Pamela or Virtue Rewarded

Rating:
Summary: Spamela
Review: As a writer, Samuel Richardson is completely honest about his intentions. His novel "Pamela" serves an explicit purpose, announced on its title page as intending "to cultivate the Principles of Virtue and Religion in the Minds of the YOUTH of BOTH SEXES [sic]," and this self-righteous statement invokes a suspicion, almost a conviction, that the book's value is instructional rather than literary. Can it be both, and can it still be enjoyable? Yes, it is both, and no, it is not very enjoyable.

Richardson's heroine, the fifteen-year-old Pamela Andrews, a girl so lily-white and virtuous she almost rides into the story on a unicorn, works as a maid for a wealthy young man discreetly called Mr. B. He is attracted to her and treats her most ignobly, kissing her despite her protests, grappling her like an octopus, feeling her up, calling her a slut, reading her mail, deceiving her poor parents, and finally having her kidnapped and imprisoned in his rural house. This much of the novel is epistolary, in which Pamela wails about her distress in letters to her parents, who are concerned but unable to help her aside from giving her advice filled with platitudes about minding her virtue.

The second part of the novel is in the form of a diary, in which Pamela relates how her virtuous resistance to Mr. B's salacious persistence culminates in his offer to marry her, which she accepts. Okay, so now what? Richardson's next step is to introduce class warfare. Mr. B's sister, Lady Davers, admonishes her brother about the impropriety of his marrying a vulgar wench like Pamela when he should be seeking a girl of the aristocracy. The dignity with which Pamela responds to Lady Davers's snobbish attitude shows that while Richardson may have been high-minded about morals, he was definitely not a supporter of elitism.

The challenge in reading this novel is to try to take it seriously without discarding modern notions about proper gender relations. It may be argued that Richardson is really pointing the finger of scorn at Mr. B, but since Pamela is the focus and the voice of the story, it almost seems that the burden of remaining virtuous is being placed on her and not on her immoral aggressor, who knows better but thinks his privileged social status gives him license to do as he pleases. And then one day he realizes the iniquity of his character, reverses his behavior, makes an honorable overture to his lady, and suddenly everything's wonderful. Sure.

"Pamela" basically fuses together two genres, the morality tale and the Cinderella story, and a formula like this was bound to invite waves of adoration, commentary, and controversy. Fans loved the book's optimism; puritanical detractors accused it of being merely prurient. Henry Fielding, possibly inspired by the book's humorless earnestness, even wrote a parody ("Shamela") in which the heroine really *was* a slut. Whether "Pamela" deserves to be read in the twenty-first century is difficult to judge; it can't quite be recommended on the strength of its narrative, but readers who feel the need to see an example of "virtue rewarded" could do a lot worse.

Rating:
Summary: "...you must read it for its sentiment."
Review: despite certain theorists views that this is actually a story of feminist or working class triumph, i found this piece of writing to be painfully misogynistic and classist. pamela is a young female housemaid whose master attempts to rape her several times, going to such lengths as kidnapping her, lying to her and anyone who'll listen and attempting to bribe her. pamela's resistance earns her a marriage to the same would-be rapist, after which everything comes up roses for pamela. this novel is extremely repetitive. part ii could easily have been condensed to ten pages or so without losing much. apparently pamela is the perfect christian, wife, daughter, servant, mistress, etc, etc. she's beautiful, too, with a waist that her master's hands can span. she annoyed the bejesus out of me. so did the novel. ...

Rating:
Summary: A tad verbose
Review: I admit that I haven't yet finished "Pamela" and also that I've never been very enthusiastic about the literature of the 18th century. The only reason I'm reading "Pamela" at all is because, while reading the journal of Esther Burr (18th century American and mother of Aaron Burr) she mentions reading both "Pamela" and "Clarissa." She loved "Pamela" and hated "Clarissa" and I want to see if my opinion lines up with hers. (And I also want to see the film version of Clarissa w/ yummy Sean Bean, but want to read the book first.)

I find Pamela's endless lamentations to be quite tedious to read. Until I read the other reviews posted here, I assumed that Richardson was writing ironically and poking fun of Pamela. She says again and again that she'd rather die in a ditch or spend her life dressed in rags, begging than lose her virginity to her master and yet when she finally is left alone and has a key to help her escape from her imprisonment in her master's house, she is afraid of the bull that lives in the pasture and ends up remaining imprisoned. Also, she's quite sly, sneaky and dishonest, despite all her protestations that she remain honest. (Although by "honest" Pamela really means "a virgin.") But perhaps Richardson was sincere in his portrayal of Pamela as a truly virtuous woman.

