The sentimental novel, a beloved genre in English literature, sweeps us away on an emotional rollercoaster as we journey through the lives of its earnest protagonists. As a major literary genre from the 18th century, these novels emphasise sentiment, virtue, and moral lessons. The sentimental novel captivates readers with its richly drawn characters, evocative storytelling, and exploration of human emotions. From the heart-wrenching trials of Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded (1740) to the soul-stirring The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), explore the sentimental novel and uncover its defining characteristics, timeless examples, and enduring impact.
Sentimental novel: definition
First, let's consider the definition of the term sentimental novel.
The sentimental novel was an 18th-century European literary genre focused mainly on emotions and feelings rather than logic and reason. Narratives tended to show characters in distressing scenes, provoking over-the-top emotional reactions that defined further plot action.
As the popularity of the genre grew, it faced intense backlash. Critics noted that the genre was shallow, extreme and self-indulgent, allowing for the façade of emotion without meaningful cause. Other detractors called such powerful displays of emotion narcissistic and hysterical. The sentimental novel has often been satirised, most famously in Jane Austen's 1811 novel Sense and Sensibility.
The genre is defined by two core concepts: sentimentalism and sensibility.
Sentimentalism in English literature
The sentimental novel, also known as the novel of sentimentality, is a literary genre that focuses on the exploration of emotions, particularly those associated with sentiment, sympathy, and sensibility. This genre often portrays characters who are highly sensitive and prone to intense emotional experiences.
Let's first consider the philosophy of sentimentalism.
Sentimentalism refers to the moral philosophy that encourages the practice of sentimentality, which is a branch of philosophy that prioritises reliance on emotions as a way to seek out moral truths.
With advances in this philosophy came the birth of sentimentalism in English literature, including the sentimental novel and sentimental poetry.
Conceptual arguments were enlivened by characters and narratives founded on ideas of sentimentality. In literature, writers employed techniques that encouraged disproportionally emotional responses to otherwise insignificant events to substitute for measured discussions about more profound ethical and intellectual subjects.
Sentimentalism arose in opposition to rationalism.
Rationalism is a philosophy, with roots in Ancient Greece, that regards reason as the source of all knowledge.
In the 18th century, rationalist philosophy staunchly proposed that analysis based on logic was the basis for all truths, even in ideas of morality.
Sentimentalism, therefore, emerged as a counter-philosophy, arguing that moral judgment could not be founded on these principles alone. Instead, human emotions must be considered and developed to access a more accurate moral theory.
Sensibility
Sentimental novels are sometimes referred to as 'novels of sensibility', due to the pervasive influence of contemporary ideas of sensibility.
The concept of sensibility arose in 18th century England, referring to great sensitivity and responsiveness towards things, particularly emotions in oneself and others.
Sensibility soon became a key aspect of British society, as it became associated with virtue and morality. Characters' sensibility, shown in their immense capacity for feeling toward others and deep appreciation of the world, was seen as evidence of a pure, true heart.
Sentimental novel: elements
The sentimental novel's elements all work together to form the genre's particular intent, including:
- the importance of emotion
- its purpose as entertainment
- and the idealisation of nature
Fig. 1 - The Sentimental novel as a literary term encompasses works that evoke sentimental feelings and prioritise emotional depth and moral lessons.
Sentimental novel: characteristics
The sentimental novel's key genre characteristics are emotions, sentiment, entertainment, and the natural world with rural settings.
Emotions
The defining quality of the sentimental novel is the display of emotional responses to external stimuli.
Characters tended to experience intense moments of anguish, tenderness and distress, which informed their actions, and, therefore, the progression of plot action. Sentimental writers showcased the acute sensitivity of these characters in their capacity for intense feelings for things that might otherwise go unnoticed.
The culture of sensibility during the 18th century would have found these characters deeply endearing. Characters displaying intense emotions demonstrated an extraordinary ability for compassion, especially in a society that increasingly valued rationality.
Crucially, writers relied upon eliciting these feelings of sympathy from readers to help shape an understanding of an otherwise unrealistic plot and characters.
Entertainment
The sentimental novel was hugely popular during the 18th century for entertainment. The rise of the novel encouraged an unprecedented readership that incorporated new social and economic groups into literary culture.
Literature had previously been an exclusive interest of the upper class. However, the sentimental novel's consideration of social and economic issues, as well as its entertainment value, encouraged the participation of the middle class, young people, and women.
The natural world
Rural settings were typical of sentimental novels, often presented through an idealised lens.
Usually, narratives tend to follow the protagonist on a journey where they are transported to the countryside from a city. The beauty and purity of the natural landscape are harshly juxtaposed against the corruption and immorality of the urban environment.
Nature is seen, therefore, as a paradise where people live happily, free from the mistreatment of the city.
This became a key point of contention with critics, who pointed out the unrealistic quality of this depiction of the natural world as it appeared to characters and readers alike.
Let's consider an example:
In Jorge Isaacs' 1867 novel María, the great, natural beauty of the Colombian landscape serves as the setting. The wilderness of Latin American is perhaps different to the understated quietness of the English countryside; however, their purpose remains the same.
Isaacs, a Columbian novelist, creates a typical 19th-century love story in María, where the eponymous protagonist, Maria, dies as she awaits the return of her lover from London.
Indeed, there is a powerful romanticism imbued in rural settings, especially if we consider the colonial associations of the unbridled power of the foreign Colombian environment. This is set in opposition to the rigidity of London, implying that emotions should be left untamed, just as bucolic landscapes are.
Examples of sentimental novels
The various examples of the sentimental novel include Samuel Johnson's Pamela, Or Virtue Rewarded, and Oliver Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield, Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy (1759-67), Henry Mackenzie's The Man of Feeling (1771), and Henrey Brooke's The Fool of Quality (1765-70).
Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740)
The emotional power of Pamela, written by Samuel Richardson, is said to be a defining influence on the sentimental novels of the latter half of the century.
It is an epistolary novel which follows the titular character, Pamela, a fifteen-year-old maid, subject to the advances of her mistress' son, Mr. B.
An epistolary novel is a novel that is written through a series of letters, often including diary entries, newspaper articles and other documents.
In failing to seduce her, Mr. B kidnaps Pamela, threatening to rape her, which she resists. He then proposes marriage, which she accepts. In the novel's second part, Pamela explores her new role as wife and adjusts to upper-class society.
In the novel's portrayal of marriage, Richardson implies that Mr. B's proposal is a reward for Pamela's virtue, as the title might suggest. The novel is typical of the sentimental genre in its presentation of distressing events and situations, as well as in Pamela's acute sensitivity and goodness.
Vicar of Wakefield (1766)
Another example we can look at is Oliver Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield.
The novel is narrated by Dr. Primrose, the titular Vicar of Wakefield, who, throughout the narrative, endures many trials and tribulations. These include his incarceration, witnessing his family house destroyed by fire, the loss of all his money, among others.
Unlike Pamela, Wakefield can be called a satire of the genre; though it contains many of the key characteristics of the genre, including an idealised rural setting, sentimental philosophy and emotional events, there is also an irony in much of the novel's narration.
Sentimental Novel - Key takeaways
- The sentimental novel was a major literary genre popularised in the 18th century.
- The genre focuses mainly on emotions rather than reason and logic.
- The core concepts are sentimentality and sensibility.
- The key features of sentimental novels are the presence of emotion, the idealisation of the natural world, and entertainment value.
- Examples we might consider are Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740) by Samuel Richardson and Vicar of Wakefield (1766) by Oliver Goldsmith.
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