Clarissa · Chapter
Letter 69: Miss Clarissa Harlowe, to Miss Howe explained
Clarissa writes to Anna Howe, acknowledging her silence and expressing anxiety over their friendship.
What happens
Clarissa writes to Anna Howe, acknowledging her silence and expressing anxiety over their friendship. She defends Anna's satirical style as instructive and good-natured, contrasting it with the harsh satire of modern writers. Clarissa describes her precarious situation, torn between the 'rocks' of Lovelace and the 'sands' of Solmes, and considers the possibility of seeking refuge under Anna's mother's protection until her cousin Morden arrives. She details her precautions, including depositing linen and papers secretly, and notes that Lovelace has not written to her, leaving her feeling 'vexedly easy'.
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 Exposition.
- 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
- Female Agency and Virtue
Clarissa asserts her own judgment and plans for escape, balancing duty to family with personal integrity.
- Family Obligation and Rebellion
Clarissa feels torn between familial authority and her own will, contemplating secret measures to avoid forced marriage.
- Deception and Appearance vs. Reality
Clarissa uses strategic deception (leaving keys, pretending to care for clothes) to mask her true intentions from the family spy Betty.
Characters to notice
- Clarissa Harlowe
Author of the letter; reflects on her friendship with Anna, her family's pressure, and her cautious plans for escape.
- Anna Howe
Recipient; praised for her satirical skill and offered Clarissa's full correspondence for review.
- Robert Lovelace
Mentioned as a potential suitor; Clarissa notes his silence and feels they may be 'equally sick of one another'.
- Mr. Solmes
Referenced as an unwanted suitor, representing the 'sands' Clarissa fears striking upon.
- James Harlowe Jr.
Implied as a source of envy and pressure, contributing to Clarissa's 'foaming billows'.
- Arabella Harlowe
Implied as a source of envy and pressure, alongside her brother James.
Key passages
“I see in Lovelace, the rocks on one hand, and in Solmes, the sands on the other; and tremble, lest I should split upon the former, or strike upon the latter.”
Clarissa compares Lovelace to dangerous rocks and Solmes to treacherous sands, fearing disaster from either choice.
Metaphor for her dilemma between two undesirable suitors.
“My heart is vexedly easy, if I may so describe it.”
Clarissa feels a troubled calm, vexed by the impending interview with Solmes but otherwise at ease due to Lovelace's silence.
Expresses her conflicted emotional state.
