Johnson's wonderful essay, we see that Richardson is indeed defining a set of virtues for the character of Pamela, which she must inhibit to accomplish a set of moralistic realism that I guess was necessary for 18th century readership (I'm glad that I wasn't alive to be a writer / poet in that era. I'd be despised!) to appreciate / interact with. Johnson's point that fiction allows an audience the ability to interact and learn from made up stories better than other mediums also, I think, can be best understood when considering the practical implications of that statement. It is fairly obvious and clear that a reader should take note of Pamela's virtue and dutifulness to her parents, at the same time implying that a person (particularly a woman) should be reserved and bashful (not the right word. I'm drawing a blank on what I should be using here. Help me out reader! Tell me the word I am forgetting!) in their personhood.
Letter 1B furthers this "virtue" by allowing Mr. B to bestow upon her an approval of sorts in her personhood. Mr. B confirms that Pamela is, indeed, "a good girl" and furthers a point of her goodness by announcing the virtue of her education; that she is one whose "learning has not been thrown away" (13). The subtle note of the importance of education here, is, I believe to state or teach a lesson on the importance of ever learning and reading. It is also a barrier breaker: Richardson is quite literally thanking his readership for having the ability and desire to continue learning and reading.
The second letter (in response to Pamela's letters) outlines a fevered response where it becomes clear that Mr. B is obviously displaying signs of favoritism that will later lead to romance. The concerns addressed by the parents obviously display the need for one's continued strength in righteousness (or simply put; don't give it up, girlfriend!).
I rather like the epistolary style of the writing. It makes the book fun and enjoyable to read. I'm still slugging along through the first volume (about 110 pages in. Hopefully by the time of my next post, I'll be done and will be able to develop a much better take on the novel), but in comparison to Fantomina, the book is lovely. Well written, easy to read, and although Pamela isn't the most likeable character, she's there and her perspective is well received in the mind of this reader.
---jmj
1. The first letter (or two letters. I'm not sure how we should number these letters. It is obvious to this reader that both compositions are related, and both are most likely "mailed" together if we are piecing together the framework of the unwritten narrative - the part where letters are sent and read by characters not presented on the page) immediately calls to our attention the ideals of puritan / protestant / "fun haters" / "splitters" ("Listen! If you wanted to join the PFJ, you'd have to really hate the Romans." Yes, I seriously just quoted Monty Python's The Life of Brian. You're welcome! ;p ) Christianity.
Pamela begins her first letter (1A) by updating her parents as to the nature of the death of her employer. We are then given that the widower, her now employer, has agreed to pay the salaries of all the staff. Pamela, in a move which certainly calls to the attention of the reader the fifth commandment ("Honor your mother and father....") when she selflessly decides to send her salary via carrier to her parents so that they, in good nature, may pay their debts and try to live comfortably. Pamela concludes the narrative of honorable daughter by stating: "If I get more, I am sure it is my duty, and it should be my care to love and cherish you both" (12). At the root of her (Pamela's) concern is the need to be "a good girl", and she concludes her initial letter with the request that her parent's "pray for your Pamela" so that she may find strength from the divine to continue striving in her goodness.
In relationship to Johnson's wonderful essay, we see that Richardson is indeed defining a set of virtues for the character of Pamela, which she must inhibit to accomplish a set of moralistic realism that I guess was necessary for 18th century readership (I'm glad that I wasn't alive to be a writer / poet in that era. I'd be despised!) to appreciate / interact with. Johnson's point that fiction allows an audience the ability to interact and learn from made up stories better than other mediums also, I think, can be best understood when considering the practical implications of that statement. It is fairly obvious and clear that a reader should take note of Pamela's virtue and dutifulness to her parents, at the same time implying that a person (particularly a woman) should be reserved and bashful (not the right word. I'm drawing a blank on what I should be using here. Help me out reader! Tell me the word I am forgetting!) in their personhood.
Letter 1B furthers this "virtue" by allowing Mr. B to bestow upon her an approval of sorts in her personhood. Mr. B confirms that Pamela is, indeed, "a good girl" and furthers a point of her goodness by announcing the virtue of her education; that she is one whose "learning has not been thrown away" (13). The subtle note of the importance of education here, is, I believe to state or teach a lesson on the importance of ever learning and reading. It is also a barrier breaker: Richardson is quite literally thanking his readership for having the ability and desire to continue learning and reading.
The second letter (in response to Pamela's letters) outlines a fevered response where it becomes clear that Mr. B is obviously displaying signs of favoritism that will later lead to romance. The concerns addressed by the parents obviously display the need for one's continued strength in righteousness (or simply put; don't give it up, girlfriend!).
I rather like the epistolary style of the writing. It makes the book fun and enjoyable to read. I'm still slugging along through the first volume (about 110 pages in. Hopefully by the time of my next post, I'll be done and will be able to develop a much better take on the novel), but in comparison to Fantomina, the book is lovely. Well written, easy to read, and although Pamela isn't the most likeable character, she's there and her perspective is well received in the mind of this reader.
---jmj
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