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3.17 AVERAGE
3.17 AVERAGE
The further into the past you go to read something, the more you are required to suspend your current notion of a novel and its contemporary structure and purpose, and a work such as Clarissa demands a tremendous amount of contextualization to be enjoyed or merely appreciated by a modern reader. Richardson's magnum opus stands as a landmark in the history of the novel, written at a time when the novel itself was considered a base form of entertainment, and was the vanguard of popularizing and legitimizing the art form as worthy of close reading to discern truth, the progenitor of the novel as a vehicle of saying something important about people and society.
This message Richardson imparts is surprisingly evergreen, which is that an overexertion of familial control over a woman will make her life worse, not better, and that the concept (popular in the 1700s) that a licentious man could be "cured" of his promiscuity by marriage to a good woman was a ridiculous one. The novel is epistolary in form, a product of its time that is an awkward way to construct a narrative, effective in delivering heartfelt internal feelings and thoughts but useless when any action or corporeal movement must take place.
Nonetheless, Richardson's letters are well written, his usage of subtext, delivering the real meat of the characters personalities through what they do not say, is the highlight of the entire novel, he crafts a deeply flawed, deeply wronged main character, Clarissa, but unfortunately her suitor/captor is something of a mustache twirling villain throughout. The novel is a scathing look at the restrictions placed on women of the era as far as marriage and courtship go, they are herded and sold off like cattle, and the consistent wrongs done to Clarissa, throughout what is a very long book, grow deeply wearying to continue reading about.
Additionally, due in large part to the epistolary format but also to Richardson's deep love of circling the same topics to drive his point home, the characters go back and forth discussing the same thing for hundreds of pages at a time. To historically contextualize, the book was written in installments and was massively popular, Richardson had an audience, and a message he intended to deliver, and spared no words to make sure he richly hammered home his grievances and warnings, usually through events being addressed over and over again. At the time this was a beloved method, as it gave readers the maximum amount of time with these characters and their philosophical and moral struggles, the likes of which they had not really seen in novel form prior to Richardson's output.
All that being said, today this is no longer a bold new approach, nor the way we read novels any more. As such Clarissa extends outward for an interminable amount of time, and even if one enjoys the yearnings and sufferings and remonstrations within, even the staunchest enjoyer will tire long before the book concludes. Clarissa is more interesting as a historical artifact than a novel, and is worth reading about, but not worth reading in its entirety.
This message Richardson imparts is surprisingly evergreen, which is that an overexertion of familial control over a woman will make her life worse, not better, and that the concept (popular in the 1700s) that a licentious man could be "cured" of his promiscuity by marriage to a good woman was a ridiculous one. The novel is epistolary in form, a product of its time that is an awkward way to construct a narrative, effective in delivering heartfelt internal feelings and thoughts but useless when any action or corporeal movement must take place.
Nonetheless, Richardson's letters are well written, his usage of subtext, delivering the real meat of the characters personalities through what they do not say, is the highlight of the entire novel, he crafts a deeply flawed, deeply wronged main character, Clarissa, but unfortunately her suitor/captor is something of a mustache twirling villain throughout. The novel is a scathing look at the restrictions placed on women of the era as far as marriage and courtship go, they are herded and sold off like cattle, and the consistent wrongs done to Clarissa, throughout what is a very long book, grow deeply wearying to continue reading about.
Additionally, due in large part to the epistolary format but also to Richardson's deep love of circling the same topics to drive his point home, the characters go back and forth discussing the same thing for hundreds of pages at a time. To historically contextualize, the book was written in installments and was massively popular, Richardson had an audience, and a message he intended to deliver, and spared no words to make sure he richly hammered home his grievances and warnings, usually through events being addressed over and over again. At the time this was a beloved method, as it gave readers the maximum amount of time with these characters and their philosophical and moral struggles, the likes of which they had not really seen in novel form prior to Richardson's output.
