Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Clarissa in February

JoAnn @ Lakeside Musing and Terri @ Tip of the Iceberg are hosting a year long group read of Clarissa by Samuel Richardson.
Clarissa is an epistolary novel composed of 537 letters dated from January 10th through to December 18th. The plan is to read the letters around their corresponding dates.  
Two months gone and we still have only read 11 letters which means sometime soon we're going to be swamped in a deluge of correspondence. February's letters didn't begin until the 20th - it was a long wait! 


Clarissa spent three weeks with Anna before being very suddenly collected and brought home because her family had learned that Lovelace had been calling on the Howes. She writes to Anne of the cold, accusing reception she received on her return and worst of all "They have found another lover for me; an hideous one! -- Yet he is encouraged by every body." 
Mr Harlowe is adamant that he 'will be obeyed' and is deaf to Clarissa's pleas to be heard. 


That women had no voice in matters like this is clearly revealed in Clarissa's letters. Her mother and aunt are too intimidated to even open their mouths and although Clarissa is still young enough to try no one listens. The whole nasty situation has been orchestrated by James who definitely has a voice and it is Mr Harlowe's behaviour that I find most appalling in allowing himself to be so influenced by his son.  

Clarissa is forbidden to go out, have visitors or even correspond until she agrees to marry Mr Solmes but in her last letter lays out a plan to Anna as to how they can secretly write to each other.

The final letter is Anna's reply and I do like the way Samuel Richardson is able to convey a very different personality in the tone of the writing. Anne sounds a lighter and brighter girl - her thoughts often way ahead of her pen as she dashes from one thing to another. I sense she is loving the drama of being part of a romantic intrigue which is only natural if everyday life is rather dull. She's also perceptive enough to see that Clarissa's feelings for Lovelace go deeper than she realises ....and warns her...
"But, O my friend, depend upon it, you are in danger. Depend upon it, whether you know it or not, you are a little in for't. Your native generosity and greatness of mind endanger you: all your friends, by fighting against him with impolitic violence, fight for him, And Lovelace.... (has seen)....it doing for him more effectively than he could do it for himself."
 Looking forward to March and hopefully there will be more letters to read next month.



  

8 comments:

  1. The 'new voice' and fresh perspective of Miss Howe was definitely a highlight for me this month. I think March is going to be a very exciting!

    I will add you to the February links:
    http://lakesidemusing.blogspot.com/2012/02/clarissa-february-post-round-up_28.html

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    1. Thanks, JoAnn. It was nice to have a different voice and I'm looking forward to March too.

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  2. There was that moment this month, wasn't there, where the tone just dropped - that all of a sudden things started closing in ver suddenly on Clarissa.

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    1. Yes, there was and I enjoyed how the tension grew throughout the month and ended on a high note with Anna's letter.

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  3. Miss Howe seems to be the voice of reason so far (even though I wasn't sure I could trust her at the beginning), so that quote you pulled about Clarissa being in danger seems very important to me. Looking forward to your thoughts on March's readings!

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  4. Anna is very perceptive which is often the way when you're not the one personally involved in events. I liked the honesty of her words to Clarissa - a sign of real friendship.

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  5. I'm looking forward to the letters between the men in order to broaden the perspective even further. I must say that Mr. Harlowe is irritating me greatly. Why oh why is he allowing James to dictate??? Aaaarrrgh.

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  6. I'm loving Anna, and hope we get to read letters from some of the other characters soon too, to get to know them in their own words.

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