Clarissa · Chapter
Letter 258: Mr. Belford, to Robert Lovelace, Esq. explained
Belford writes to Lovelace in horror and condemnation after learning of the rape of Clarissa.
What happens
Belford writes to Lovelace in horror and condemnation after learning of the rape of Clarissa. He urges Lovelace to make amends by marrying her, offering to give him his inheritance if he does so. Belford reflects on his uncle's death and his own moral awakening.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak where Clarissa, desp…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Suffering and Redemption
Belford emphasizes Clarissa's suffering and urges Lovelace to seek redemption through marriage, while Belford himself undergoes a moral transformation after witnessing his uncle's death.
- Friendship and Loyalty
Belford's letter balances his loyalty to Lovelace with his moral outrage, ultimately offering his inheritance to persuade Lovelace to do right by Clarissa.
- Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
Belford condemns Lovelace's blackest artifice and studied deceits, contrasting the appearance of a seduction with the reality of a brutal rape.
Characters to notice
- John Belford
Writes to Lovelace expressing horror and moral outrage at the rape of Clarissa; offers his inheritance to Lovelace if he will marry her.
- Robert Lovelace
Addressed by Belford as the perpetrator of the rape; urged to marry Clarissa to repair his crime.
- Clarissa Harlowe
Described as the victim of Lovelace's barbarous outrage; praised for her virtue and excellence.
Key passages
“O thou savage-hearted monster! What work hast thou made in one guilty hour, for a whole age of repentance!”
You savage monster! What you did in one guilty hour will require a lifetime of repentance.
Belford opens with a direct condemnation of Lovelace's rape of Clarissa.
“I wish, from my heart, thou wert a money-lover! Were the estate to be of double the value, thou shouldst have it every shilling; only upon one condition ... that thou wouldst permit me the honour of being this fatherless lady's father, as it is called, at the altar.”
I wish you cared about money. I would give you my entire inheritance on one condition: that you let me have the honor of giving this fatherless lady away at the altar.
Belford offers his inheritance to Lovelace if he will marry Clarissa.