All that being said, today this is no longer a bold new approach, nor the way we read novels any more. As such Clarissa extends outward for an interminable amount of time, and even if one enjoys the yearnings and sufferings and remonstrations within, even the staunchest enjoyer will tire long before the book concludes. Clarissa is more interesting as a historical artifact than a novel, and is worth reading about, but not worth reading in its entirety.
I couldn't continue due to mental health problems, and the triggers that where in the book
I prefer Pamela (it's finishable) but this does seem to be a better-written book, which makes sense--he invented the novel, in many respects, and once he had a go at it he felt he could do better. He certainly did longer. I liked it while I was reading it, but eventually it felt much like one of those television series you begin to binge, but by Season 3 you find yourself thinking "it's fine, but I'd rather be knitting/gardening/skiing/reading" etc.
But even though I did not finish (I got really, really far) it pains me that probably more people have read "His Shirtless Torso" (hypothetical book #17 in the "Torso" series of torrid romances) than will have tried this one. This has very much to recommend it—whereas that has very little, other than you don't have to look up words since it's written to a grade 3 level. (Sorry, a rant has been building for a few days).
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, but I grade on a curve!
But even though I did not finish (I got really, really far) it pains me that probably more people have read "His Shirtless Torso" (hypothetical book #17 in the "Torso" series of torrid romances) than will have tried this one. This has very much to recommend it—whereas that has very little, other than you don't have to look up words since it's written to a grade 3 level. (Sorry, a rant has been building for a few days).
(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s). I feel a lot of readers automatically render any book they enjoy 5, but I grade on a curve!
I figured the longest novel originally written in English was too long to dismiss with one of my patented Extremely Reductive Reviews, so here are my kvetchings about it as I went along:
Page 72: I got this for Christmas 2016 and it's been sitting taunting me for a year. I didn't want to hamstring my 2017 reading challenge by trying to get through the longest novel written in English, but I figured if I started it now and all went well I might get through it by Christmas.
Page 160: If anyone in this book besides Clarissa was operating with the understanding that no means no, this mess'd be over already.
Page 260: So many books I read are over too fast. I don't think this'll be one of those.
Page 417: Around page 270 I thought "When is something actually going to happen?" and started flipping forward. Looked like about a hundred pages later, unless I missed something obvious in flipping forward.
I didn't.
And I did slog through that hundred pages. Clarissa would.
Page 552: I had a nightmare I was in a terrible English class in which I'd been assigned this book. The instructor was a man who was shockingly little help at conveying the cultural context of it, which is kind of an appropriate representation of this Penguin edition. Other Penguins I've used have had good notes, but maybe this one lacks them because adding notes would send the book's weight into "definite hernia" territory.
Page 654: I can't believe I'm still not even halfway there. I also can't believe that Lovelace's lackeys could get all those letters pored through and relevant extracts made in the time allotted.
Page 764: Halfway! You know, I'm beginning to think maybe Robert Lovelace is not a good person.
Page 888: It says in the preface that one of Richardson's friends he gave this to read said not to edit it down because you might lose what was instructive about it, but given the fewer-than-7,000 Goodreaders who claim to have read this and, say, the 1.3 million who've read _Jane Eyre_, a good editor might have helped spread the instructiveness further.
Page 989: Robert Lovelace: "What about the person I *didn't* sexually assault?"
That recently-deployed non-defense has a long history, I see.
Page 1112: Richardson, you had 1500 pages, much more text than plot, and you couldn't find *somewhere* to jam in Clarissa's own account of how she escaped? It's almost like you don't believe in female agency.
Page 1224: Clarissa is too angelic to be real and Lovelace too dastardly, but this depiction of a doctor telling a clearly ill young woman that it's all in her head and if she'd just exercise is true to life.
Page 1460: The last few hundred pages of this have been Richardson going DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH IS COMING FOR US ALL YOU WILL DIE REPENT REPENT REPENT. Part of why I read so many books is to distract myself from how sick and fragile I am, so I GET IT ALREADY SAM.
Page 1478: A duel? This is where I came in.
