Concetti Chiave
- Samuel Richardson, born in 1689 in Derbyshire, began his career as a successful printer before accidentally venturing into novel writing at age 50.
- His first novel, "Pamela" (1740), is an epistolary work in four volumes about a young maid defending herself against her master's advances, becoming a pioneering best-seller.
- "Clarissa," Richardson's second novel, tells the tragic story of a woman who defies her family's marriage plans, suffers abuse, and ultimately dies alone.
- His last novel, "Sir Charles Grandison," explores the noble protagonist's dilemma of choosing whom to marry, maintaining the epistolary style.
- Richardson's novels established him as a leading literary figure in Europe, earning him the title of the father of the best-seller; he passed away in 1761.
Early life and career
Samuel Richardson was born in Derbyshire in 1689 of a lower middle-class family.
He become a skilful printer and at the age of 32 he opened his own business and became very popular in England.
His career as a novelist started by accident when he was 50.
Two booksellers asked him to write a sequence of letters for people who were not familiar whit correspondence, the matter is everyday subjects.
So he had the opportunity to know women psychology.
He was exited by the situation and decided to make a novel with his letters.
Pamela: the first best-seller
His first work is “Pamela” in 1740.
The epistolary novel is in four volumes, it is concerned about the situation of a young girl who had to defend her self from her master's advances when she was working as a maid.
Pamela can be considered the first best-seller in English literature because of his great success.
The second novel of Richardson is Clarissa, a women who leaves her family because she doesn't want to marry the man they have chosen for her.
She went at the house of a nobleman who reaper her, then he asked her to marry him bet she refused.
She died alone.
Sir Charles Grandison's dilemma
The last novel is Sir Charles Grandison, who is noble, handsome, rich.
He finds difficult to decide whom to marry, at the end chooses a beautiful girl who is becoming the pray of a bad man.
The novels are all in epistolary form.
They gave Richardson great fame in all over Europe so he is considered the father of the best-seller.
Richardson died in London in 1761.
Domande da interrogazione
- How did Samuel Richardson's career as a novelist begin?
- What is significant about Richardson's novel "Pamela"?
- What themes are explored in Richardson's novels, and how did they impact his reputation?
Samuel Richardson's career as a novelist began by accident at the age of 50 when two booksellers asked him to write a sequence of letters for people unfamiliar with correspondence. This opportunity allowed him to explore women's psychology, which inspired him to create a novel from these letters.
"Pamela," published in 1740, is significant because it is considered the first best-seller in English literature. The epistolary novel, which spans four volumes, tells the story of a young maid defending herself from her master's advances, capturing the public's interest and achieving great success.
Richardson's novels, all written in epistolary form, explore themes such as women's autonomy, social class, and moral dilemmas. These themes, along with his engaging storytelling, earned him great fame across Europe and established him as the father of the best-seller.
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