The Impact of Robinson Crusoe (1719) in English Literature

- Release in 1719 marked a significant literary moment.

- Unprecedented sustained fictional account of an individual's life.
- Uniqueness and groundbreaking nature of the story.
- Key elements defining Robinson Crusoe's significance in the novel genre:
- Narration of an ordinary person's life.
- Extraordinary trials.
- Emphasis on inner thoughts, often in spiritual terms.
- Style of storytelling that encourages belief in plausibility.
This is the first edition of the famous
castaway tale, The Life and Strange
Surprizing Adventures of Robinson
Crusoe.
Defoe's Religious Self-Examination
- Storytelling for Defoe was religious self-examination.
- Crusoe's story: "Collection of Wonders."
- "Wonders" reflects astonishment at life's twists and God's guidance.
- Stranded on an island, with Bible and nature as instructors.
- Time for introspection and realization of past mistakes.

Defoe's Subsequent Novels

- Defoe's later novels: Moll Flanders, Colonel Jack, Roxana.
- Stories of repentant scoundrels learning about religion through life experiences.
- Novel titles mimic autobiographies.
- None bear Defoe's name as the author.
- Evidence suggests The Journal of the Plague Year was accepted as authentic
account of the Great Plague of 1665.
The Word 'Novel' in Defoe's Time
- Defoe's works initially not recognized as novels.
- Largely unnoticed by contemporary literary critics.
- Not considered part of the finest literature of the era.
- Popular but not regarded as truly literary.
- Often grouped with narratives about criminals, a popular trend.
- Readers were unaware of the emergence of a new literary genre.

Absence of 'Novel' in Robinson Crusoe

- In Robinson Crusoe's preface, terms like "Story," "Adventures," "Account," "Life," "History," and "Fact"
used.
- The term "novel" conspicuously absent.
- Readers hadn't yet adopted this term for the emerging genre.
- "Novel" referred to what we now call short stories or novellas, often centered around forbidden romantic
tales.
- Many novellas authored by women like Delarivière Manley and Eliza Haywood.
- Defoe's Roxana drew inspiration from this once-dominant sub-genre, featuring scandalous affairs among
courtly men and women.
The first page of the preface
explains that ‘[t]he story is told with
modesty, with seriousness, and with
a religious application of events’.
Pamela and the Rise of the Novel
- Coined by critic Ian Watt.
- Title of influential 1957 book.
- Pivotal moment: Release of Samuel Richardson's Pamela in 1740.
- Story of a servant girl resisting advances, an instant bestseller.
- Work of profound moral significance, argued for taking novels seriously.
- Some critics ridiculed due to Richardson's background as a self-made
businessman-turned-novelist.
 Samuel Richardson is remembered today as one of the most important
innovators of the novel form – and yet he did not publish his first novel until
he was 51.
Early Life and Printing Career
- Born August 19, 1689, Derbyshire, England.
- Apprentice at 17 under printer John Wilde.
- Wilde's business: almanacs, jest-books, popular fiction.
- Passionate reader, skilled letter writer, ghostwrote love letters.
- Authored letter writing manual and famous epistolary novels.
- Established own printing shop in London after apprenticeship.
- Printed for Jacobite Duke of Wharton, influenced Lovelace in Clarissa.
- Contracted to print Journals of the House for the House of Commons.
- Printing career laid foundation for literary work.
Richardson's Personal Life and Career
- Married Martha Wilde, employer's daughter.
- Sadly, six children didn't survive infancy; Martha passed in 1731.
- Remarried Elizabeth Leake in 1733; four daughters survived.
- Established successful printing shop.
- Published notable novelists like Defoe, Collier, Fielding, and Young.
- Printed newspapers, periodicals, pamphlets.
- Maintained associations with writers, politicians, and prominent figures.
- Ran printing business until his passing.
Richardson's Literary Transition
- Shifted focus to literature after being a printer.
- Started with a letter collection on expressing emotions stylishly.

Precursor to Pamela
- The letter collection preceded his first novel, Pamela.
- Both projects ran concurrently.

Pamela - A Literary Breakthrough

- Story of a virtuous maidservant reforming her employer.
- Highlighted inner thoughts and ethics of a modest protagonist.
- Groundbreaking for its time.
Clarissa - Richardson's Stylistic Emphasis
- Second novel, Clarissa, released in multiple installments (1747-1748).
- Richardson refined focus on characters' inner thoughts and emotions.
- Portrayal of virtuous Clarissa and unrepentant libertine Lovelace.
- Extended serialization immersed readers in the creative process.
- Fans sent letters requesting a more positive outcome for the anguished
protagonist.
Sir Charles Grandison
- Written in 1753, celebrated male moral excellence.
- Responding to requests for male character like Clarissa or Pamela.
- Richardson's later works retained didactic nature.

