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An Analysis On The Psyche of Richardson's: Pamela
An Analysis On The Psyche of Richardson's: Pamela
Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 452-456, February 2015
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0502.29
AbstractPamela is Samuel Richardsons great masterpiece. Since the initial publication of Pamela in 1740, it
has received extensive attentions. Its generally accepted that Samuel Richardsons Pamela is a prime example
of the epistolary novel. However, the first rise of the psychological novel as a genre is said to have started with
the sentimental novel of Samuel Richardsons Pamela. Many factors contribute to the success of Pamela, the
most important one is the vivid description of heroines psychological activities. It has profound impact on the
later writers and played a significant role in the world literature. Pamelas inner world is incompatible, she
suffered a lot from the upper class and she was longing for an independent life and social position. Also she
could not cast off the shackle of the patriarchy society. Recently, most researches are focused on the novels
moral value, the epistolary form, feminism, history and religious perspective. However, this paper will mainly
focus on the heroines inner world and intend to conduct a psychological analysis of Pamela.
I. INTRODUCTION
After the Restoration and English Civil War, Britain marched towards a modern society and the ascending
bourgeoisie needed to establish their moral superiority and social status. In response to the instruction for young servant
girls how to avoid the snares that might be laid against their virtue, the improvement of the interpersonal relations, the
moral philosophy and the Movement for the Reformation of Manners, Samuel Richardson published his masterpiece
Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded. The publication of Pamela marked a defining moment in the literature history, the novel
was not only a love story, but also a great masterpiece with a perfect layout, a study of ethics, females psychology and
as a case of depicting and recording the life and affection of ordinary people by delineating a lavish presentation of
Pamelas private emotion and conditions of her everyday life. Richardson incorporated aspects of the different literary
predecessors into his work: the educational and the entertaining literary nutrient in those novels and united them with
the description of social environment and the analysis of characters psychological activities.
The story is told in a series of letters from the heroine, Pamela Andrews. Pamela is a 15 year-old maid, her young
master, the squire Mr.B takes a dishonorable advantage of her position, pursues her unremittingly. However, Pamela
refuses him resolutely. She even leaves the estate. But Mr.B continuously aspires her, Pamela only has to escape from
his stratagems and snares by resorting to her innocence and virtue. Finally, Mr.B was touched by her kindness and
virtuous heart, he decides to marry her. After their wedding, Pamela suffers her married life with the burden of a
profligate husband. Then, she behaved herself with honor pleasantness and humility that she made herself beloved of
everybody including her husbands relatives who at first despised her. By rendering the struggle over Pamela's virtue in
her own humble idiom, Richardson expresses his moral and aesthetic claim that the soul of a servant-girl is as important
as that of the princess. The combination of a high moral tone with an elaborate analysis of the heroines emotions and
state of mind made it irresistible to readers.
The purpose of choosing Pamelas psyche as the subject of my dissertation is because Pamelas inner world is
fascinating and intriguing. Especially, according to Bingshan Lius A Short History of English Literature, this literary
work is the first English psycho-analytical novel.(Liu, 2007, p10) The first time I came to know Pamela was an
Italian TV drama I watched, with a fascinating plot: Love and conflicts between the cynical master and the beautiful
servant girl. It said that the show was based on British novelist Samuel Richardsons Pamela. Thus, the novel evokes
my interests greatly. By doing some research and conducting a survey, I believe that most research concerning about
Pamela are focused on the novels moral value, the epistolary form, feminism, history and religious perspective.
However, few scholars would focus on the heroines inner world which does not really make any sense because
Pamelas psychological activity is the best way to understand Richardsons nearly anatomical definition of his core
concept of virtue. The majority of the 18th century readers responses to Pamela leads to many issues which is worth for
our modern readers paying attention to, such as gender equality or social hierarchy, and all of these problems, modern
people also have to face and solve. So, it is very pragmatic to conduct a psychological analysis of the novels heroine.
Since the initial publication of Pamela in 1740, controversy and debate over the character Pamela had long
flourished in Britain. According to The Pamela Controversy: Criticisms and Adaptations of Samuel Richardson's
Pamela, 1740-1750: Pamela vogue and surrounding quarrels that one contemporary wrote of a world divided into two
different parties, Pamelists and Antipamelists.(Keymer, 2003, p97) Moreover, a lot of literary critics question the
values which Pamela extols and represents. According to Henry Fielding and some other literary figures: that Pamela is
a women who first maintained her morals despite her struggles with temptations from her master Mr.B and later
becomes the wife of her Master. The change is so great that it had a subversive impact on social order. In addition,
Pamela seems to be a naive young girl, but sometimes, the reader can find weak point in many aspects. Some people
believe that deep down in Pamelas heart, she is very hypocritical, scheming, calculating and skilled at manipulating
other people.
Through the novel, Pamela seems to be humble and faithful to her religion and have great respect for her family.