At any rate, I am not enjoying this novel as much as I'd hoped I would although the scene between Pamela and Lady Davers is highly entertaining. However, Pamela is an extraordinarily prolific letter writer, but at different times throughout the novel she recaps what has already happened at great length. The characters are not very interesting or particularly well-developed. If I had to invite one of them to dinner, I'd pass over the tedious Pamela and the despicable Mr. B, her master and plump for earthy, pragmatic Mrs. Jewkes who is occaisionally entertaining.

Rating:
Summary: A Novel of Mutual Seduction and Instruction
Review: Samuel Richardson's first novel, 1740's "Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded" is a clever and rich novel. Written to entertain and edify readers of both sexes, "Pamela" is an epistolary novel, presented in the form of letters and a journal between young Pamela Andrews and her parents. From the viewpoint of a domestic servant, Pamela illustrates the complex relationships between commoners and aristocrats, including the range of socially and economically diverse people between those extremes. The novel also explores the erotics of social ambition within the context of eighteenth century bourgeois religious ethics.

Pamela is a mid-teen waiting maid, and as the novel begins, the Lady she serves has just died. Prior to her death, this Lady recommends her servants, and particularly Pamela, who has been educated and refined above her social station, to the Lady's son, a strapping young man, Mr. B. Mr. B, with his own plans for Pamela, gladly takes her into his service, rather than send her to his sister, Lady Davers. Shortly after entering his service, Pamela begins to be uncomfortable, as Mr. B starts trying to seduce her. Pamela, in correspondence with her parents, and under the direct advice of the housekeeper, Mrs. Jervis, vows to protect her virtue and chastity. The rest of the novel deals with Pamela's efforts to fend off Mr. B's advances, in conditions that often amount to imprisonment and attempted rape.

There are many noteworthy issues in "Pamela," first of all being the figuration of the word "virtue." In the context of the novel, and its main character, the word has gender connotations, which align virtue with chastity and marriagability. It is a somewhat radical concept that Pamela, as a common, if obscenely beatiful, servant, should be so assiduous and insistent on the value of her virginity. Her parents tell her that she should rather die than forfeit her innocence. In higher social circumstances, chastity has definite marriage value, whereas Pamela, whose family is all but destitute, has no way to provide for her - her ability to marry is dependent to a great extent on remaining virtuous. One of the things "Pamela" forces us to think about is whether men can or should be held to the same sexual moral standards as women, and accustom us to the idea of unequal (social and economic) relationships.

Another important and valuable thing we get from "Pamela" is the idea of character and self as written things, as text. Mr. B chides Pamela for writing about him, and the possibility that her letters circulate with disparaging comments on himself. Of course, the more commonplace notion of employers giving "characters" of their servants, or recommendations makes Pamela's writings all the more interesting. The fact that the vast majority of the novel consists of Pamela's writing - we get the clear message that it is the point of view of a young, lower class woman that gives us our ideas about everything in the novel. The way that Pamela writes herself and those around her, including the vile and sexually-ambiguous Mrs. Jewkes seems to indicate the truth-value and propriety of Pamela's opinions and observations. The fact that other characters in the novel read Pamela's letters is also important here, as they not only better understand themselves, but Pamela and her own motivations. The way especially, that Pamela and Mr. B read and learn from each other throughout the novel, is fascinating.

Richardson would go on to further elaborate these themes in completely different social circumstances, and with a great deal more terror and anxiety in "Clarissa," but Pamela has its own distinct charms and appeal. In form and content, the influence of "Pamela" can be felt and appreciated from around the time of its publication (see Henry Fielding's "Shamela" and "Joseph Andrews") through to the 20th century and beyond (see "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker). Important to note, though - this review pertains specifically to the 1740 first edition of "Pamela" published by Riverside. There are significant differences, modifications in language and tone between this and, say, the 1801 edition published in the Penguin Classics. Each has its own merits, so buy and read at your discretion!

Rating:
Summary: Worth reading
Review: The novel consists of a collection of letters that the heroine writes to her family and friends.

In Part I of "Pamela", we are told the story of a young maid of fifteen who resists her master's improper advances. Her virtue is rewarded by her becoming his wife.

In Part II of the same book ("Pamela in her exalted condition"), we see her life as a married woman in society. She is depicted as a perfect wife and mother who tactfully reforms her husband and brings harmony to all around her.

I possess an older version and don't know whether this one here contains Part II.

When the novel appeared (in 1740) it became an instant success, the one subject of conversation everywhere... not in the least because, as Watt ironically said, it combined "the attractions of a sermon and a strip tease".

I couldn't read it in its entirety, had to skip some passages because they were extremely boring - for example it takes Richardson almost a page to describe (through one of Pamela's letters, of course) the list of things she intends to take home.

Pamela is a very interesting character, very alive, full of extraordinary contradictions. She is very humble (nauseatingly so, sometimes) but on the other hand she has very strong feelings - she bites her fan in fury when the sister of her master shows up after Pamela's wedding to abuse her. She truly wants to preserve her "best jewel", her virtue, for the sake of her faith, but on the other hand she is fully aware of the material advantages her marriage to her master will bring her, better than if she were his mistress. This is perhaps best shown by her chiding her maid for behaving wantonly in these (outrageous!) words: "And if you hope to emulate my good fortune, do you think *this* is the way?"

I absolutely admit that this is far from being an extraordinarily interesting book for the people of today. I cannot think of anything in it that would even remotely have any correspondence with the modern society.

If for nothing else, the book is worth reading because it provides a clear and accurate picture of life in England in the eighteenth century.

Rating:
Summary: Lots of Fun
Review: This book is almost impossible to rate. It is didactic, tedious, chauvinistic, dogmatic and implausible. But boy, is it fun! I've read it twice and both times have been amazed at how quickly I was sucked into Richardson's world. And both times I came away thinking, Is this book really as psychologically complex as I think it is or am I reading too much into it?

In a way, the novel Pamela strikes me the same way as Shakespeare's play Taming of the Shrew. Yes, the sexism is irritating (not to say, frightening when looked at in historical context: Pamela really doesn't have a chance), yet the characters live in their own right. Mr. B is less clearly delineated than Pamela, and Pamela comes off as incredibly sanctimonious in parts, but the tension and drama between them and the other characters is real and vital.(For instance, Richardson explores the sibling rivalry between Mr. B and his sister in highly charged scenes that could take place in any modern novel.)

The book suffers towards the end. Pamela becomes even more sanctimonious (and less aggressive), and Mr. B becomes less witty. Mr. B is a villain you hate to love (or a hero you love to hate) until he turns "good" and then he just gets boring. Who was it said, "The snake has all the lines"?

If you find, as I do, that Clarissa (Richardson's better known novel about a womanly woman's virtue) is a tad daunting, give Pamela a try.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Literature Piece
Review: This has become one of the best novels of literature I have read in along time. The impact which this story has on the reader, the beautiful language in which it is written, and the underlying symbolism that pops out in every page makes this story a captivating piece of literature that keeps the reader turning the pages and yearning to read as the story develops. Some individuals might find this work a bit dull and slow, bur that only depends on the kind of book that you're interested in. For my case, dullness did not describe any part of the book. I found it very touching and I find Pamela to be one of the best literary characters in English literature. It is the story of a young maid who is pursued by her young master. At all costs she defends her virtue refusing to give in to her master. As the story develops we see the intense feelings, emotions, and confusion that wraps the characters along with the reader. I truly reccommend this book to anybody.

Rating:
Summary: Pamela
Review: Ughhhhhhhhhh! I had to read this for a Literature class (Thanks Susan!), anyway, snooze-o-rama! I can appreciate the novel for introducing the conventions of "the novel," but does it have to be so boring? Pamela is sooooo virtuous it's irritating! I know you people will check the box that says NO this review was not helpful, but TRUST ME on this one! ZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Rating:
Summary: Cleverness rewarded
Review: You cannot put just one star to such an important novel in English Literature. I find it fascinating and it is not boring. I tend to think that Pamela is a cunning little lady who knew her chances in life and took the only way towards a higher social level. She is not really a hipocritical woman, she believes in her virtue and at the same time takes pleasure in describing rich clothes and how bravely she acts in front of Evil. From that point of view it is a magnificent study of how to fight against overwhelming odds and win. Forget all those words about "virtue" and think about "cleverness" instead, and the novel will be worth while.