Samuel Richardson, Comedic Narrative and the Culture of Domestic Violence

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Samuel Richardson, Comedic Narrative and the Culture of Domestic Violence is written by Christopher D. Johnson and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. It's available with International Standard Book Number or ISBN identification 1527502465 (ISBN 10) and 9781527502468 (ISBN 13).

This book provides a comprehensive reading of Samuel Richardson's novels. Using a combination of literary theory and criminology, Christopher D. Johnson demonstrates that Richardson not only understood the horrific dynamics of domestic violence, but also recognized the degree to which his first novel, Pamela: or, Virtue Rewarded (1740) could inadvertently normalize abusive relationships. This recognition informed Richardson's subsequent novels and fueled his distrust of novelistic fiction, especially those comedic works that depend on sudden transformations. It also caused him to draw careful delineations between the practical instruction he hoped to provide and the ideals of his Christian faith, particularly as they pertain to earthly suffering and self-sacrifice. The Richardson who emerges from the study becomes both a staunch defender of what he saw as a benevolent patriarchy and a fierce advocate for women's subjectivity, happiness and safety.