The birth of the novel took place in 1719, with the publication of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. This literary form quickly became the most accessible and enjoyable style; therefore, novels began to be published quickly. Without any basis for comparison or any set of pre-published standards, early novels often had no chapters, no spelling errors (the first dictionary was not published until 1755), and no length or format defined. As a result, many experimental formats were implemented during the mid-to-late 1700s. One of the most popular forms to emerge during this period of uncertainty was the epistolary novel. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay An epistolary novel is a novel that takes the form of written correspondence between the characters of a story. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, this style of novel has several advantages. First, it allows for a clear view of what multiple characters are thinking and feeling, because the reader is not limited to a single point of view. It also allows the reader a deeper and broader look at the story itself: the reader is able to see more than one side of each event that occurs ("Epistolary Novels"). Although this particular format of the novel declined in popularity in the 19th century and eventually became rare, it flourished in the 18th century and served as a prime platform for a particularly popular genre of early fiction: the romance novel. novel that shows how a person (almost always a woman) should behave in particular social situations and in everyday life. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the story is "dominated" by social customs, and the character must learn how to act and react in certain situations ("Roman of Manners"). This genre was very popular during the Restoration and early Romantic period, probably due to the emergence of rake in literature and society. A debauchee is a man who cares little about morality, especially when it comes to sexuality. The debauched men of this era often felt that they had a right to a woman's body, despite her arguments. In many novels, the themes of seduction and rape are omnipresent. The ultimate goal of the heroine of these tales is often to navigate her way through society politely and with her virtue intact. The Pamela novels; or, Virtue rewarded by Samuel Richardson and Evelina; or, The Story of a Young Woman's Entry into the World by Frances Burney fits perfectly into these two aforementioned categories. The two novels are epistolary novels and therefore already have a lot in common. However, they also have differences, partly because one is written by a man and the other by a woman, although both stories have a female protagonist. This article will attempt to compare and contrast each story, exploring stylistic and thematic similarities and differences. Ultimately, however, the two novels will be unified in genre and theme, despite apparent differences. Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded was written by Samuel Richardson and published in 1740. It was mentioned in “Learning to be a Woman” as “life-conduct” literature (Kerisson 522). The History Letters tell the story of Pamela Andrews, a servant in Lady Booby's household. After her death, her son, Mr. B, becomes the head of the family and wastes no time in pursuing Pamela. The novel consists of a funny (if infuriating) story of the catand mouse over Mr. B's unrequited love for Pamela, and Pamela cleverly escaping his grasp in order to save her virtue. Mr. B is clearly a debauched character, and he attempts to seduce (or rape) Pamela on several occasions. He even hides in her room to watch her undress, then disguises himself as a woman to try to get closer to her. On one occasion, Pamela finally believes she is returning to her parents, only to be tricked by Mr. B and taken to another location, another of his homes. Pamela eventually escapes, but then returns out of pity when Mr. B writes to her to say he has fallen ill. Although Pamela is a servant and Mr. B is a member of high society (and despite the fact that he has literally been trying to rape her for months), the two become engaged and Pamela behaves with such grace and so refined that no one seems to care. I care that she was, at one point, a servant. Mr. B's sister, Lady Davers, arrives after Mr. B has to leave to care for sick relatives, and Pamela is repeatedly insulted and ultimately held captive by Lady Davers. Pamela is forced to escape through a window, where she is helped by Mrs. Jewkes and Mr. Colbrand. However, being the kind and virtuous person that she is, Pamela eventually forgives Lady Davers. She also meets Miss Goodwin, a young girl from a boarding school who is believed to be Pamela's half-sister. Eventually, Pamela learns her role as a noble's wife and she leads a happy life among the country's nobility, who enjoy her company. Pamela also ensures that Miss Goodwin is well taken care of. Pamela was generally well received and was what we might call nowadays a "bestseller". According to Margret Ann Doody, “everyone read it; there was a craze for “Pamela,” and Pamela motifs appeared on teacups and fans” (“Introduction to Pamela