Analysis Of The Novel Pamela - Essay Example

Analysis Of The Novel Pamela Passage Analyzed Thursday night, 12 o’clock Mrs. Jervis and I are just in Bed, and the Door unlocked; if my Master should come—odsbobs! I hear him just coming in at the Door. You see I write in the present tense, as Parson Williams says. Well, he is in Bed between us, we are both shamming a Sleep, he steals his Hand into my Bosom, which I, as if in my Sleep, press closer to me with mine, and then pretend to awake. i. Introduction Samuel Richardson’s book Pamela, also known as the Virtue Rewarded is one of the literature classics published first in the 18th Century. Significantly, it was among the blockbuster novels of the 1700s and has been of significant influence to the modern world of literature, particularly being a critical innovation in the plight of realism. The novel is a comprehensive narration of Pamela, a serving-maid, who takes advantage of her master’s persistent effort to seduce her. However, the seduction and fending of her master prevails through the multiple letters Pamela sends to her parents narrating every second of her life as a serving-maid. Samuel Richardson, the author of the book, describes the narrations as ‘writing to the moment’. He uses Pamela’s letters to attract the attention of the audience, creating an emotional connection with Pamela. In fact, Pamela does not come out as a fictional character since Richardson presents practicality through the narrations. Significantly, Pamela’s style is outright and clear as a prediction of the 19th century literature; however, the main concern of this essay is the coarse parody by Henry Fielding. An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews, published five months after Samuel Richardson’s Pamela, is a representation of an anti-protagonist character who acts opposite of Pamela’s actions. Instead of discouraging the constant seductions by her master, Shamela works extensively harder to seduce him for her own gains, particularly in the society and financially (Fielding 4). Resolutely, this paper analyzes one of the passages in Shamela establishing connections between the language and structure as narrated by Henry Fielding ii. Discussion Definitely, the plot of the narration as depicted in the passage has multiple similarities with Pamela/ the Virtue Rewarded. In the case of Shamela, Fielding also narrates the encounters in the form of elongated, overt Letters to her parents. The passage contains one of the encounters and a narration in her letters. Similarly, Shamela came from a humble background and working for the rich family was once in a lifetime opportunity. Unfortunately, her master’s wife faces her demise and as the only person mostly around him, Shamela faces a series of advances. She does not resist the seduction schemes and the act of pressing closer to her is a representation of her consistent efforts to seduce her master for her own personal gains. Henry Fielding does not keep the structure of the narration simple and the multiple pauses in passage are a representation of the multiple episodes in the plot. The most essential aspect in such a narration is the intimacy expressed to the readers through the letters and diary entries of Shamela; however, Henry Fielding’s representation of her in the parody, lacks this intimate expression of the human heart; in fact, the persistence of her continued need to seduce the master eliminates confidentiality and directness (Fielding 9). On the other hand, Richardson selects another exceptional subject that is his description of the battle of sexes through the confrontations between Pamela and the master. Pamela, who prevails at the end of the narration, depicts the woman as the victor. As a parody, An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews lacks such a subject matter or even an epistolary form in the tone and style. Samuel Richardson’s narration entails a skirmish between two people and two dissimilar perceptions of sex and marriage from two distinct social classes. Additionally, Pamela and her master also have two commencements of gender roles, making the interaction in engagement multifaceted and challenging. Shamela might follow Pamela’s plot/ the original story but Henry Fielding’s background and point of view has discrepancies particularly in interpretation and message to the reader (Fielding 23). In fact, the prohibited intimacy depicted in the passage shows that Shamela and her master have a similar perception of sex and the basis of gender relationship contrary to Richardson’s narration. The passage’s literary devices and general style, focuses more on the plot of the story putting less attention on the characters’ moods and sentiments. Additionally, it is symbolic of the standards and ethnic customs of the top classes in the society who exploit those in the middle and bottom classes for their own personal benefits (Fielding 40). All the same, Fielding is more of classical traditionalist and clearly displays his lack of support for the literature rules in the 18th century. His grammar, vocabulary and tone depict his idea of taking dramatic measures towards the progressing disorder of literary taste during that time. Shamela goes out of her way to attain her goals in the society and financially through seducing her master i.e. in the passage; the third occupant in the bed does not restrict her objective or even affect her moral values. Resolutely, Henry caricatures ‘the writing to the moment’ conception by narrating such absurd scenes, which any reader would establish are not writings of Shamela. For instance, he explicates how the master slowly opened the door and interrupts the story by insisting on his acute application of the present tense (Fielding 18). Upon feeling the hand of the master on her bosom, Shamela presses it closer. Such a report of the events in a letter that Shamela is writing to her mother creates partial irrationality and eliminates the persistence on intimacy by Richardson in Pamela. Moreover, Henry Fielding’s questionable emphasis on the present at the middle of the scene depicts a bogus proximity as opposed to Richardson’s technique that shows no part of the passage pointing out the obvious or emphasizing on proximity. In fact, the sentiments in Pamela speak for themselves. iii. Conclusion Definitely, Shamela is a popular parody because of the contemporary works of Henry Fielding that attracts an enormous audience, especially women, plus the example of the tone, style and literary devices used in the passage. During that time, most of the reading population gave significant attention to romantic novels and religious literature but Shamela goes a different direction as a parody. The passage overlooks the idea of realism, commercialization of literature and improvement of morality intentions that act as implications of alterations in the reception of literature. Fielding does not only evoke aristocracy but also criticizes and ridicules the level of morality depicted by Samuel Richardson. Additionally, the rhetoric tone in the passage is a mock of Pamela’s style in a variety of ways. In fact, the style used by Henry Fielding implies that Pamela’s conception of morality and chastity is unclear and stealth that is misleading but Shamela is clearer on her goals. Fielding lacks a comprehensive way to ersatz the key expression on the decline of the patrician ideals, rise of the lower middle class and the moral concepts. Typically, even though the main aim of Fielding is to lampoon Pamela he does not edify the readers on the demeanor in social life. Obviously, there many literature works with topic of a young woman apprehensive about the conservation of her virtue but Richardson and Fielding’s idea to add the occupation of servant is extensively exceptional. During the time of the narrations, servant girls were a significant part of the society but had a hard time marrying. Decisively, Richardson uses Pamela to symbolize the aspirations of the female gender in the society and Fielding relies on most of his devices but overlooks the aspect and need for correspondence. However, he compensates this with humor, representativeness and accuracy i.e. time of occurrence. Works Cited Fielding, Henry. An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews, Calderon Street: Oxford University Press, 1741, Print. Read More