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Evelina or a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

I’m happy that we are finished our readings, and I will remain a happy girl if I don’t need to read another epistolary novel in my time…not that it’s terrible…it just gets, shall we say, flat after awhile.

Evelina’s innocence, in my opinion, is her main mode of attraction to all these upper class gentlemen. Her faux-pas remain the charm of this novel, that and her ever protective father figure, Mr. Villars. I think that Burney wanted to convey a certain amount of corruption within the “societal” figures in this novel – making them seem ridiculous a lot of the time, like Mr. Lovel for example.

Characters in this novel keep speaking about how educated Evelina is, but is she really that educated? I suppose if you consider the standards of being educated socially, but even held to the academic standards of today…I’m not so sure if Evelina would successfully pan out.

Anyhow, I hope everyone drives safely in the snow and has a Merry Christmas!!!

Shamela / Anti-Pamela

Well well well, Henry Fielding we meet again. I read Joseph Andrews for my intro to fiction course last year and I must say that I did not miss Fielding in the least since the last time we encountered. However having said that I must say that it was a great accomplishment to create this imaginary world through several books that has been popularized throughout the ages, following these characters that can be, shall we say, quite ridiculous.

I did enjoy how short Shamela was as compared to Anti-Pamela, that was an upside, but you still need to get past the language. I like the comment made by Gil Burke about Fielding reminding her of Swift (I love Swift!). I can see where she’s coming from, and they do have some similar qualities to their literature, however I find that I enjoy Swift more than Fielding (not exactly sure why, possibly because I have read poetry by Swift and I am partial to poetry). Anyway, I thought these two novels were a funny take on Pamela once you actually puttered your way through them.

Moll Flanders

Overall I enjoyed Defoe’s novel Moll Flanders, once I got past the…shall we say formal language. Though the language was dense I found the character Moll quite charming, and felt really bad for the poor girl when she found out she was doing her brother. I feel that it was easier to connect to this novel having discussed the societal influences in class last week, it added context while I was puttering through this novel.

 

I agree with Jocelyn Chambers when she stated that this book was hard to read due to no chapter division. Also, I agree with her that the sentences were quite long at times. My favorite parts were how the “handsome” Moll kept deceiving people, I felt that she was empowered as a woman when she finally started to fend for herself (be it through some disturbing outlets). And it is true, how many freaking kids does this girl have?

Kerry’s Weblog Sept.12th

“2dly. If the same royal prerogative was exerted for the punishment

of women convicts, it would indisputably produce very happy effects.

It is to the low and abandoned women that hundreds of young fellows

owe their destruction. They rob, they plunder, to support these

wretches. Let it not seem cruel that we make one remark, of which we

are convinced experience would justify the propriety. The execution

of ten women would do more public service than that of an hundred

men; for, exclusive of the force of example, it would perhaps tend

to the preservation of more than an hundred.”

		http://www.exclassics.com/newgate/newgate1.txt

I find this portion of scripture taken from Part I of the Newgate Calendar

to be disturbing and almost sarcastic.   Upon reading this paragraph, I was

taken back for a moment to "A Modest Proposal" by Swift.  I find that this clipping has

an almost comedic tone to it.  This statement gives the reader a clear insight as to how

women were treated, as it is clearly to women that men "owe their destruction".

I can see why Swift would make fun of this society:

“Some, who might have

come miles to see ‘the drop’, were determined to have a good time – almost

as though it was a holiday or they had gone to a carnival – and it was

Saint Monday, a long weekend, after all! There were eight of these hanging

days a year and they were considered to be the biggest tourist attraction

of the day! “

		http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/schools/journey.html

Society celebrates hanging criminals just as they would Christmas or Easter.  Satyric

literature in England during this time entertains me the most because they poke fun at all

the odd quirks of the wealthy citizens and socialites. If anyone has not read

"A Modest Proposal" I would highly recommend it, especially if you want to get a hilarious

critique of society in the 18th century.