The Novel and Social Cultural History
Time •The term novel has been present on the market since the 16th century. •The term novel first peaked on the English market in the 1680s, when the novel(la) manifested itself as the alternative to the older "romance"
The epistolary form grants me the tools, the space, and the freedom to develop distinctly different characters ,who can speak directly to readers.
Two Types of Writing：
Before imprisonment: ask for advice
After imprisonment: diary
Effects: •Explore the various complexities of the character's life •Pamela's thoughts were recorded nearly simultaneously with her actions.
Limitation: P-30
Thank You
By 1750s, the novel has become culturally significant enough to influence the career of anyone, male or female, interested in writing. In 1800, novel reflected a more sophisticated and demanding reading public and a broader awareness of larger social and political issues.
seduce
refuse
Imprisonment
appreciation
acceptance
Epistolary Novel Definition: novels written as series of letters
16th Century
Pamela
18th Century
Epistolary Form
Over the past ten years or so there has been an explosion of academic interest in the eighteenth century British novel. Former neglect:
•Thought to be Popular literature
New History: conscious of the domestic, the material, the everyday, and the interconnected and more ready to study ordinary people. P-17
Advantages:
provide a way to grapple with situations and conflicts in novels Disadvantages:
require more detailed historical particulars
Readers of novels
Samuel Johnson: the young ,the ignorant, the idle P-20
What did people seek in novels?
Pleasure experience
Value:
Daily life of ordinary people. Founder： Samuel Richardson, Daniel Defoe
Advantage: easy to understand Disadvantage: high dependence on the specifics of history and culture
•Crucial dependence on cultural particulars
New Cultural History
Old history: focus on public events or policies; overlook private activities and underpowered people.
Why novel becomes popular? They usually reflected the value of “modern” London life and represented to those who aspired to migrate to London what sophisticated lives could be like, Novels represented new and upsetting values and unpredictable ways of living, thinking and believing.
•Allow readers to witness her develop and progress over time
Limitation: •In Pamela, the letters are almost exclusively written by the heroine, restricting the reader's access to the other characters; we see only Pamela's perception of them. •The story, a best-seller of its time, was very widely read but criticised for its perceived licentiousness.
Pamela
•Virtue Rewarded •1740 •Samuel Richardson
1689 1761
Samuel Richardson
ห้องสมุดไป่ตู้
Mr. B
Pamela Andrews
master
Money Position
maid
Good look Intelligence Innocence