Richardson's Final Publication

- "A Collection of Moral and Instruction Sentiments."
- Emphasized novels as valuable moral role models.
- Demonstrated novels' impact on everyday life.

Richardson's Passing
- June 1761: Suffered a stroke.
- Passed away on July 4th, 1761, at age 71.
- Reflects on his significant impact on the development of the novel genre and moral storytelling.
Richardson's Influence on the Novel
- Profound influence on novel evolution.
- Epistolary novels turned ordinary life into moral dilemmas.
- Characters revealed inner thoughts and emotional reactions.
- Explored endeavors to understand themselves.
- Richardson's 'writing to the moment' method inspired a more intimate
connection between fiction and everyday life.
First published in 1740, the epistolary
novel Pamela is viewed as the first work to
move the previously sensational or
romantic genre of the novel into the
respectable mainstream.
Pamela's Unpretentious Origins
- Crafted in letter form by the protagonist.
- Early versions had raw immediacy, appealing to readers.

Pamela's Realism and Letters

- Reflects uncertainties, anxieties, and limited knowledge.
- Letters are pivotal, concealed from Mr. B.
- Readers follow Pamela's tribulations.
- Her letters influence Mr. B, transforming the story.

The Novel's Moral Potency

- Transforms its antagonist through Pamela's influence.
- Demonstrates Richardson's ability to create morally complex narratives.
Fielding's Response to Richardson
- "Joseph Andrews" responds to Richardson.
- No specific label for innovative writing.
- Joseph, Pamela's purported brother, gains wisdom through experiences.

"Tom Jones" as Satirical Epic

- "Tom Jones" is a satirical epic.
- Coarse incidents with allusions.
- Intricate, refined plotting, popular with Victorian novelists.

Journeys through Society

- Both novels feature protagonists traveling through society.
- Encounter characters from diverse social strata.
- Influence on authors like Tobias Smollett in works like "Roderick Random" and "Humphry
Clinker."
Clarissa
- Richardson's second novel.
- Written in letters, all fictional correspondents.
- Noble Clarissa pursued by rakish Lovelace.
- Discrepancy between Lovelace's plans and Clarissa's beliefs.
- Some readers fell for Lovelace, leading to later revisions.
- Enormous length and artificiality challenging for modern readers.
- A work with sad goals and psychological complexity.
- Influenced writers across Europe (e.g., Laclos' "Liaisons dangereuses" and
Rousseau's "Julie").
- Elevated the novel genre, gaining respectability and literary recognition.
Bestselling Novels in the 18th Century
- The best novels of the 18th century were also bestsellers.
- Some viewed the novel as a for-profit endeavor.
- Novels were a new literary product relied upon by 18th-century booksellers.
- Booksellers combined roles as publishers, sellers, and sometimes printers.
- Notable booksellers like Andrew Millar and Robert Dodsley found success.
- Lesser-known booksellers wrote and sold anonymous novels catering to a
growing, affluent readership.
Circulating Libraries and the Novel
- Novel promoted novel reading habits.
- Lending libraries in Britain coincided with the novel's rise in the 18th century.
- Members could check out volumes, including novels.
- Catalogues and adverts indicate novels were popular in these libraries.
- Even provincial towns had circulating libraries by the late 18th century.
- Circulating libraries made novels accessible and encouraged voracious reading
habits.
Book Reviews and the Novel
- Growth of book reviews in specialized journals paralleled the novel's emergence.
- The Monthly Review, launched in 1749, was one of the first.
- Novels became a staple content in these reviews.
- Critics warned of the novel's perils while acknowledging its irresistibility.
- Average novel reader often portrayed as impressionable young women.
- Contemporary moralists, including novelists, made fun of such warnings.
- Examples like Lydia Languish in Sheridan's "The Rivals" mock disapproval of
novels.
- Sir Anthony Absolute's description of the circulating library as 'the evergreen tree
of diabolical knowledge' is humorously absurd.
Novel's Respectability by the 1770s
- By the 1770s, the novel gained respectability.
- Frances Burney worried about her father's reaction to her novel "Evelina" (1778).
- Her father was proud of her morally flawless and satirical work.
- Burney's novel used the epistolary format pioneered by Richardson.
- It portrayed a naive young woman's entrance into society through her letters.
- Burney's later works like "Cecilia" and "Camilla" were highly praised.
- Demonstrated that women could be successful novelists.
- Jane Austen was influenced by Burney's books and behavior.