These traits fit for the traditional definition of virtue. Historically speaking, it was the value of virginity that contributes
to a marriage, it also affects on male-female and dominate-submissive relations. As a matter of fact, in the process of
composing Pamela, Richardson endowed heroine the feature with his own pragmatic moral values of the bourgeoisie,
which makes Pamela a little complicated: on one hand, Pamela is the representation of a middle class girl who resists
the corruption of the upper class, on the other hand, she is in the progress of reconciliation with the upper class, she
compromises her principles and becomes a part of her opposite sides. The victory of Pamelas virtue, in fact, is the
progress of the middle class establishing its own position in the social life. Her success marks the success of the middle
class, her story predicts the necessary of the rising of the bourgeoisie. Richardsons pragmatic moral values in shaping
the characterization of the heroine are an outcry for his class. However, there are some academics who adopt a positive
attitude towards the novel.
According to Gerald Levins Richardson The Novelist: The Psychological Patterns Richardson shows his deeply
sympathy for women from things emerges in his presentation of certain contrasts between the feminine and masculine
psyches.(Levin, 1978, p78) Other scholars like John Richetti states that the conception of virtue of Pamela is actually
more capacious than its detractors have allowed. Ian Watt emphasizes that Pamela has a right to stand on her own
principles, whatever they are. The controversy still remains, one of the beauties of Pamela is that for readers, you have
to read, think, and then find your own interpretation of Pamela.
The story of Pamela is also a typical English Dream. Richardson told us, as long as one could honestly live his or
her life, insist to do the right thing and resist all the temptations, he or she will be handsomely rewarded for his or her
virtue. This is another reason why this novel is so popular, because the logical thinking of the book is a representative of
the faith of the newly emerged bourgeois class. The material gains and losses was closely linked with the spiritual
morality, this feature of the novel embodies the Protestant spirit for its worldly realization of the religious thought.
This novel also has the significant impact on the British society, for its application of epistolary form, innovative
ideas, combination of education and entertainment, also ethical edification and description of woman's psychology.
Richardsons Pamela also initiated many precedents, such as using complicated and contradictive love life and
psychological activities as the main line of the story. In order to better understand Richardsons world view and moral
values, this thesis intends to analyze Pamelas psychological activities changing through her self-positioning, outlook on
life and other external factors which affect her relationship with Mr.B.
her sex; theyre born with her...She makes herself an angel of light, and me, her kind Master and Benefactor, a devil
incarnate! (Levin, 1978, p 115)Here, speaking of the arts of female gender the readers have to understand that in the
Restoration and the 18th century England, accusation of feminine duplicity were quite common. Duplicity is one of the
cardinal sins in the traditional model of femininity that he both employs and questions; it recurs as a basis for attacks on
women throughout history. During the process of Mr.Bs second harassment, he mentioned Lucretia, a virtuous Roman
matron, raped by a son of a tyrant. Pamela believes that the real intention of Mr.B mentioning this historical figure is
devious for he said: Who ever blamed Lucretia, but the Ravisher only? And I am content to take all the blame upon me;
as I have already born too great a share for what I have deserved. (Shen, 2005, p 47)Then, after a horrible scene that all
the readers could imagine, fortunately our heroine Pamela managed to escape and later passed out. When she woke up,
she felt so embarrassed and ashamed. Although deep down, she knew that what happened was not her fault but she
could not help blaming herself for causing so many troubles. Now, we could say that Pamela was completely distraught
due to her masters disgraceful actions, though, it is not wise to say that Pamela was suffering a mental breakdown.
But how would Pamela reciprocate his feelings? In her journal she wrote: he was charmingly dressd. To be sure, he
is a handsome fine gentleman! What pity his heart is not as good as his appearance! Why cant I hate him? (Keymer,
2001, p 79) It is clearly for readers that Pamela was already fell in love with her evil master simply because she who
denies all confesses all and the more one tries to hide, the more one is exposed. Later the night, Mr.B who was in
disguise as another servant girl and approaches to the bed while Pamela was sleeping. Mr.B offers Pamela a deadline
that is Pamela either follow his articles or ready to be taken by force. Before she can answer his demand Pamela
disapper. When she have consciousness that Mr.B treats Pamela more kindly and promises to stop his attempts on her
virtue. He asks for Pamelas forgiveness and shows great care toward her, though Pamela suspects that the appearance
of his kindness may be a further trick. On Tuesday, Mr.B asks Pamela to come, shows his love to her, and makes a
promise that never to force himself on her again, though he continues to refuse to let her return to Pamelas parents. He
asks her to stay for two more weeks without attempting to escape. Pamela agrees to this proposal. Mr.B shows his
admiration of her, and let her know that her defense of virtue has only increased his respect. In defense of himself, he
knows that if he were demoralized he could not have let Pamela to frustrate him for so long time. Pamela hopes that she
can believe Mr.Bs goodness, though Pamela still is not wholly self-assured that he is not playing an complex trick on
her. She is afraid of that Mr.B's new gentleness is simply a more devilish ruse.
