Clarissa Harlowe; or the history of a young lady — Volume 2

"Clarissa Harlowe; or the History of a Young Lady — Volume 2" by Samuel Richardson is a novel written during the early 18th century. This epistolary work delves into the complex emotions and societal expectations surrounding the titular character, Clarissa Harlowe, as she navigates familial pressures, romantic pursuits, and her quest for autonomy in a patriarchal society. The narrative explores themes of love, obligation, and the struggle for personal freedom. The opening of this volume introduces letters exchanged between Clarissa and her confidante Miss Howe, where Clarissa grapples with increasing familial hostility and the prospect of being coerced into marrying Mr. Solmes—whom she despises. Various characters, including her brother and sister, exert pressure on her, revealing their disdain for her spirited independence. Clarissa passionately expresses her reluctance to comply with her family's wishes while detailing her emotional turmoil and longing for a sense of agency. The letters set the tone for a turbulent confrontation between personal desire and societal expectation, piquing the reader's curiosity about the outcomes of Clarissa's struggle against her oppressive circumstances. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Samuel Richardson was an English writer and printer known for three epistolary novels: Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded (1740), Clarissa: Or the History of a Young Lady (1748) and The History of Sir Charles Grandison (1753). He printed almost 500 works, including journals and magazines, working periodically with the London bookseller Andrew Millar. Richardson had been apprenticed to a printer, whose daughter he eventually married. He lost her along with their six children, but remarried and had six more children, of whom four daughters reached adulthood, leaving no male heirs to continue the print shop. As it ran down, he wrote his first novel at the age of 51 and joined the admired writers of his day. Leading acquaintances included Samuel Johnson and Sarah Fielding, the physician and Behmenist George Cheyne, and the theologian and writer William Law, whose books he printed. At Law's request, Richardson printed some poems by John Byrom. In literature, he rivalled Henry Fielding; the two responded to each other's literary styles.