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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A comparison between Richardson's Pamela and Defoe's Roxana, with particular reference to their importance as early examples of the psychological novel, and the authorial use of multiple perspectives within a pseudo-autobiographical format.
Page Count:
10 pages (~225 words per page)
File: JL5_JLpamroxan.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
canon, it is perhaps difficult to realise that until comparatively recently, the novel as we know it did not exist. Prior to the realism of the psychological novels of Defoe
and Richardson, the structure of the novel was derived from pre-existing plots and characters: stories from myth and legend, or from earlier works. In addition, the structure of the text
was formalised and clearly defined: the idea of using multiple perspectives to build up a complex holistic view of events was not a feature of earlier works.
"Pamela" and "Roxana" were amongst the first works to present themselves as supposedly authentic accounts
of the real-life experiences of individuals, which allowed the reader to explore the ideas and motivations of the central characters. They offered an insight not only into the actions of
the protagonists, but also into their thoughts and feelings, and the conscious and subconscious rationales for their behaviour.
It is interesting that the contemporary audience seems to have accepted the realistic format of the novels without questioning it
too closely: Roxana, for example, is written in a way which strongly implies that it is a true story, based on autobiographical elements. However, even a cursory examination of the
historical details presented in the text reveals that there are far too many inconsistencies and inaccuracies for it to be the true account of the protagonists life experience: dates, times
and places simply do not mesh. Despite this, Defoes skill in conveying the many facets of his character constantly reiterates the notion that these are the genuine innermost thoughts of
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