Pamela
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Summary
Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded is an epistolary novel by the English writer Samuel Richardson, published in 1740 and regarded as one of the founding works of the English epistolary novel. The book consists chiefly of letters written by the maidservant Pamela Andrews to her parents, recounting how this poor but intelligent and self-possessed young woman, after the death of her elderly mistress, faces every manner of testing, gift-giving, intimidation and attempted abduction by the young master, yet always conducts herself with virtue and self-respect, repeatedly refusing him and seeking to escape; in the course of this the master is gradually moved by her character, comes to love her sincerely, and at last formally proposes marriage, whereby Pamela rises into high society. Through first-person letters the novel minutely renders the young woman's fear, hesitation, struggle and self-justification, combining social observation with psychological analysis and brimming with emotional outpourings. Upon publication it set off "Pamela fever" in England and helped advance the development of European sentimentalist literature. At the same time, its treatment of class, property, virtue and power has provoked debate and parody both in its own day and in later times. The Chinese translation is based on the 1985 Penguin edition and is included in the "Yilin World Literature Classics · Classical Series."
Editor's review
这本书常被摆在“世界名著”的书架上，但它的价值远不止“名著”二字。它是英国书信体小说的奠基之作，也是现代小说心理描写的重要源头：帕梅拉的恐惧、盘算、自责与自我安慰，都写在信纸上，读者仿佛偷看一位十八岁少女的私密日记。理查森让小女仆第一次以质朴而固执的声音讲述自己的遭遇，这在当时的英国文坛是革命性的。译林版由吴辉翻译，据企鹅出版社1985年版译出，收入“译林世界文学名著·古典系列”，译文保留了书信体的絮语节奏与旧式礼仪口吻，读来有鲜明的时代气息。对于想弄懂“小说如何学会写内心”的读者，这本1740年的畅销书是不可绕过的一站。需要提醒的是，书中对贞洁、阶级与婚姻的处理带有强烈的时代烙印，今天的读者不妨带着批判的眼光去读，把它当作理解十八世纪英国社会观念的一份生动档案。
Who it's for
A good fit for
- 喜欢外国古典文学、想补读英国小说源流的读者
- 对书信体叙事、第一人称心理描写感兴趣的写作学习者
- 英国文学、比较文学专业的学生与研究者
- 愿意带着历史眼光阅读、能接受旧时代观念差异的读者
Not a good fit for
- 期待快节奏情节与强烈戏剧冲突的当代类型小说读者
- 对书信体絮语式叙述缺乏耐心的读者
- 对书中贞洁观、阶级观可能感到不适且不愿批判性阅读的读者
Reading tips
- 先读第一卷的三十余封信，把握帕梅拉的声音与处境，再进入主人求婚后的转折部分。
- 阅读时留意书信这一形式本身：谁在写、写给谁、哪些话不敢写，都是理解人物的关键。
- 可配合菲尔丁的戏仿之作《约瑟夫·安德鲁斯》或《夏美勒》对读，体会当时文坛的争论。
- 不必急于评判人物，先还原十八世纪英国乡绅家庭的财产、婚姻与主仆关系背景。
About the publisher
Yilin Press
China · Founded in 1988
Yilin Press focuses mainly on translated foreign literature. Its current catalogue of 318 titles covers common categories such as mystery and detective fiction, foreign literature, world classics, biography, and social novels. Representative books include The Complete Sherlock Holmes 2: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice, To the Lighthouse, The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, and Lives of the Artists: Michelangelo, often presented in bilingual or English-language editions that serve both original-text reading and language learning. Its author resources include foreign writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle, Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, and Romain Rolland, as well as translators including Li Jiazhen, Gao Fen, and Ma Ye. The catalogue also includes Chinese works such as Li Jieren's Ripples Across Stagnant Water. The press shows a concentrated publishing strength in foreign classics and bilingual readers; given limited public information, this overview is based only on catalogue data.
Contents
- Volume One Letter I. To her Parents. A particular account of the old Lady's death.—Her master's kind behaviour to her.
