Letter two addresses the issue of male’s
treatment of women during the 18th century, which became a major topic of
conversation, novels, and poetry during the time period, due to the radical
changes that were taking place in the world with regards to feminism. Though the
reader later learns of Mr. Lovelace’s past and reputation as a rake, his
interaction with Arabella is extremely misleading, as he portrays himself to her
as a shy man who is anything but forceful. Arabella’s chief complaint is that
she is unsure of his intentions, as he does not make any efforts to pursue her
in a romantic manner. Instead, he appears to be just a friend. This particular
passage is similar to the meeting between Kate Hardcastle and the young Marlow
in Oliver Goldsmith’s play, She Stoops to Conquer. As the 18th century
was when the effects of feminism began to become apparent in everyday life, a
transformation in the courting and marriage process began to take hold. Women
began to assert themselves as individuals and, as such, were no longer placed
into marriages without their consent. Clarissa serves as one of the first novels
of the time to document such extreme measures taken to avoid a marriage. A lot
can be implied from the copy of a gentleman’s verse that concludes the second
letter which details the relationship between Arabella and Lovelace. Though I am
not proud of it, I believe that there is a great deal of truth in this
assessment of women, as they are notoriously difficult to understand because of
the many double standards they sometimes employ. This concept is not particular
to the 18th century, as it may still be seen today. For instance, women want to
be strong, independent, self-sufficient members of society, yet they are often
angered when men fail to open doors for them or pay for dinner. This verse
accurately expresses the confusion that men experience as a result of this
discrepancy, as Lovelace is criticized for taking things too slow, but would
also be looked upon unfavorably if he was too forceful.