*
In the end, I liked this better than Pamela, but I really hated Pamela.
Page 72: I got this for Christmas 2016 and it's been sitting taunting me for a year. I didn't want to hamstring my 2017 reading challenge by trying to get through the longest novel written in English, but I figured if I started it now and all went well I might get through it by Christmas.
Page 160: If anyone in this book besides Clarissa was operating with the understanding that no means no, this mess'd be over already.
Page 260: So many books I read are over too fast. I don't think this'll be one of those.
Page 417: Around page 270 I thought "When is something actually going to happen?" and started flipping forward. Looked like about a hundred pages later, unless I missed something obvious in flipping forward.
I didn't.
And I did slog through that hundred pages. Clarissa would.
Page 552: I had a nightmare I was in a terrible English class in which I'd been assigned this book. The instructor was a man who was shockingly little help at conveying the cultural context of it, which is kind of an appropriate representation of this Penguin edition. Other Penguins I've used have had good notes, but maybe this one lacks them because adding notes would send the book's weight into "definite hernia" territory.
Page 654: I can't believe I'm still not even halfway there. I also can't believe that Lovelace's lackeys could get all those letters pored through and relevant extracts made in the time allotted.
Page 764: Halfway! You know, I'm beginning to think maybe Robert Lovelace is not a good person.
Page 888: It says in the preface that one of Richardson's friends he gave this to read said not to edit it down because you might lose what was instructive about it, but given the fewer-than-7,000 Goodreaders who claim to have read this and, say, the 1.3 million who've read _Jane Eyre_, a good editor might have helped spread the instructiveness further.
Page 989: Robert Lovelace: "What about the person I *didn't* sexually assault?"
That recently-deployed non-defense has a long history, I see.
Page 1112: Richardson, you had 1500 pages, much more text than plot, and you couldn't find *somewhere* to jam in Clarissa's own account of how she escaped? It's almost like you don't believe in female agency.
Page 1224: Clarissa is too angelic to be real and Lovelace too dastardly, but this depiction of a doctor telling a clearly ill young woman that it's all in her head and if she'd just exercise is true to life.
Spoiler
Page 1460: The last few hundred pages of this have been Richardson going DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH DEATH IS COMING FOR US ALL YOU WILL DIE REPENT REPENT REPENT. Part of why I read so many books is to distract myself from how sick and fragile I am, so I GET IT ALREADY SAM.
Page 1478: A duel? This is where I came in.
*
In the end, I liked this better than Pamela, but I really hated Pamela.
I’ve read classics before but this style of writing was so convoluted and hard to follow.
Even though this is an abridged version I really enjoyed this! It is very slow in the beginning, but then it gets really good! I don’t think this book is for everyone, but I liked it a lot!
This one started off slowly for me but ended really well. I definitely want to read the full version as it did feel a lot was missing from this one which made things a bit stagnant at times. Looking forward to the full version next year!
Getting through 1500 pages of this is an accomplishment for sure.
There is a very intricate plot here; it takes a while to get going but the characterizations are fantastic. Lovelace might be one of the most villain-y villains I've seen in a while...
I wouldn't recommend reading this if you aren't familiar with Georgian society (England of the 1700s) as there a number of social conventions whose importance might otherwise be misunderstood. However, for those with a fondness for the time period, it may be worth it.
That said, if you're going to read a long 18th century novel, I'd start with Tom Jones.
There is a very intricate plot here; it takes a while to get going but the characterizations are fantastic. Lovelace might be one of the most villain-y villains I've seen in a while...
I wouldn't recommend reading this if you aren't familiar with Georgian society (England of the 1700s) as there a number of social conventions whose importance might otherwise be misunderstood. However, for those with a fondness for the time period, it may be worth it.
That said, if you're going to read a long 18th century novel, I'd start with Tom Jones.
First and foremost this book was an exercise in endurance. It almost reminded me of a long running soap opera that one could not watch for many months or years, come back to it, and not feel like you missed you anything! Due to being determined to finish this book I persevered.