- Letter II. The Parents' answer. Great grief for the old Lady's death. Caution her not to be too grateful for her master's favours.
- Letter III. To her Father. She resolves rather to lose her life than her virtue.
- Letter IV. To her Mother. Lady Davers commends her beauty, and advises her to keep the men at a distance.
- Letter V. The worthy behaviour of Mrs. Jervis, the housekeeper, in her family, and the friendship between her and Pamela.
- Letter VI. To her Parents. More instances of her master's goodness to her.
- Letter VII. To her Father. An account of more generous presents from her master.
- Letter VIII. The Father's letter. He insists upon his former cautions and instructions.
- Letter IX. To her Parents. Her master will not let her go to Lady Davers's.
- Letter X. To her Mother. That her master's designs upon her are now plain.
- Letter XI. To her Mother. A particular account of her master's behaviour to her in the summer-house.
- Letter XII. To her Mother. She begs Mrs. Jervis to let her lie with her, and tells her all that passed.
- Letter XIII. The Parents' letter. Their fears and uneasiness on her account.
- Letter XIV. To her Father. An account of a conversation between her master and Mrs. Jervis concerning her.
- Letter XV. To her Mother. Her master reproaches her with telling Mrs. Jervis what he had charged her to keep secret, and endeavours to terrify her.
- Letter XVI. To her Parents. He threatens Mrs. Jervis in a tyrannical manner. Pamela's courage.
- Letter XVII. The Parents' letter. They tell her how welcome she will be to them, if she returns chaste and virtuous.
- Letter XVIII. To her Parents. Mrs. Jervis thinks he will have no more ill designs upon her.
- Letter XIX. To her Parents. Mrs. Jervis again advises her to sue to stay.
- Letter XX. To her Parents. She prepares a neat and plain dress.
- Letter XXI. To her Parents. Mrs. Jervis tells her how important she is in her master's eyes.
- Letter XXII. To her Parents. Her master speaks rudely to her, and is overheard by the butler.
- Letter XXIII. To her Parents. The characters and circumstances of several ladies in the neighbourhood.
- Letter XXIV. To her Parents. She puts on her plain dress.
- Letter XXV. To her Parents. Her master hides himself in their chamber, and overhears the conversation between Mrs. Jervis and her.
- Letter XXVI. To her Parents. Mrs. Jervis expostulates with her master. He consents that they shall both go.
- Letter XXVII. To her Parents. Her master, in a new suit of birthday clothes, asks her opinion.
- Letter XXVIII. To her Parents. Her master gives Mrs. Jervis leave to stay.
- Letter XXIX. To her Parents. Mrs. Jervis kindly offers her money; but she refuses it.
- Letter XXX. To her Parents. Her master treats her kindly. He confesses that he loves her.
- Letter XXXI. To her Parents. She declares to him her resolution to go.
- Volume Two and the following volumes (continuation)
FAQ
《帕梅拉》的原名和别名是什么？
原名为 Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded，直译为《帕梅拉，或贞洁得报》，中译本又名《贞洁得报》。它是理查森1740年出版的书信体小说。
这本书是谁翻译的，依据什么版本？
译林出版社1997年版由吴辉翻译，据企鹅出版社（Penguin Books）1985年版译出，责任编辑为李景端，收入“译林世界文学名著·古典系列”。
全书是书信体吗？有多少封信？
主体部分是帕梅拉写给父母的书信（中译本第一卷分为三十余封信），以第一人称叙述；后续部分延续书信与日记形式，篇幅更长，结构也更为复杂。
为什么说它重要？
它被认为是英国书信体小说的开山之作之一，让底层女性以自己的声音讲述故事，并把心理分析与社会环境描写结合，推动了欧洲感伤主义文学的发展。
书中的价值观今天读会不会过时？
其中对贞洁、阶级与婚姻的看法带有鲜明的十八世纪烙印，现代读者可能会有距离感。建议把它作为社会观念史的文本阅读，同时留意理查森对权力关系的复杂呈现。
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