68 pages • 2 hours read
Samuel RichardsonPamela
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1740A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
Pamela by Samuel Richardson is an epistolary novel about 15-year-old maidservant Pamela Andrews, who resists the sexual advances of her new employer, Mr. B, after the death of Lady B, her previous kind employer. Despite Mr. B's repeated attempts, including abduction to his Lincolnshire estate, Pamela maintains her virtue. Mr. B eventually confesses his love and proposes, leading to their controversial but ultimately happy marriage. The novel includes references to attempted rape, sexual harassment, and thoughts of death by suicide.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Samuel Richardson's Pamela receives mixed reviews. Many praise its innovative epistolary format and complex character development, particularly the protagonist's moral resilience. However, critics argue that the plot is overly sentimental and didactic, with repetitive narrative elements. Overall, Pamela is celebrated for its historical significance but critiqued for its melodramatic tendencies.
Who Should Read Pamela?
Pamela by Samuel Richardson appeals to readers who enjoy epistolary novels, classic literature, and themes of virtue and social mobility. Fans of Jane Austen or Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre will appreciate its moral dilemmas and character development. This novel is ideal for those interested in 18th-century English society and romance.