Pamela in her Exalted Condition
Pamela in Her Exalted Condition is Samuel Richardson’s 1742 sequel to Pamela; or Virtue Rewarded. He wrote it to answer critics of the first book, to respond to satires and unauthorized sequels, and to tell readers what happened to Pamela after she marries Mr. B and rises to gentility.
The novel follows Pamela’s life as a wife, mother, and member of the upper class. It asks big questions about women’s roles and shows Pamela growing more refined in her new life. Richardson also tries to clear up misunderstandings about the original characters, explaining tricky scenes and guiding readers to important passages with footnotes.
The book did not do well with readers or critics. It is calmer and more focused on moral debates than the lively drama of the first novel, so it felt less exciting. In the story, Pamela becomes pregnant and Mr. B has had an affair earlier, but the sequel centers on moral reflection and resolution. By the end, Pamela is fully comfortable as a gentlewoman, and Mr. B is reformed and becomes a statesman.
Overall, Richardson aimed to refine Pamela and Mr. B and to show a harmonious marriage, but these changes made the book feel less dramatic and less popular than the original.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 05:28 (CET).