by Samuel Richardson”). However, Pamela also had some less friendly reviews. Some (upper class) people were outraged by a rags to riches story and were also offended by the way their people were portrayed in the story. In response to this criticism, Richardson made some changes in hopes of appeasing the critics. It was not just the upper class who challenged Pamela, but some of Richardson's contemporaries did as well. Most notably, Henry Fielding wrote the short story An Apology for the Life of Mrs. Shamela Andrews, often simply referred to as Shamela as a direct attack and satire on Richardson's popular novel. According to "Henry Fielding Shamela Introduction", the aim of the parody was to "expose the hypocrisy of contemporary mores" and to satirize not only history itself, but also the political and religious leaders of the time (LeBlanc). The introduction goes on to explain how, while Pamela uses virtue and is ultimately rewarded, Shamela behaves badly to receive what she wants. Another parody was published by Eliza Haywood in 1741. Her work, entitled The Anti-Pamela; or Feigned Innocence, followed a seemingly innocent young woman named Pamela who used her cunning mind to get everything she wanted from her foolish master. However, despite these earlier parodies and criticisms, Pamela enjoyed enormous success. Evelina; Or, The Story of a Young Girl's Entry into the World was written by Frances Burney and published in 1778. Also written in epistolary form, this novel centers on Evelina Annville, a young woman raised by the Reverend Villars after the death of his mother and father. Evelina is sent to live with Lady Howard and her family at Howard Grove. Evelina then travels to London with the family, whereshe is introduced into London high society. Evelina's false pauses serve as an educational tool for readers. Evelina attends balls and plays, meets men (some tastier than others) and must learn to integrate into this unfamiliar society. Evelina meets her grandmother, who concocts a plan to get Evelina's father to claim her so that she receives his inheritance. Evelina moves to London with her grandmother, her grandmother's nephew and her children, who often embarrass Evelina. There she meets Mr. Macartney, a Scotsman who often seems melancholic. When she sees him about to commit suicide, Evelina heroically saves him. She later discovers that Macartney is her brother. Her father ends up claiming her and Evelina receives the money she is owed. She also marries Lord Orville, one of the only men Evelina has a favorable opinion of throughout the novel. Unlike Samuel Richardson, Burney did not face as much criticism of Evelina. Although it was initially published anonymously, it was ousted by one of her contemporaries in a poem she called "vile". The dedication of the book itself reads: "The vast scheme of your critical observations, which, not limited to useful or ingenious works, 'is equally open to those who frivolously amuse themselves, - and, even worse than frivolously , boredom, - encourage me to seek your protection, since, perhaps for my sins! - this authorizes me to your annotations. Returning this offering, however insignificant it may be, would not become the universality of your enterprise; but it is possible not to despise him, alas! be beyond your power. In Gina Campbell's "How to Read Like a Gentleman," Campbell argues that the introduction is important because Burney realizes that she needs "a kind or at least impartial reception and recognizes that it will not be given to her granted systematically” (Campbell 557). These two stories, although different in plot, have many similarities. Before we even delve into the text itself, there are many similarities between Pamela and Evelina. The most obvious comparison concerns the format of the text. As mentioned previously, both novels are epistolary novels, so each of the tales is told through letters from different characters. Continuing their non-textual similarities, both works were published in the 18th century. Pamela and Evelina was well received (for the most part) and widely read. Besides these superficial issues, there are also some apparent thematic similarities. Both of these works can be described as “domestic” fiction, focusing on women in the many trials of courtship, seduction, and love (Ozarska 72). Both tales are coming-of-age and courtship tales that follow a young woman's adventures in society and ultimately marriage. It is also interesting to note that both heroines do not know who their parents are: Pamela does not know who her mother or father are, and Evelina knows that her mother is dead but does not know who her father is for much of of history. Another family problem present in both tales is the discovery of a sibling. Evelina and Pamela meet individuals who later turn out to be their siblings. Additionally, both stories feature subplots including possible (although not always legitimate) fears of incest. Likewise, both novels have the same ultimate goal: to teach young women how to behave in society. Although the two novels proceed in different ways, the result is ultimately the same: you will be rewarded with a comfortable life and a good(?) husband if you. 419–439.