One notable thing about Mr.B is that as the head of household, in which position would have likened him to an
absolute king, Mr.B has claimed the power to own his way with Pamela. To offer her a contract, however, he has simply
admitted her personal freedom and the necessity of her consent in his plans. This detail suggests that on some level,
Mr.B does have some advanced thoughts and he might not be as devilish and rakish as Pamela described. In the second
volume of Pamelas journal she professed when she finally got the opportunity to depart the Lincolnshire estate, she is
surprised to discover how reluctant and upset she is to leave. Robin the coachman sends her a letter from Mr.B in which
the landlord disclose that he was on the point of proposing marriage to her when he let her go. She flouders from the
emotional influence of the letter and confesses to herself that she has fallen in love with this man, Mr.B. Although
Pamela still worried about that her squire might set up a trap and trick her into a sham-marriage, when she knew that her
master was ill she went back without any hesitation. Pamela comes to recognize Mr.B's moral reformation, and begun to
love and forgive him. In this portion of the journal, Pamela and Mr.B finally got married, and Mr.B compromised by
having the wedding at his family chapel.
IV. CONCLUSION
From some theme-related papers, books and publications which I have selected, I have came to some conclusions of
the novel: Pamela is a novel of sentimentalism, psychologism, individualism and realism; Richardsons intention and
real purpose of adopting a particular narrative method is in order to better unfold the heroines inner world; Pamela is
struggled between her complicated self, she has multiple personas; According to John Richettis The Cambridge
Companion to The Eighteenth Century Novel, he stresses that Pamelas interiority is functionally subordinate to the
external social and political environment that she insistently keeps in front of us and her would-be seducer.(Blewett,
2001, p37)Therefore, moral values, ideologies, hierarchy, gender inequality and other external factors of the 18 th
century England affect Pamelas behavior and psyche. Pamelas psyche is complicated because of the injustice of the
society. She is a paradox. Sometimes she feels that she is an ordinary maid, other times she considers herself as a great
beauty. Sometimes she desperately wants to get rid of her master and other times she hates to leave him. Sometimes she
despises her master and other times she could not help thinking about him. From the beginning of the novel, Pamela
displays herself in front of the readers as the superego figure. Her parents are devout Puritans and told her chastity is
more important than her life. Pamelas id comes quietly, when Mr.B expresses his affections for herPamela feels that
her heart beats rapidly and she prays to God because she did not know what she was thinking. As for her ego, she prays
to Mr.B not to harass her anymore, she wants to keep her virginity. The moral idealism which Richardson praised in his
work was based on the bourgeois religious ethics rather than the dignity of human being himself. However, Richardson
has many contributions to the British literature. This thesis attempts to study Pamela, the heroines actions and deeds in
order to analyze her inward world and dissect her emotional motivations. Furthermore, from the exploration of Pamelas
psyche, one can have a peek at the 18th century British society, including its class system, moral values, female status
and etc. It has certain significance for the research of the early British novels.
The inconsistency of Pamelas psyche is in accordance with the external causes and internal causes. Pamela is raised
by her old lady in a ladylike way, she only skills at singing, dancing, reading and other aristocratic talents; Richardsons
time is a time honors the traditional values such as titles, classes, possessions and the Puritan spirit; Both hierarchically
and sexually speaking, she is the inferior side; However, she is a great beauty and her masters romantic overture makes
her indulge herself in fantasy. At the end of the novel Pamela receives things that everyone is longing for: Love, money,
social status and recognition. Although this is only a silver lining in the dark reality, the whole book is fulfilled with
optimism and idealism. Pamela is a humble servant girl but she has the guts to fight for her freewill and follow her
dreams. This novel renders people with hope. It tells an inspiring truth, an ordinary people who dares to fight against the
power and stick to his or her believes is somewhat heroic and extraordinary.
REFERENCES
[1] Blewett, D. (2001). Passion and Virtue: Essays on the Novels of Samuel Richardson Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
[2] Freud, Sigmud. (2013). New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis Beijing: Beijing United Publishing Press.
[3] Keymer, T and Richardson, Samuel. (2001). Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded with introduction New York: Oxford University
Press.
[4] Keymer, T and Sabor, P. (2001). The Pamela Controversy: Criticisms and Adaptations of Samuel Richardson's Pamela,
1740-1750 Eighteenth-Century Life 26:96-100.
[5] Levin, Gerald. (1978). Richardson The Novelist: The Psychological Patterns New York: Humanities Press.
[6] Liu, Bingshan. (2007). A Short History of English Literature Zhengzhou: Henan Peoples Publish House.
[7] Shen Dan. (2005). Study on Narrative Theory of English and American Novel Beijing: Beijing University Press.
Yanhong Fan was born in Changchun Jilin Province, China on June 12th, 1982, who has got a degree of Master of Arts in foreign
language and literature from Liaoning Normal University, Dalian, Liaoning Province, China in 2008.
As a LECTURER, she teaches Contemporary English of the English major at School of Foreign Languages, Changchun
University of Science and Technology. One book (as an editor) is as follows: [1] Selected Readings from British Literature (Beijing
Institute of Technology Press, 2011).