Evelina; or, The History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World | Style

Evelina; or, The History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World Style

Epistolary Novel

The epistolary novel, a novel told through a series of letters written by one or more characters, was very popular in the eighteenth century. During this time period, letter writing was used to convey new scientific discoveries, to reflect on philosophical thoughts, and, of course, for personal communications. The form of the epistolary novel is claimed to have been first used by Samuel Richardson (1689-1761), most famously in his books Pamela (1740) and Clarissa Harlow (1747-1748). Richardson was a printer and upon retiring, he was asked to write a book as guidance for young women on how to properly write letters. Instead, Richardson was inspired to use the letter form to write a story. Other authors who have used the form include Johann Wolfgang Goethe in his book The Sorrows of Werther (1774) and Jane Austen in her Love and Friendship (1790). A more contemporary version of the epistolary novel...
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