# Letter 137: Miss Clarissa Harlowe, to Miss Howe explained — Clarissa

> Chapter companion for Clarissa by Samuel Richardson.

## What happens

Clarissa writes to Anna Howe about Lovelace's report of her brother James's scheme to have her kidnapped by Captain Singleton. She discusses her fears and Lovelace's reaction, which she finds both reassuring and troubling. Lovelace presses her to accept his marriage proposal, but she deflects, hoping for Colonel Morden's intervention. The letter reveals Clarissa's conflicted feelings and her struggle to maintain independence while relying on Lovelace's protection.

## Themes in this chapter

### Female Agency and Virtue

Clarissa asserts her will against both her brother's violent scheme and Lovelace's manipulative proposal, striving to maintain her autonomy.

### Power and Manipulation

Lovelace uses the threat of James's plot to pressure Clarissa into marriage, while James attempts to control her through force.

### Family Obligation and Rebellion

Clarissa's defiance of her family's plans for her marriage to Solmes leads to her brother's extreme measures, highlighting the conflict between familial duty and personal choice.

## Character check-ins

### Clarissa Harlowe

Expresses fear of her brother's violent scheme and frustration with Lovelace's manipulative proposal.

### Robert Lovelace

Reports James's plot, treats it lightly, and pressures Clarissa to marry him as a solution.

### James Harlowe Jr.

Devises a scheme to kidnap Clarissa using Captain Singleton.

### Anna Howe

Clarissa's confidante; Clarissa references her earlier warning about the plot.

### Colonel Morden

Clarissa hopes for his arrival to mediate and protect her interests.

### Mr. Solmes

Mentioned as the suitor Clarissa fled to avoid.

## Key lines

> Mr. Lovelace communicated to me this morning early, from his intelligencer, the news of my brother’s scheme.

Lovelace told me this morning about my brother's plan, which he learned from his spy.

_Clarissa learns of James's kidnapping plot through Lovelace's intelligence network._

> I asked Mr. Lovelace, seeing him so frank and cool, what he would advise me to do.

I asked Lovelace for his advice, since he seemed so open and calm about the situation.

_Clarissa seeks guidance from Lovelace despite her distrust._

> He confidently seemed to enjoy my confusion ( indeed, my dear, he knows not what respectful love is !) and gazed upon me, as if he would have looked me through.

He seemed to take pleasure in my embarrassment, staring at me as if he could see right through me.

_Clarissa observes Lovelace's lack of genuine respect and his manipulative enjoyment of her discomfort._

> I told him I had hopes it would not be long before Mr. Morden arrived; and doubted not that that gentleman would be the readier to engage in my favour, when he found that I made no other use of his ( Mr. Lovelace’s) assistance, than to free myself from the addresses of a man so disagreeable to me as Mr. Solmes.

I said I hoped Colonel Morden would come soon and would help me, since I only used Lovelace to escape Solmes.

_Clarissa deflects Lovelace's marriage proposal by pinning her hopes on Colonel Morden's intervention._

## Links

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