The Works Of Samuel Richardson

The History of Clarissa Harlowe, often abridged to simply Clarissa, is Samuel Richardson’s masterpiece and one of the longest novels in the English language. Published in 1748, this epistolary novel tells the tragic story of Clarissa Harlowe, a young woman of virtue whose family pressures her into a marriage she finds repugnant. Her resistance sets in motion a series of events that lead to her manipulation and ultimate downfall at the hands of the charismatic yet villainous Lovelace.Through a series of letters exchanged between Clarissa and her confidantes, as well as Lovelace and his, the novel explores themes of family, virtue, seduction, and the constraints placed upon women in 18th-century society. Richardson’s detailed characterizations and exploration of psychological states made Clarissa a groundbreaking work of its time, solidifying his place as a pioneer of the psychological novel. A powerful and moving exploration of morality and societal pressures, Clarissa remains a significant work of English literature.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.