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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!

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.