Initially it started off OK, giving an insight into how it was expected for women to marry certain people, according to her father’s wishes, no questions asked. It was very clear early on in this book that her brother, sister and father, had arranged, and expected Clarissa, to marry a wealthy man that she detested. Clarissa, being the surprisingly feisty woman (at least to her family) that she was, dug her heels in and refused to conform with their wishes. The family then went into damage control because they’d never come across this behaviour in Clarissa before so it took them off guard.
In the beginning, I was very supportive of Clarissa and hoping that she would get her wish and not be made to marry a man she didn’t love. I felt sorry for her in that her whole family was against her and making her life a living hell, including locking her in her room.
Clarissa was portrayed as being in love with another man, Mr Lovelace, or at least that was how it came across. She organised to secretly run away with him but when it came to do so, she changed her mind (something it became abundantly clear she was prone to do), in part because she wasn’t dressed in the correct clothes for travelling. It was from this point that I started to find Clarissa annoying and Mr Lovelace as patient, understanding, and generally kind.
It became very clear, the further in to the book I got, Clarissa’s fickleness showed up time and time again particularly where her emotions and reasoning were concerned. I forgave this in the early stages of the book and shook it off as understandable given her treatment by her family. However, the further into the book I got the more her behaviour irritated me. I wanted to go and ‘shake’ her and tell her to grow up and make up her mind what she wanted to do and stick to her decision. She was manipulative and kept going back on her decisions as often as the weather changes. So the bulk of this book detailed her indecisiveness with pretty much everything. She also seemed to spend a lot of time apologising, to various people, and trying to make amends for actual or perceived offences that she had perpetrated. She came across as very vain and superficial.
Overall I really think this 1500+ page tome could easily have been reduced to 500 pages without drastically affecting the story. In fact it may have actually added a whole new level of strength to the story, which was made up entirely of letters between Clarissa and everybody else. If you want to tackle this book be prepared to put in the hard yakka because it’s a huge marathon effort not a sprint!
Initially it started off OK, giving an insight into how it was expected for women to marry certain people, according to her father’s wishes, no questions asked. It was very clear early on in this book that her brother, sister and father, had arranged, and expected Clarissa, to marry a wealthy man that she detested. Clarissa, being the surprisingly feisty woman (at least to her family) that she was, dug her heels in and refused to conform with their wishes. The family then went into damage control because they’d never come across this behaviour in Clarissa before so it took them off guard.
In the beginning, I was very supportive of Clarissa and hoping that she would get her wish and not be made to marry a man she didn’t love. I felt sorry for her in that her whole family was against her and making her life a living hell, including locking her in her room.
Clarissa was portrayed as being in love with another man, Mr Lovelace, or at least that was how it came across. She organised to secretly run away with him but when it came to do so, she changed her mind (something it became abundantly clear she was prone to do), in part because she wasn’t dressed in the correct clothes for travelling. It was from this point that I started to find Clarissa annoying and Mr Lovelace as patient, understanding, and generally kind.
It became very clear, the further in to the book I got, Clarissa’s fickleness showed up time and time again particularly where her emotions and reasoning were concerned. I forgave this in the early stages of the book and shook it off as understandable given her treatment by her family. However, the further into the book I got the more her behaviour irritated me. I wanted to go and ‘shake’ her and tell her to grow up and make up her mind what she wanted to do and stick to her decision. She was manipulative and kept going back on her decisions as often as the weather changes. So the bulk of this book detailed her indecisiveness with pretty much everything. She also seemed to spend a lot of time apologising, to various people, and trying to make amends for actual or perceived offences that she had perpetrated. She came across as very vain and superficial.
Overall I really think this 1500+ page tome could easily have been reduced to 500 pages without drastically affecting the story. In fact it may have actually added a whole new level of strength to the story, which was made up entirely of letters between Clarissa and everybody else. If you want to tackle this book be prepared to put in the hard yakka because it’s a huge marathon effort not a sprint!
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced