Samuel Richardson(1689 - 1761)

1. INTROAnother one of the founding fathers of English novelDifferent character and different lit. figure (compared to e.g. Defoe)Modest, hardworking printer and publisherFirst novel when he was 51

2. BIO1689 Born in Derbyshire, one of 9 siblings, father in tradeFather wanted Samuel to become a clergyman, but due to poor financial state the family put their children to tradesGrammar school in London, then (at the age of 17) 7 year apprenticeship as a printerI stole from the hours of rest and relaxation, my reading times for improvement of my mind

3. LETTERSA crucial point for his literary careerWriting letters from his early yearsAt the age of 11, wrote a letter to a widow (50), assuming the style and address of a person in years, cautioned her about her actionsShy and withdrawn as a boy, socialized with young women with literary interests, reading to them and discussing lit.Helping others write letters, esp. girls answering love letters

4. CAREER & PRIVATE LIFEAfter the apprenticeship started his own printing shopMarried the daughter of his former employerTook on his own apprenticesHis wife and 5 children died, married again and had 6 children, 4 daughters reached adulthoodNo male heir to his business

1733 wrote Apprentices Vade Mecum: or, Young Mans Pocket Companion didactic, intended to create a perfect apprenticeThe idea that the apprentices are the focal point for the moral improvement of societyCondemning popular forms of entertainment (theatres, taverns, gambling)

5. THE FIRST NOVELIn 1739 asked by 2 friends to write a little volume of letters for those who could not write them themselves (lower social classes)Aside from introducing the formal models for letters, Richardson introduces the ways of thinking and acting in various situationsVarious characters, situations and themes, e.g. Love affairs, courting, employer apprentice relations, etc.

new: develops sets of letters with the continuous story1741 Letters written to and for particular Friends, on the most important Occasions. Directing not only the requisite Style and Forms to be observed in writing Familiar Letters; but how to think and act justly and prudently, in the common Concerns of Human Life

Inspired by these letters, started working on the case of a young and attractive servant girl1740 Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (completed in 2 months) the 1st English novel1741 Pamela's Conduct in High Life, a sequelEpistolary Novel

EPISTOLARY TECHNIQUEPoint of view of the servants, simple style, practical moral advice, no romantic idea of loveProblems in writing: developing a story in a series of lettersDetailed analysis of Pamelas thoughts and other characters thoughts, but also the depiction of the setting and circumstanceswriting to the moment (characters writing all the time)

Pamela vs. 1st person narrativeNot writing from memory, but writing down the events as they happen (writing to the moment)Move to subjective perspective (as opposed to the objective) and the principle of selection (as opposed to the mass of details and impressions)Point of view (of one or several characters)

The element of suspense not knowing what will happen, maintaining the continuous interest of readers (the same way he wrote the novel)FLAWS:1.Plausibility of character (the way of writing has to be adjusted to the choice of character, Pamela poor and not educated)2. Plausibility of technique (writing all the time?)

6. OTHER NOVELS1747-48 Clarissa, or the History of a Young Lady (mastered the technique): Clarissa and Lovelace, plus 2 friendsMultiple perspective, 4 correspondents, 547 letters, over 1000000 words1753-54 (The History of) Sir Charles GrandisonA virtuous male character, plus 2 female characters (Clementina and Harriet)

7. SOCIAL ASPECTSubjective experience not separated from social setting & surroundingsFrom social point of view, Pamela might be regarded as a democratic novel (the maid breaking social barriers)Pamela seen as Richardsons embodiment of feminine virtue and feminine rolesAnti-Pamelas (e.g. Fielding Shamela, Joseph Andrews; Coleridge) and the problem of moral perspective

8. & ARTISTIC ASPECTThe first novelist to turn towards the psychological (in portrayal of the emotional reactions of the characters)No deep psychological analysis, but achieves psychological credibilityThe possibility of identifying with the characters? (emotional level)SentimentalityEntertainer vs. Artist?

9. The Importance of (being) Samuel RichardsonIntroduction of Epistolary NovelPsychological aspect with focus on sentimentalityPortrayal of female characters from lower and middle classesMoral instructiveness