Pamela

Product Description

Samuel Richardsons Pamela" is a captivating story of one young womans rebellion against the social order edited by Peter Sabor with an introduction by Margaret Ann Doody in " Penguin Classics". Fifteen-year-old Pamela Andrews alone in the world is pursued by her dead mistress son. Although she is attracted to Mr B she holds out against his demands & threats of abduction & rape determined to protect her virginity & abide by her moral standards. Psychologically acute in its explorations of sex freedom & power Richardsons first novel caused a sensation when it was published with its depiction of a servant heroine who dares to assert herself. Richly comic & full of lively scenes & descriptions " Pamela" contains a diverse cast of characters ranging from the vulgar & malevolent Mrs Jewkes to the aggressive but awkward country squire who serves this unusual love story as both its villain & hero. In her introduction Margaret Ann Doody discusses the epistolary genre of novels & examines the role of women & class differences. This edition based on the 1801 text & incorporating corrections made in 1810 makes Richardsons final version of the two-volume generally available for the first time. Samuel Richardson (1689-1761) was born in Derbyshire the son of a joiner. He received little formal education but in 1706 was apprenticed to a London printer going on to become a leading figure of the trade in the capital. " Pamela" originated as a volume of model letters for unskilled letter-writers but as Richardson became more fascinated by the characters in his letters than the letters themselves the germ of a novel began to emerge. Upon its publication in 1740 " Pamela; or Virtue Rewarded" became a national sensation. If you enjoyed " Pamela" you might like Daniel Defoes " Moll Flanders" also available in " Penguin Classics"."